Coordination is pretty bad
Aug 13, 2000, 4:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: New York
Posts: 1,257
Coordination is pretty bad
I fly to Europe from New York 4-5-6 times a year, generally on Delta. I wanted to go to Stuttgart in November, but I've already committed all my DL system-wide upgrades to other flights, so I decided to go for cheap. DL118/AF15 and AF14/DL119 fit nicely, with AF connecting flights CDG-STR. The difference in fare between AF and DL was about $200 (for the same fligts, using DL 777s across the ocean!), so I opted for AF, and booking on their website went fine (but losing the 1000 miles if I had booked DL). AF even assigned me seats, 23C and 31B (I'm DL GM), even though I pointed out that there is no row 23 on a DL 777. AF insisted the flight was on a DL 767, and their website shows it that way. I called several times, but AF wouldn't accept that their computer was wrong, so I called DL, and they called AF, with me on hold, and had the same problem: AF couldn't understand the problem and insisted I was in seat 23C! I thought this was great customer service on DL's part, but then they had a chance to prevent a huge mess when DL118 checks in on Nov. 13. The ITN seat maps, by the way, show AF15 on a DL 767 and DL 118 on a DL 777 (with 74 or 112 Y seats available, respectively). I can see me now, in November, relegated to the middle of a 5-seat row, just because DL and AF can't coordinate their stories! Oh well.
Aug 13, 2000, 5:33 pm
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: New York City
Posts: 3,506
This is when I wish the days of Atlantic Excellence were not numbered. In my experience, DL has better coordination with its code-share partners than it does with AF. I was pleasantly surprised at the coordination between DL and SAA, Transbrazil and back in the good old days, VS.
But, of course, it must be too expensive on DL's bottom line to employ such coordination in Sky Team - "Caring more about you." After all, SR was not making enough money for DL though it seems many of the DL loyalists were happy having the Swiss airline as a partner.
Good luck on the situation though. If you're really concerned, check on it next time you're at a DL CTO? Doesn't DL have access to other Sky Team members reservations?
[This message has been edited by leroy11 (edited 08-13-2000).]
[This message has been edited by leroy11 (edited 08-13-2000).]
But, of course, it must be too expensive on DL's bottom line to employ such coordination in Sky Team - "Caring more about you." After all, SR was not making enough money for DL though it seems many of the DL loyalists were happy having the Swiss airline as a partner.
Good luck on the situation though. If you're really concerned, check on it next time you're at a DL CTO? Doesn't DL have access to other Sky Team members reservations?
[This message has been edited by leroy11 (edited 08-13-2000).]
[This message has been edited by leroy11 (edited 08-13-2000).]