airline nightmare

[mistysue]

My school changed a date for open house yesterday (not worth a debate, my kids have to be there) to the day before it has been the last 9 years. We've been planning our vacations around it because it's the only two weeks of the year we can all leave town.

It means in two weeks we have to fly home a day sooner. I called Delta yesterday and the guy helping me said he could waive the $200 fee per ticket because there are 5 of us. I also know they do this for people often so I was hoping for that.
This morning I was checking my account for something else and they only waived the fee for one of us! Our original tickets were $262 each, they just charged me another $262 PER PERSON. (coincidence that it's the same amount) Over the phone he told me it came out to under $100 each which I agreed to because I had to. He didn't give an exact amount, so up to $100 I had no reason to complain. Now on the emailed receipt the breakdown is $57 in fare difference, $4 in fees and $200 change fee! That is an extra $800! It would cost me less if I had just never booked and went to buy my tickets today.
I am so stressed out and now I've been sitting on hold for an hour waiting to see how to fix this. I just didn't need this sort of stress.

 

[mommajo143]

Had a similar (though slightly different) situation last year - just breathe. They refunded my original fare but it took several days (10 to be exact)...so I originally panicked but it ended up working out.

 

[mommajo143]

Oh, my source of comfort during the excruciatingly long wait for the refund was confirmation numbers along with the name/extension & date/time of every phone call... And believe me over that 10 days I probably called 5 or 6 times...maybe more...Delta was patient & true to their word & earned my eternal loyalty based on the actual transaction/refund/flight change & their excellent customer service when handling a flight issue on our way to WDW due to weather delaying a connecting flight etc...

 

[mistysue]

Thank you,
They said they are going to refund the extra $800.
Maybe in the end it was good they messed that up, the relief from not being out that much more is overshadowing my sadness from missing out on a day of Disney.

 

[DOREEN1779]

Glad it worked out for you, that is a big hunk of change!

 

[tvguy]

Wow, a late start for school, all the school districts but 1 are back by this week. And open house is usually after school resumes here. The school schedule here is negotiated by the teachers union and all dates are set in stone here for the length of the teachers contract, some times 4 years in advance, so never any surprises on that front.

 

[4shinystars]

In the Northeast school usually doesn't start until after Labor Day, and goes until the end of June.

 

[Cadiewampus]

My son has been back in school since August 1st. We (Georgia) get out in May.

 

[mistysue]

We start after Labor day and don't get out until mid-June. On the one hand all the school supplies are on clearance before we start, but that also means if you have to get a last minute item the teacher added in- it might be sold out!

 

[adisneyaunt]

glad this airline debacle worked out for you OP. Have a great trip!

 

[supersnoop]

It would cost me less if I had just never booked and went to buy my tickets today.

That will always be true if you have to change your flight, unless you purchased a refundable fare.

 

[angierae]

Wow, a late start for school, all the school districts but 1 are back by this week. And open house is usually after school resumes here. The school schedule here is negotiated by the teachers union and all dates are set in stone here for the length of the teachers contract, some times 4 years in advance, so never any surprises on that front.

I dunno about OP, but in Michigan, state law says public school can't go back until after Labor Day to extend the summer tourism season.

 

[crisi]

I dunno about OP, but in Michigan, state law says public school can't go back until after Labor Day to extend the summer tourism season.

Our school starts on the 6th of Sept. The kids just went in today for class schedules. They get out June 9.

 

[tvguy]

I dunno about OP, but in Michigan, state law says public school can't go back until after Labor Day to extend the summer tourism season.

Last week and this week were when most of the schools went back here. Today most of the last districts still on break resumed. Only Sacramento City Unified remains on break, they go back September. But they are the only district left I know of around here that still end the first semester in January. All the other districts moved up the start of school so that the semester ends, and finals are taken before Christmas break.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It would cost me less if I had just never booked and went to buy my tickets today.

Mm, not exactly. The fare when you posted (Thursday) for the day prior to your original flight is $61 per person higher than your original fare when you purchased that. It really truly is a coincidence that the new, temporary cost per person was equal to the original fare.

People badmouthing airlines constantly. What Delta did for you is good customer service - prevented from being great by the first agent missing waiving four of the change fees.

 

[mistysue]

Mm, not exactly. The fare when you posted (Thursday) for the day prior to your original flight is $61 per person higher than your original fare when you purchased that. It really truly is a coincidence that the new, temporary cost per person was equal to the original fare.

People badmouthing airlines constantly. What Delta did for you is good customer service - prevented from being great by the first agent missing waiving four of the change fees.

You need to read that again, your math doesn't work. At the point I posted I had originally paid $262 each and they charged me another $262. $262+$262= $524 each which I posted thinking I was stuck with. That is more than $262+$62=$324, so yes, Mm, exactly I would have paid less if I had never booked and first booked it for $324. In the end they kept a $38 fee on there so it's still true. I know it's a coincidence about the number being the same, I said that in the original post.
I'm not badmouthing the airline, that was a nightmare for me. Given the timing, that we've been planning every detail of this for 2 years and I'm just now having to shave a day off? It's not all on Delta, but for many reasons this particular trip was important and doubling our airfare was way beyond the budget. As soon as I changed the flight all 3 of my kids spent the day digging into me for making a bad choice to come home. After they charged it wrong I was expecting them to say "too bad"- which was when I posted. The idea that I did something nobody wanted AND it was going to mean we would have to change even more plans, canceling meals and trying to ship food to save money, that was a nightmare for me. Most CS on property can't feed my son because of his allergies making it TS or shipping in food. Disney is literally the only time I get more than a few hours to not worry about how I'm feeding this person and I need a break already.

Since then they corrected it I am much happier, but honestly still annoyed that the credit may take a while, so I get to feel uneasy and have a lower credit limit while we are on our trip. Taking time to go online to pay down our card so we can still using it is one of those things you don't want to worry about. That part is still their error. When you call and approve "up to $500 and instead get charged over $1,100 it's stressful.