xyz123

I had booked a Xmas trip with DL JFK-LAX-JFK. Today I received an e-mail from those incompetents telling me that they had changed my itinerary for my return. It had originally been a red eye non stop direcgt flight from LAX to JFK. Apparently they have cancelled that flight and now propose to send me with a connection in ATL with arrival at LGA adding 3 hrs to the trip. This of course is completely unsatisfactory. What rights do I have as they have completed altered my itinerary. I paid for JFK-LAX-JFK not a crummy connection not even to the correct airline and a delay of 3 hrs. When I checked the schedule I found that to connect to JFK would add another 3 hrs to the fligt. I realize I could probably get a refund but I would not be able to rebook with another airline for th same fare. I intend to demand that they re-book me on another airlin's red eye out of LAX. After all, they have broken their contract with me. If they did not intend to operate that red eye non stop direct flight to JFK, they should not have booked me.

What do you think....do I have any recourse as this is a complete alteration of itinerary; not a schedule change. I paid for JFK, not LGA.....

NoFlyZone

When you buy a ticket, the only obligation the airline has, by the contract/tariff, is to transport you to your destination. They have the right to make changes such as this. Providing they get you there within so many hours of the original time (I think 4 but am not sure) you have little recourse other than to request a different routing (which DL will do as I did it just last week).

If they cannot get you there within that time limit you have the option of staying with their changes or requesting a full refund. Of course, they have no obligation to cover any expenses you may have if you rebook elsewhere.

Have you called them and asked nicely what they can do to accommodate you? You'd be surprised...

AAFrequentFlyer

Refund is the only option available, other than just taking the new flight.
But, as NoFlyZone said, maybe a call, as long as it's calm, could produce some other result, although if they did cancel that flight, I don't see what that could be. They will not, under any circumstance put you on any other airline. That only happens on the day of the flight, if your original flight is cancelled, oversold, etc...
And NFZ is also correct about DL not being responsible for any extra expenses if you decide to get a refund and book a different airline.

abram

As frustrating and distressing as this type of situation is, I don't think they've actually broken their contract with you. My guess is that, if you read the fine print on your ticket, they have the right to change their flight schedules. When you booked your flight, they may not have known that they were later going to cancel it.

We had a similar situation with United, and when we called, they put us a different United flight that was as close to our original flight as possible.

BeachBoi

Take a look........
http://www.delta.com/pdfs/contract_of_carriage_dom.pdf

dutyfree

It is 6 MONTHS from when you are leaving? Considering how the world situation/economy is;plane deliveries,etc.I can understand how a schedule could change.I think that it is great that they let you know so far ahead. Call them back and ask if there is another option .Delta is usually very accomodating.

NoFlyZone

I'd like to add that somethinges such schedule changes are computer-generated and really dumb. For example, I have a ticket on a one-ways flight from LA to Tampa this coming October.

Apparently, a couple of weeks ago Delta assigned this flight to Song, their replacement for Delta Express. Their computer rebooked me on a conecting flight through Atlanta (which left 20 minutes earlier or later but, of course, was a couple of hours later in arriving).

I think the computer is programmed to move people from Song back to Delta flights. At least in this case. Perhaps they thought I would want the connection in order to get the meal (which is a charged item on Song.) aybe they did that because I am Medallion.

Whatever, I just called and requested to be put back on the original flight and they had no problem doing that. They had to reissue a new etickets and now that I think of it, maybe that's why I was moved to the Delta flight.

Whatever, Delta was quite nice about putting me back on the original flight.

xyz123

As a follow up to the story..

I spoke to DL and of course they had no solution to the absurd connection to the wrong airport they were trying to foist on me. They just want to be rid of the red eye flight out of LAX to JFK and it doesn't matter how many pax are being screwed after paying for the flight.

But I did a web search on Orbitz. Now orbitz is very good for searching out low fares and they give a nice matrix but then they have a pointer to lower fares for nearby airports.

Sure enough, AA is offering a $207 RT at prime holiday time (12/23 - 12/30)including a perfect red eye flight home and a very convenient morning flight to John Wayne in Santa Ana. As I stay in Orange county anyway this is great. Saved about $128.

So thank you Delta. Your incompetence and stupidity really worked well for me.

Incidentally, one thought. After getting the fares from Orbitz, I would never book with them as they have fees. Rather, I just go over to the airline's web site and book the same flights they suggest.

abram

I'm glad you're happy with your new arrangements.

All airlines change their flight schedules from time to time, and five plus months in advance, you have no guarantee that yours won't be changed. It's just part of travel.

Randyforgt

Having worked as a ticket agent...I always had a inform passengers of the terms and conditions of contract that 10 years ago was printed on the paper tickets.Now with all the E-tickets you may have to ask to see this from the DL ticket counter...Anyway,it basically says the airline can cancel,delay,or reroute your flight or flights for ANY reason.This applies to ALL airlines.I think I can speak for MANY current and EX ticket counter agents that hope next time you will book Greyhound or Amtrak.You are the type of traveler that causes the Ticket counter/gate agents to become burned out so fast.Let me guess that you also are upset over paying what you did and not being served Steak and Lobster on your flights,right?

xyz123

But you didn't read theoriginal post; they are trying to route me to a completely different destination...LGA is not JFK; especially if my car is parked at JFK. They changed the routing completely....it makes no sense to fly from LAX to ATL to get to New York..look at the map.

Were they within their rights....yes But I certainly have every right to be upset.

I am not a passenger whoever takes being treated wrongly lying down. The key airlines use to control passengers is the big lie...not to try to be up front with passengers.

When there are delays, you are never told the probable length of a delay. Ticket and gate agents count on passengers acting like sheep being led to the slaugter. I will never let them pull this garbage on me and it's just too bad if you don't understand this is part of your job.

Randyforgt

Yes,I read ALL of your post-tirade.All you had to do was pick up the phone and talk with DL res,explain the situation that you MUST fly back into JFK and I'm sure DL would have rebooked you AND offered an apology.Since you know all the in/outs of what a gate/ticket agent goes thru with late flights,cancelled flights ect,why don't you fill out an application and teach all us dumb airline employees how things should be done!

xyz123

Indeed I called DL and they gave me 2 alternatives...
1. an even later connecting flight from ATL to JFK arriving another 2.5 hours later

2. an earlier flight to JFK at 12 noon instead of 10 PM

I asked if they could book me on another airline and they said no so they refunded my money and of course I did much better.

As far as the other part of your post, airline agents do rely on telling half truths as a way of controlling crowds and do count on the ignorance of people who don't stand up for what is due them like respect for their intelligence. The system counts on this acceptance by most of the flying public to get away with treating us as customers....perhaps you are an exception to that and if so I apologize to you butI have found so many gate agents to not want to come out and give passengers all the information to which they are entitled and I will not allow that to happen to me.

Randyforgt

They (DL) also would have offered to pay for a taxi for you from LGA to JFK if you had requested.Now a few more points-yes,I admit there are Bad gate/ticket counter agents who just don't care about much except getting their paycheck.You have NO IDEA what a real "pressure cooker" a ticket counter or gate becomes when you have a delayed or cancelled flight! Often they agents actually do not know the full details of a maintenence or weather related ATC delay.Often when you are working a flight into a hub,it's impossible to tell a psgr,honestly whether they will/will not make their connecting flight.Because of the DOT on-time stats the airlines cannot hold ALL flights.I always tried to be honest with my passengers about delays,and let me tell you I took PLENTY of verbal abuse for being honest,but all in all MOST psgrs were nice,even about delays...Cancellations are/were another matter!