Shame on Delta!

[luvndizny]

So 1st...I am not a newbie flyer, but a newbie flight booker so hopefully none of this is due to my ignorance... feel free to correct anything I've written on here if I am wrong. (Any flights I've been on up until this point have been arranged by the military since my husband is active duty...moving/PCSing flights basically.)

Anyways, so I found out that some airlines have military discounts, but you have to call and ask for them. Waiting until "last minute" (as the real world calls it because we rarely can book any trips earlier than 4 months out), I called today looking at flights for our May trip that I just booked a couple of days ago with Disney.

Delta lady says "Sure we have military discounts for the flight you're looking for!" I am thinking "Oh goodie!" See...normally we just drive from NC to FL...or take the train. (The train is a GREAT deal, by the way, if you've ever considered it...just a longggg trip for us.) However, hubby has been overseas for the past 8 months, we haven't seen him since he left, and it will be 10 months at that point in May. So we're thinking it is worth paying for the flights this time to get as much possible time together vs spent driving in a car/riding the train. (After two weeks home, he heads back overseas for a few more months.) Plus- that means more time in Disney!

So anyways, the Delta rep. starts pricing out the flights. (Now mind you, I've been all over the sites- Orbitz, Travelocity, etc. etc...and know what the prices are running- I pretty much even know who is flying and when that specific day out of RDU.) So she starts to tell me the prices and they want, get this, just for the return trip alone, over $400 MORE than what I had priced the EXACT SAME FLIGHTS, round-trip, for even a non-stop flight! Her prices had us with 1 stop in Atlanta (no thanks-been there-got the headache to prove it) and would have totaled about $2000!! For two 1 1/2 hour flights for 4 people! HOLY COW!!

I priced it at about $1K for the 4 of us, same flight, same day...non-stop even.

I told her I was declining the "offer" and even told her I found much cheaper flights online...prices everyone can get.

Sad.... I hope noone else calls and falls for that. Thing is, I am finding you cannot book the 'military discounts' online, you must call.

Calling Southwest or other airlines to see if they actually do have a discount.

Just thought I would post this as a warning for anyone else out there who is hoping to get a military "discounted" flight through them. And/or hoping anyone out there might share if they have actually found a true discount through any other airline. People were so gracious to forward me a 25% off code for Southwest for our flight out (return flight doesn't fall within the discount window)...but that is at their no-refund price. Because things sometimes do change last minute with everybody, let alone the military, I have to book a flight that is refundable if need be.

Thanks for letting me vent! Onto looking elsewhere and just focusing on our wonderful trip coming up in May!

 

[DebbieB]

So 1st...I am not a newbie flyer, but a newbie flight booker so hopefully none of this is due to my ignorance... feel free to correct anything I've written on here if I am wrong. (Any flights I've been on up until this point have been arranged by the military since my husband is active duty...moving/PCSing flights basically.)

Anyways, so I found out that some airlines have military discounts, but you have to call and ask for them. Waiting until "last minute" (as the real world calls it because we rarely can book any trips earlier than 4 months out), I called today looking at flights for our May trip that I just booked a couple of days ago with Disney.

Delta lady says "Sure we have military discounts for the flight you're looking for!" I am thinking "Oh goodie!" See...normally we just drive from NC to FL...or take the train. (The train is a GREAT deal, by the way, if you've ever considered it...just a longggg trip for us.) However, hubby has been overseas for the past 8 months, we haven't seen him since he left, and it will be 10 months at that point in May. So we're thinking it is worth paying for the flights this time to get as much possible time together vs spent driving in a car/riding the train. (After two weeks home, he heads back overseas for a few more months.) Plus- that means more time in Disney!

So anyways, the Delta rep. starts pricing out the flights. (Now mind you, I've been all over the sites- Orbitz, Travelocity, etc. etc...and know what the prices are running- I pretty much even know who is flying and when that specific day out of RDU.) So she starts to tell me the prices and they want, get this, just for the return trip alone, over $400 MORE than what I had priced the EXACT SAME FLIGHTS, round-trip, for even a non-stop flight! Her prices had us with 1 stop in Atlanta (no thanks-been there-got the headache to prove it) and would have totaled about $2000!! For two 1 1/2 hour flights for 4 people! HOLY COW!!

I priced it at about $1K for the 4 of us, same flight, same day...non-stop even.

I told her I was declining the "offer" and even told her I found much cheaper flights online...prices everyone can get.

Sad.... I hope noone else calls and falls for that. Thing is, I am finding you cannot book the 'military discounts' online, you must call.

Calling Southwest or other airlines to see if they actually do have a discount.

Just thought I would post this as a warning for anyone else out there who is hoping to get a military "discounted" flight through them. And/or hoping anyone out there might share if they have actually found a true discount through any other airline. People were so gracious to forward me a 25% off code for Southwest for our flight out (return flight doesn't fall within the discount window)...but that is at their no-refund price. Because things sometimes do change last minute with everybody, let alone the military, I have to book a flight that is refundable if need be.

Thanks for letting me vent! Onto looking elsewhere and just focusing on our wonderful trip coming up in May!

This is common with special fares with many airlines. The discount is off of full fare and most of the time that is more expensive than cheaper fare classes you can get online.

 

[TinkPirateMom]

I believe they take the discount off the full Y fare and so it usually ends up being cheaper to book a different type of fare. You're right though, I hope no one falls for it. Good thing you did your homework first.

 

[bumbershoot]

Same with Southwest's child discounts; it's a discount off of the full fare, when you can generally get a gotta get away fare for less.

 

[Sandi]

You'd have to check the fare rules to confirm, but I believe one advantage to the military fare is that Delta will allow you to change the dates with no penalty if you need to change due to deployment, etc. without having purchased insurance I agree that it's a fair warning though.

 

[luvndizny]

Sandi- good to know...I might wind up booking through Delta anyways because it appears they're the only one going non-stop on the day we need it AND I did find out, that if you're active duty and even flying on personal travel, you can check up to two bags free, per person vs paying $25 to $35 each bag checked! But not booking directly through them and paying that price I was quoted...crazy!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I don't know why you are complaining. I have been eligible for military fares for over 30 years and they are almost never even close to the cheapest fares offered by the airline. This is true for all airlines, not just Delta. And yes, you always have to call to book a special fare.

 

[soxfan11901]

When I worked for an airline (not Delta) the military fares were, as stated above, a discount off the full unrestricted fare. There were often/usually better discount/restricted fares offered. The benefit of the military fare was that it carried all the benefits of the full fare, ie. fully refundable, no penalties for changes.
As I see it, you asked for the military fare and that's what you were quoted, the agent was not obligated to tell you of other fares. (you didn't ask for the lowest). Most of the time when military fares are booked, the passenger needs a ticket with no restrictions and the other fares will not work for them, so the agents don't waste the passengers time by discussing other options.
It is a very good discount off the full fare ticket usually.

 

[goofy4tink]

This happens with bereavement fares as well. They are discounted from the fully refundable fares...which are always much higher than discounted fares.
It pays to do your homework when looking for the best prices in airfare. Those cheaper flights come with caveats....you can't change 'em, you can't cancel 'em...not without paying hefty fees.
So, if there is any chance, whatsoever, that you may need to either cancel or change your flights, you are better off paying full price fares.

 

[Lewisc]

Some airlines let passengers booked on a military fare change their flights, with either no change fee or a reduced change fee, if such a change is needed as a result of military orders.

The military fare might be available when discounted fares are otherwise not available.

People need to check all discounts and fares and see which works better for them.

Military generally get substantially larger free checked bag allowances then regular passengers. I'm not sure if you need to have booked a military fare to take advantage of this policy.