Attention those with Delta reservations!

[Karalynn]

I too am watching daily, my flight times changing before my eyes!!! I called last week and they confirmed my original seats we had reserved and deleted all the changed itineraries online that were showing up. It is craziness!!! Yes, flights changed by mere minutes???

I have to tell you all that I am so glad this thread is here, because I would be more freaked out than I am if I had no idea this is happening to others and also that it is not all that uncommon!

Lets hope for confirmed seats, on the time of day we want to fly on!!!!

 

[Piecey]

I used to work for Expedia and took DOZENS of phone calls from people freaking out over schedule changes every day.
I don't personally fly with Delta after the way I was treated by their agents ( I had more than one screaming conversation with an agent while I was trying to fight for the customer. They really don't like that we know exactly what they can do and because WE'RE not losing anything, we'll fight for the customer..)

I fly with USAIR who has changed my flights (12/18-12/24) four times now... They've always reassigned me seats and been very helpful (Though I'm sure it helps that I know, yet again, know what can be done in the situation..)
I went from connecting flights to non-stop because of a two hour change.. Just use the word "unacceptable" a lot.. Talk to a Supersvisor. Threaten to stop using the airline..

If all else fails ask for the refund department.. tell THAT agent that you want a Rule 240 Unacceptable Schedule Change Refund..

More often than not the Refund department doesn't really care.. it's their job, after all!

 

[MickeyMouseGal]

I have to tell you all that I am so glad this thread is here, because I would be more freaked out than I am if I had no idea this is happening to others and also that it is not all that uncommon.

That's why I posted it. Gotta look out for my fellow DIS'ers!

 

[ksdave]

Delta has been doing this way too much lately. I know that they're currently in a bad financial state, but this is just poor customer service. They need to retain every customer that they have, rather than risk losing more. They have already lost my business due to changes I wasn't notified about nor agreed to, lets see how many others they lose

I just got off a Delta flight a couple of hours ago. Both my flights, from Wichita to Atlanta, and from Atlanta to Savannah, were completely full. Not a single seat available. Today, one of my co-workers tried to change his flights on Thursday to go back with me tomorrow, and both were completely booked with waiting lists on both flights. They don't seem to be losing many people on these flights. I think the schedule changes are occurring mostly on "tourist" flights, while the "business" flights are remaining fairly stable. This shows who they are trying to retain as customers.
If you feel really strong about it, change to another airline. That's why there's "vanilla" airlines, "chocolate" airlines, and "strawberry" airlines. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[2belles'mom]

They changed my flights SEVERAL times, and the last go-round was the kicker:
1. 11:00 a.m.Seattle to Ohio. Arrive Ohio 4:30 P.m. Ohio to Orlando. Leave Ohio 2:30 p.m. How can we leave Ohio TWO HOURS before we land???

SO, I call. Yes, that is correct, they call it a "missed connection," isn't that convenient??? Then,

2. They book me on a 6:00 a.m. flight--eerghh! We can't possibly get to Seattle for that early of a flight. BOOKED 11 a.m. FOR A REASON!!!! More phone calls and FINALLY got a 1:00 p.m. flight out of Seattle. Of course, we don't arrive until midnight...oh well...the 6 a.m. flight didn't get us in until after 8 anyway...

Hopefully, NO MORE CHANGES!!!

 

[adisful]

I have a flight booked in dec and it has been changed 3 times, my sister and I booked together, my mother used points so her reservation was separate. The only reason I knew our flights were changed is because my mother had gotton a phone call telling her each time. The first phone call she got we thought it was just her flight and she was flying separate, but they changed all of ours I have not been notified yet, my mother has been called each time. I called to confirm the change and our seat assignment because we want to sit together, Delta told me our flight online will show unassigned seating until delta confirms the flight change with the customer, each time I've called our seat assignment was the same as the first time we booked.
I can only hope that stays the same. I also have had to call Disney each time to change magical express times. Hope flights stay the same now I cannot wait till our trip to Gf in Dec.

 

[idoteech]

I just checked our flights after reading this post and our to MCO flight was changed by an hour (earlier) and our home flight was changed by 1 1/2 hours. Oh boy!!!

 

[my3princes]

We used Delta for our trip last week. We arrived at BOS at 2:15 to check in for our 5:10 flight to find out that it was delayed by 30 minutes which meant we couldn't make our 2nd flight. We went to the counter and they were able to put us on a direct flight to Tampa getting us there 4 hours earlier. It was a Song flight complete with the TVs in the seats. We were really happy. Our flights home were on schedule with no problems at all. I think Delta will do whatever they can to accommodate people.

Deb

 

[SamRoc]

Delta really messed up my friends reservations this month, they were supposed to change plans, but missed their flight because the first one didnt leave Baltimore on time. They wanted my friend and her 2 year old baby to sleep in the airport! Her mom called Delta and went nuts on them, and they gave her and baby a room (can you imagine if the mom fell asleep??) on the way back to Baltimore from Orlando the same exact thing happened, but this time there were NO rooms available so she had to stay in the airport overnight with the baby. What a nightmare for both of them.

 

[tkldisney]

I live near CVG too! They have changed our Dec. flights several times. Last week I had to add another day onto our WDW Trip . The changes to the flight were at no cost, but I am having to pay for additional hotel stay. We leave at 11:10 the next morn. so will stay at airport Marriott night before. Have not been able to choose seating for return flt. yet, as DL TA said they are still deciding on aircraft.
We orginally started out with flights leaving at 4:45 pm which is now 2:45. (kids love it they get out of school earlier) Our return was at 7:27 pm which was changed to 5:15, now it's at 3:15. I had changed ADR's once and decided to just add additional day, instead of changing ADR's again and miss out the time in Epcot.
DL is not the only airline in bankrupcy, and this is not typical as far a changing schedules. I worked for UAL (bankrupt) and we changed schedules all the time before the filing.
Just be prepared to have your schedule change again. I'm hoping ours doesn't because we are within 40 days, but if it happens it happens.
I check our flights twice a day and if I see any changes, I'll call DL immediately if there are any changes.

 

[tiki23]

I think all of the airlines are changing flights around to maximize customers on each flight. They're eliminating some flights to fill others and then when the 2nd flight is full, they add the first one back. Very frustrating!

I usually book with Expedia, so I'm used to slight schedule changes. What I wasn't prepared for the last time I traveled was almost getting bumped from a flight that I had booked 6 months out and been at the airport 2.5 hours early for! Going to D.C. from Seattle recently was OK - though it was completely packed, not a seat left - coming back was a nightmare. I had booked with AA but Alaska Air handled a leg of the flight; I ended up with the last seat on the plane and barely got it!

Good luck to all of you traveling in the near future!

 

[KilleriMac17]

yeah, our last trip we got our fligths changed/moved a few times
this is happening again with our next flight in feb, they cancelled then put us on other flights with different times, so we lost our seats, had to repick them, then they changed the times, had to repick them, then they changed one of the flights times by 1 min(yes 1 minute) and we had to repick our seats again...

 

[DsnyRbn]

We booked our January flight with Delta from CT to Orlando for early morning, around 6:50am with our returning flight leaving at around 5:30pm. I originally booked 6 tickets but plans changed and I needed another seat. I called AAA to see if there were anymore left and they informed me that there is no longer a flight at either of those times. I called Delta to figure out what was going on and they informed me that our flights had been changed, leaving 20 minutes later from home, not too big a deal, but coming home over 2 hours later from Disney! Luckily these changed weren't a problem for us, but I can't imagine how they might be effecting other people. I asked why I wasn't called about the changes and they said they would be doing it closer to the departure date! What if my reservations or plans depended on those flights, wouldn't it make more sense to call as soon as the changes happened to allow more time for us to make any necessary changes?

 

[Eponine1]

DSNYRBN..

You must be coming out of Bradley like I am. I had originally booked the 3:00 pm non-stop out with the 5:30 pm return.

Then the 3:00 pm got changed to the 3:20 pm, the 5:30 to 5:55 pm.

Then to 3:00 pm and 5:45 pm

Then to 3:00 pm and 5:34 pm

Then 1:20 pm and 6:45 pm

Then 1:15 pm and 6:55 pm

Then to 12:37 pm and 7:55 pm

Now, currently it is at 12:30 pm and 7:50 pm

Phew! The times are fine with me, more time down at Disney. But the funny thing is now they have a 3:30 pm fligh out!!!!

I'm not changing, gonning to stay where I am

 

[barbarabini]

On my July trip out of newark, nj on Song, I checked my flight schedule at 5 am -- it was scheduled to depart at 7:20am -- perfect weather. I went to the airport with an infant and 3 other kids ( my hubby was going to meet me down there) and was informed the flight was cancelled.

I could take a connecting flight that left 3 hours later and kept us traveling for 6 hours.
After much yelling, I was able to secure a taxi-van to take use to JFK and then begged to get on the 10 am direct flight out of JFK.

So check your flights right before you leave the for the airport!! (also, they had me email/cell and regular phone -- they could have called to tell me they were cancelling the flight)

 

[tkldisney]

at the top of DL's webpage under planning (i think) then click on itineries & checkin. Click on itinerires, you will have to put in first & last name alone with reservation # which is 6 numbers or letters or combo of both.

 

[unixadm]

Honestly (but it's just my opinion) bankrupcy isn't a big deal with airlines. Delta, Northwest, US Airways, and United are all in bankrupcy. Independence Air is removing flights from the west coast. It really depends on what chapter they are filing under (don't ask me if 7 or 11 is the bad one, I never can keep them straight). What these four major airlines are under is under is like a reconstruction of funds. They are canceling flights. They are restructuring their schedules to accommodate their cash flow.

It MAY not be a big deal when an airline goes Chap 11, but in many cases it is......Eastern Airlines, TWA, Allegheny Airlines, Midway Airlines, Tower Air, Air Aruba, Swiss Air, and Pan Am are just a few I can think of that went out of business...or got swallowed up by others....and people who had tickets either had to drastically change their plans, or were out completely for those airlines that just went totally under.

I definitely suggest that everyone keep a close eye on their flight info if you have tickets. I doubt that Delta will just cancel things, but they definitely will be changing flights around.

 

[Priorityonecb]

We are flying Delta to Hawaii next month. Our reservation has changed several times...by the most 45 minutes. I keep checking frequently. I have also heard that they can cancel the flight completely with 2 days notice if it's not very full. I am a bit nervous. We usually fly United and have never encountered this...though they've been in bankrupcy for a while now too.

 

[Danthesand]

Schedule changes happen. You have three options though...

You forgot the 4th (and best):

avoid Delta and Song like the plague.