Delta Positive Space Shenanigans
 

Guys,

Can anybody expound on this trend where Delta "changes" your times/day after a ticket has been bought? I have an up coming flight (paid ticket) where Delta has changed the itinerary 3 times (one of which spills over into the following day) and the flight is 1.5 months away? Is this the new norm (low) with respect to airline travel?

Cheers,
G

Had this happen to a family member when I bought them a ticket a few months back. In that case it was because the flight I purchased the ticket for was CXLD. I think DL just pulled down some flights for august, that might be why.

I think it has become common in the industry where they build a schedule based on demand and then adjust it to the short-comings in staffing. At least they’re doing it well in advance and not after the lines come out or 24 hours in advance.

It really is a good problem to have when you understand what’s driving it is the fact that demand came back much quicker than predicted.

This isn't such a great thing when you have other travel arrangements on the backside of a changed reservation. Screws the customer in essence. I have another flight booked with a carrier on what was the same day getting me to my final destination. So now, I have to call up two vendors: the other airline (hopefully they can accommodate me), and the rental car company. And even assuming I can pull off these changes, what's to prevent Delta from changing the reservation (again)?

Thanks Delta... (/s)

Bad for the customer, for sure, and not good for the carrier’s image. I’m just saying it’s better for the industry than the protracted slump they were expecting.

Purchased tix first week of June for my wife to go visit her family in July. She returns in September. We just got notified her return flight from AMS to JFK has been moved back an hour+ Luckily she won't miss her connection in JFK.

I guess network is sharpshooting??? Just glad she's not gonig to miss her connecting flight, it will be tight turn, but we built enough turning room for her on that flight in to the outbound.

I bought a ticket in mid-June for a flight in August and got an email a few days ago that my itinerary was changed.

They cancelled my direct leg to Atlanta, now I have to RJ it to LAX, then on to ATL.

What happens with the business traveler when they have same day work meeting/obligation(s)? Which is common place. I just spent 4 hours with my phone on speaker trying to talk to Customer Service while I did house chores. To no avail. I have been flying Delta for decades and the rare few times that I had to dial 1212 I've never been on hold for more than an hour. Never...

It's gotten ridiculous. I know Delta monitors these forums. Are you reading all "this" Delta?

Look at all the flights AA added back into their schedule. Then they had to cancel a number of them. Why? Not enough pilots that had been through requal. Latest data I have is of the 100 MIA 737 FO on reserve, half of them have not made it through requal., so are on paper only. Having to do checks and maintenance of all the planes in the desert has not helped matters.

And they, and most everyone, are getting ready to move into hire gear with hiring. Why? Demand has come back strongly. A lot of pilots took retirement (65 and early out offers). Short of pilots. Massive retirement wave still coming. Time and tide wait for no man, as the expression goes.

Though I don't dispute staffing issues I don't believe it's the root cause at all.

Here's another kicker to **** off the paying traveler: So, I am looking for a new flight-solution. Looking at Delta's reservation page, as if I am looking to buy a fare from scratch-at present time, there are plenty of flights and plenty of seats on those same flights-pairings that I already have a bought and paid for ticket. Now, when I log into my Sky Mile account and go to "modify active flights" and try to fix this mess these same flights show up as "unavailable" or "not offered" WTF that means. Hence, my rationale for seeing this as a new airline travel "business as usual" shenanigan(s). It's infuriating.