ND76

My wife and I were booked on DL 246 (JFK-FCO) this afternoon (30 April). The flight never got off the ground, due to problems with the filters in the on board air recirculation system. Departure was pushed back from 1725 to 1830, then 1900, then 1930, then the flight was canceled shortly before 2000. We h, ad an inkling that the flight would not go fairly early, as the flight disappeared from the departures monitors in JFK.

Mechanicals happen. That's life. However, if the SkyTeam Alliance was truly an alliance, rather than some sort of joint sales organization, most of us (there were 34 J and 251 Y pax ticketed on the flight according to a GIDS board) could have been accomodated on various SkyTeam flights.

I was on the phone to the DM desk in SLC almost immediately after learning about the first delay. My wife was working the counter in one of the JFK SCs. We found a number of flight combinations where expertflyer.com showed seats available. Three of these combinations had DL code share numbers; the fourth was a DL flight through LHR, connecting to an AZ flight to FCO. Neither the Diamond desk nor the concierges in the SCs could book these seats.

We ended up with great help from the Diamond desk, but the best they could do was to get us on a DL flight to MXP tomorrow. We got a voucher for the Doubletree Hotel at the junction of the Belt Parkway and the Van Wyck Expressway and plenty of food credit (although they had a fire in the kitchen that closed the restaurants here).

Despite the video they show on Delta how great the SkyTeam Alliance is as they show a guy walk from jetway to jetway around the world, the sad fact is that, if you are a DL passenger on a canceled flight, don't expect any of the SkyTeam airlines to come to your rescue (the "Joint Venture" with AF-KLM is a total sham).

NWA012

A Delta fault delay should allow you to be proteceted on any carrier Delta has a ticketing agreement with. Does not matter if they are partners or not. Delta and KLM have a joint venture on all North America/Europe flights so that should be a no brainer for protection.

What reason was given for not protecting you on another carrier?

FLY OR

DL is in the wrong here. They could, and should, have booked you on the partner airlines provided the destination was the same and got you there before the DL flight the next day would have arrived.

I have been saved by this on a recent flight through FCO. DL crapped out and I got rebooked on an Alitalia flight after I called.

NWA012

The destination does not have to be the same, only with in 300 miles, and does not have to be a partner airline.

Davescj

problem was DL waited to long to rebook you. If you were at JFK, they could have sent you via CDG, as all the AF flighs are code shared and sent you on to FCO via CDG on AF or AZ.

They could also have sent you via KLM (AMS) or on the direct flight AZ or even BOS on the shuttle and AZ has a non stop to FCO from there.

Probably they thought they'd get the bird fixed before they did.

Again, DL (esp at JFK) is not a good customer service center if anything happens.

Dave

ND76

even though expertflyer showed availability; one routing we asked about was DL 001 to LHR, and then either non-stop on AZ to FCO or a connection through either CDG or AMS on either AF and KL, and the answer we got from DL is that none of AZ, AF or KL would make seats available to DL.

JOUY31

Looks much more like an internal DL revenue issue than a SkyTeam issue IMHO.

DeltaFlyingProf

Don't forget to claim the €600 compensation under European regulations.

emcampbe

Don't forget to read the applicability of compensation regulations before you advise people to use them. EU regulations only cover non-EU based carriers if the flight is departing from an EU country. Since it was a DL flight departing from the US, than there is no compensation under the EU regulations. For flights ex-US, only EU-based carriers need to abide by the regulations.

mhbaker

This is a perfect comparison between what DL used to be and what it is now and why so many of us have moved our business, particularly TATL travel, to other airlines; in my case BA. Under similar circumstances, involving a flight from LHR to ORD, BA had to cancel its flight and immediately confirmed me on the AA flight. No fuss; no bother. Just good customer service.

MikeyZBT

Maybe it was because the flight wasn't cancelled yet? I know it was eventually cancelled, but the OP mentioned that he and his wife started these maneuvers during the "delay" period and maybe Delta was reluctant to move it's passengers if it felt that the flight would still go out...

I know it's a bummer, but I am just playing devil's advocate. I totally agree with the OP though, Delta should have accomodated. Especially at JFK where there are SEVERAL Skyteam partners to change to.

mdb

That is not the way I read the regs....

monkeshine

Sounds about right. For my benefit and the future benefit of others who may read this thread, what is the policy in this situation.

With a delay could they have asked for a change given "time sensitivity" or "connecting flights"?

And once their bird was grounded for good, at that point should they have found AF or KLM or other Sky Team planes with availability could they have insisted on being rebooked?

What fare classes or Elite rank, if any?

Finally, if anyone can cite (or come close to it, anyway) the relevent COC passage ... I think this could be helpful to others and myself if anyone is willing to share their knowledge.

Thanks!

emcampbe

Then you read them wrong. It's pretty well known that only those flying European carriers are covered when flying to Europe. In fact, from Michelle Higgins column in the New York Times this morning (bolding mine):

TravellingMan

Your hopes are too high that these marketing agreements mean anything more than just that.