How does Delta work

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
I called asking to move a flight to one 3 hrs earlier (there are seats still) but it’s $200 to swap.
If I show at the gate asking to board the earlier flight will it be the same deal?
 
Suggest you call the 1-800 number, but I would say yes, you'll still be charged a change fee. All these little charges add up to millions of revenue for the airlines, and they ain't giving that up!
 
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Yes, they will require you to pay the difference in the cost of the two flights. Maybe even a change fee.
 
Depends on what kind of ticket you bought. The terms are there. Most people don’t look at them though. If you buy a higher fare you can usually change the flight to an earlier one for free or a small charge. If you buy a cheap fare, you’ll most likely pay a lot if you want to change your flight.
 
It depends. Some airlines will still let you fly standby under certain circumstances. Usually if you spend a lot of money with them each year.
 
I’ve never understood why they choose to screw you like that. If you are standing there and there is an empty seat, you would think it would benefit them to put you on the earlier flight and give them more opportunity to sell the seat on the later flight, but no, they want more money. When I’ve been in that situation, I’ve chosen to give my money to the airport bar. :)
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I called asking to move a flight to one 3 hrs earlier (there are seats still) but it’s $200 to swap.
If I show at the gate asking to board the earlier flight will it be the same deal?
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I do this all the time. Unless Delta has changed their policy in the last year or so, you can typically walk up to the ticket counter and ask for the earlier flight. If seats are available, they'll put you on with no extra charge. If you try to reserve it that way, you'll get the change fee.

As a side note, sometimes I would be put on a flight that had been delayed several hours and most of the original passengers had been moved to other flights. This resulted in a wide open flight and often Delta would give me 5-10000 extra FF miles for the "inconvenience" of being on a late flight. So earlier flight and extra miles. WIN!!
 
Dave Theisen said:
I’ve never understood why they choose to screw you like that. If you are standing there and there is an empty seat, you would think it would benefit them to put you on the earlier flight and give them more opportunity to sell the seat on the later flight, but no, they want more money. When I’ve been in that situation, I’ve chosen to give my money to the airport bar. :)
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Airline revenue management is much more complex than people think it is.

What its partially intended to discourage is the practice of booking a later, cheaper flight then going on an earlier, more expensive flight for the cheaper price. They'll typically allow those with certain levels of status to do it, but those guys are spending thousands/tens of thousands of dollars a year for the privilege.

I have found in practice that during IRROPS situations they'll typically allow it only to open up seat capacity later in the day when delays may be cascading and they need the seat capacity later on due to cancellations, etc.
 
They charge for same day standby unless you have status, think it’s Gold or better. The charge is less than the change fee, think it’s $60.
 
'Same day confirmed' and standby fees are waived from 'gold medallion' on up. For same day confirmed they also need to have a seat in your fare class. Didn't use to be that way, any seat in the same cabin was available. Changed a year or two ago and makes it far less useful.
 
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Turningfinal said:
Airline revenue management is much more complex than people think it is.

What its partially intended to discourage is the practice of booking a later, cheaper flight then going on an earlier, more expensive flight for the cheaper price. They'll typically allow those with certain levels of status to do it, but those guys are spending thousands/tens of thousands of dollars a year for the privilege.

I have found in practice that during IRROPS situations they'll typically allow it only to open up seat capacity later in the day when delays may be cascading and they need the seat capacity later on due to cancellations, etc.
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I don't get it. If it is the same type aircraft on the same point A to B route, then why is one flight cheap and the other expensive?
 
the website shows seats available at the same price I bought.
I did not look for cheap seats; I just needed a certain day and timeframe.
 
Timbeck2 said:
I don't get it. If it is the same type aircraft on the same point A to B route, then why is one flight cheap and the other expensive?
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Demand! Early morning and late day flights are usually more in demand with the business commuters. Mid day are usually a little cheaper (in my experience).
 
I wouldn't know, I do everything possible to avoid flying delta. not that any other airline would be much different, but delta's not getting my money.
 
I call shenanigans. Do they pay pilots a different hourly wage for an earlier flight? Does fuel cost less if it is burned in the afternoon?
 
Timbeck2 said:
I don't get it. If it is the same type aircraft on the same point A to B route, then why is one flight cheap and the other expensive?
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Because they can. Simple as that. Maximum revenue = management bonuses. :yesnod:
 
Timbeck2 said:
I call shenanigans. Do they pay pilots a different hourly wage for an earlier flight? Does fuel cost less if it is burned in the afternoon?
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Supply and demand. Those higher demand flights tend to sell out earlier, so they raise the prices to increase their profit margin. Basic capitalism.

Keep in mind, with most airline's pricing models, almost no two seats paid the same amount of money to be on that flight.
 
Timbeck2 said:
I call shenanigans. Do they pay pilots a different hourly wage for an earlier flight? Does fuel cost less if it is burned in the afternoon?
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Cost is only a floor on pricing, pricing is not based on markup from cost,

Also, it's been my (limited) experience that flights are very full these days, which I assume would make getting on an earlier one difficult.
 
I just booked a couple tickets this morning from Atlanta to Orange County to Vegas to Atlanta. I checked after I booked them to see the fare if we skipped the two days in Vegas, exact same price! SO, I am getting a free trip to Vegas, right?? :D:D With the exception of the rooms, food, booze and gambling losses!! :rolleyes:
 
I mean it’s right in terms when you buy a ticket. People act so surprised when they want to change to an earlier flight and find out they’re going to be charged for it.
 
@Let'sgoflying! - this has worked for me, YMMV.

I had a case like this once. I called in and got the $200 up charge story. I was trying to travel with a group and asked if I could switch my ticket (in this case another day, not same day). So I asked to talk to a supervisor instead. Told him I always fly Delta and NWA before that. I told him I really like the airline and this would really help me out. Supervisor then charged me the difference of the tickets ($8)...you could bet I knew that difference before I called :) So it paid to bump it up a level, tell them how your are inconvienced or that you made a booking or schedule mistake and ask if they can help. Who knows, maybe I used my one and only free pass. Doesn't hurt to be escalate and be humble.
 
It’s called dynamic pricing. Seems like everyone is engaging in it from Amazon to other on-line retailers in addition to the airlines, cruise lines and others in the travel and entertainment industries. Good time to be a math major - those are the girls and guys that create the complex mathematical models that are used to change prices virtually instaneously depending on a number of factors such as demand, volume of sales, time of day, available inventory and you name it. GAO tried to investigate the airlines a number of years ago to verify the discount the feds were to receive on airfares. Turns out, the models were proprietary and GAO could never figure it out. Lately Amazon has been catching some flack from some of its suppliers because of consumer complains to them about a price increase when they just bought the same product the day before at a lower price. Amazon’s response has been go pound sand to the vendors. So welcome to a new style of commerce.
 
A few years back when US Air was still themselves. I wanted a later flight, but it cost more money (just to book originally) so I took a very early flight. When I got to the airport they gave me a $250 voucher to take the later flight. I wish they'd have let me sleep in the extra hour though.

I think this was the same trip where they wanted $1300 for IAD-CLT. Since I'm only slightly further away from GSO, they would sell me that for $300, but it stopped in CLT on the way. I finally decided for $166 to go BWI-CLT.
 
jordane93 said:
Haha. I’ve never bought an airline ticket in my life so maybe I’m a little out of touch.
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As previously stated, one of the factors is status. My wife was Diamond 360 for two years. About every two months, they would meet her as she was walking off the plane and take her down the stairs to a waiting Porsche Cayenne and drive her to the connecting flight. She never knew when it was going to happen. Usually if she had a tight connection in Atlanta.

During those two years, she never paid to change any flight. Even to a different day.
 
jordane93 said:
People act so surprised when they want to change to an earlier flight and find out they’re going to be charged for it.
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I am absolutely sure this is not directed at me, the OP. If you think it should be, go back and read the unedited first post. I had to! It was a simple question about how it works with no judgment whatsoever.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
I am absolutely sure this is not directed at me, the OP. If you think it should be, go back and read the unedited first post. I had to! It was a simple question about how it works with no judgment whatsoever.
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Not directed at you. I’ve just seen many people act surprised when they get charged a change fee even though it’s in the terms when they buy a ticket. Most of the time it’s the one time a year travelers.
 
WN charged me 35 bucks to take an earlier flight same day.. No harm no foul, coughed up the cash and got home 2 hrs earlier
 
My blood pressure was lowered once I learned to accept the fact that all airlines are my enemies. They will cheat me, they will charge exhorbitently for things that cost them nothing, and they will inconvenience me without a second thought. All the while, the video is telling me how much they value me as a customer.
 
airdale said:
My blood pressure was lowered once I learned to accept the fact that all airlines are my enemies. They will cheat me, they will charge exhorbitently for things that cost them nothing, and they will inconvenience me without a second thought. All the while, the video is telling me how much they value me as a customer.
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Agreed.

This is why airlines almost always settle lawsuits outside of court. If they ever have a suit decided by jurors who have flown on an airline, the claimant will own the airline when it's over.
 
airdale said:
My blood pressure was lowered once I learned to accept the fact that all airlines are my enemies. They will cheat me, they will charge exhorbitently for things that cost them nothing, and they will inconvenience me without a second thought. All the while, the video is telling me how much they value me as a customer.
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It’s not cheating you. It’s supply and demand. You know, that thing our economy is based on.
 
Busflyer said:
It’s not cheating you. It’s supply and demand. You know, that thing our economy is based on.
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Yup, it's also called capitalism and sometimes free enterprise. It's the thing that all Americans are supposed to like.
 
I get that commercial air travel sucks. I've had "status" on just about every US airline over the past 30 years. I was even a "Flying Colonel" on Continental for about 2 months. But now I avoid the airlines unless I absolutely have to.

If you want the treatment that you used to get years ago and be able to change your flight and not get charged for every little thing, it's actually very easy: Just buy an unrestricted, first class ticket. If you factor in inflation, it's probably about the same price as a coach ticket was back in the day.

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Back to my OP.
Delta did a fine job today.
Clean newish equipment, polite helpful staff all around, good ride and on-time.
 
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