DELTA and flight changes?

[poohbear2]

I booked with Delta on-line a few months ago and since then, Delta has twice changed my flight number and departure times.
I originally selected my seats,however, now it won't let me select for the changed flight. Can I be expecting this flight number to change even again? Would I get the same seat assignment as I originally selected?

 

[safetymom]

The flight may be oversold or they expect to change again. You would probably not get the same seats on the new plane. Call them and attempt to get seat assignments for your current flights.

 

[whytcrystal]

Poohbear-
This happened to us on our Feb flight. We fly from Manchester also. When they change the flight you are not concidered "confirmed' any longer. Both times they had actually reassigned our seats (not to my liking but at least I had a seat). Call them and they will give you an option of available seats and reconfirm you. Once that is done you can go back online and look at seat availablity in the event that you want other seats. Both times it has happened to us it was because they were changing the flight to a larger plane. Both times we were also flying from MHT to CVG then on to MCO.

Good luck and have a safe trip.

 

[poohbear2]

I just called Delta, and the rep said that we had the same seats as our original flight. Keeping fingers crossed . Thanks!

 

[monarchsfan16]

we're flying delta from manchester in feb...did they notify you of the changes or did you find out some other way?...I only ask because if they didn't notify you then we should probably check up on our flights...

 

[mcnuss]

Originally posted by poohbear2
Can I be expecting this flight number to change even again? Would I get the same seat assignment as I originally selected?

With over 100 days to go until your trip, it is VERY possible the aircraft and/or schedule will get changed again. Keep checking if seat assignments are important to you.

 

[dorisdvu]

If I book a flight with Delta on non-stop flights and the flight happens to be overbooked or whatever and my reservations are changed, will I be booked on another non stop flight?

 

[mcnuss]

Originally posted by dorisdvu
If I book a flight with Delta on non-stop flights and the flight happens to be overbooked or whatever and my reservations are changed, will I be booked on another non stop flight?

Just so we're clear, being involuntarily bumped due to overbooking is not the same as having your itinerary change due to, for instance, change in schedule or aircraft. Different rules apply.

In the case of an itinerary change, in general, the only time you won't get a non-stop is if the airline eliminated the non-stop from your airport. This happened to me once. But when they make a change like that, you have the right to reject it. They should offer you other options, and if none are to your liking, refund your $$. If you choose that option, you had better know that you can do better! I had booked a non-stop from MHT which was eliminated, but was able to finagle a better non-stop from BOS which at the time I originally booked, was at least $100 pp more expensive.

If you are bumped, which is very, very rare, they must get you to your destination within a set amt. of time (can't remember what that time is, though) and if they can't, you are due compensation. Usually they look for voluntary bumps first - and in my 120ish segments this year, I never saw one single involuntary bump bc there are always people who want those free tickets.

 

[Cora]

I booked Delta 331 days out for April 2004. To date I have had in excess of 4 flight time changes and/or flight no. changes. Each time I have had to call and get new seat assignments. This again happened last week and it was only 4 days since it had changed last. Very exasperating considering they did not notify me and one of the only seats available was an exit row. I was able to seat me and my ds in a regular row across from the exit row and my dh in the exit row. My question and frustration is what if none of us in our party could sit in an exit row? And since I booked 331 days out shouldn't there be some preferential treatment? These questions are purely rhetorical and are here for my venting!
Cora

 

[goofyandmore]

I am trying to decide between delta who has a cheaper rate and continental right now. For those of you who had time changes made by delta to your flights, could you please tell me how much of a difference the times were? Were they minutes or hours?

Also, does anyone have any experience with delta song? I am told they are the airline delta uses out of newark, nj. Thanks, carolyn

 

[Cora]

My changes were only minutes but the seat assignments did not carry over.
Cora

 

[ZebraStripes]

Well, it seems like Delta likes to do it both ways. They've changed my Feb flights and kept the original seating assignment, though on-line I can not see this. I had to call them to check. However, I still have 5 weeks to go and who knows what will happen. I'm getting discouraged with Delta. I thought Song would give us cheaper alternatives to MCO. But it seems like Song takes the non-stops and charges a bundle more than Delta used to.

 

[mcnuss]

Originally posted by goofyandmore
I am trying to decide between delta who has a cheaper rate and continental right now. For those of you who had time changes made by delta to your flights, could you please tell me how much of a difference the times were? Were they minutes or hours?

Also, does anyone have any experience with delta song? I am told they are the airline delta uses out of newark, nj. Thanks, carolyn

Don't try to out-guess the scheduling of the airlines. Pick based on the best times and rates available at the time of booking. They all make schedule changes, and you will be most prone to wide swings the further out you book. In fact, you should expect that when you make your flt arrangements a year-ish in advance that they will change based on supply & demand. Most often the changes are made bc they decide they need to use bigger or smaller planes. Sometimes it's bc of the landing slots available to them at the airport. Other times, well, it's just the whim of the airline. When I book way in advance (which is only when I am using FF miles), I don't bother to do seat assignments, and I won't even look at the flight until 90 days out, which is about when they finalize the schedules (although I have seen schedules change days before the flt.). Then I call for seats. I don't really care where I sit, nor do we have to be together, so it's different for me than for a lot of you.

With respect to Song, that is not an airline Delta "uses" but rather one that Delta owns. It's supposedly their version of a low-cost-carrier but as many have noted, the prices are not much different than "regular" Delta. So far, I am not impressed, and other than a cute marketing gimmick, can't quite figure out the point of it.

 

[poohbear2]

Although Delta changes flights often, I still prefer to fly with them.
I am a skymiles member and log on often to the Delta web site with my skymiles number. This is very convienent to do. They list all the changes for you. The flight changes for the most part were very close to my original time. Last year they changed the type of plane we were flying ( changed to a tiny plane from a larger plane) so they let us change flights for no charge.

 

[goofy4tink]

Another Song fan here. I like Song so much better than Delta. I know it's the same company, but the Song planes are just more comfortable. Boarding is quick. If I'm hungry, I can purchase food. I'm a SkyMiles member too, so I check on my flight status at least 3-4 times a week. Song has changed my flights several times in the past due to equipment changes. No, they don't call me, but I call them after I see the change on-line. And they have always been very helpful. As far as their prices go, I've never been able to get below the $200 mark for non-stops at the times I want to fly. So, anything under $250 if good for me. I figure that I'm spending a ton of money anyway, what's another $150 for the flight I want.

 

[dvc guy]

I have been flying Delta for years. Everytime they change the flight time if even by a minute, your seats will not show up on line, and you need to call to have the seats relisted. I lost seats 2 weeks in advance of a flight for no reason that I could see, they did give me seats together 4 rows back.

I flew SONG last week and it was fine, no TV's yet , but service was friendly. If you are booked on SONG you will not have equipment changes, all they fly are 757, one type of aircraft with one cabin configuration.

Bottom line is you need to look at your reservation every once and a while, as all airlines have fight/equipment changes .

 

[poohbear2]

UPDATE:

I just checked on line (yet again), and they have wiped out my prior rescheduled flights and updated my seat assignments. Just like the Delta rep stated, I have the same seat assignments as I originally had just on a different flight number and departure time.

 

[seashoreCM]

Often when Delta changes schedule your seat becomes listed as "unassigned" and you cannot go into the on-line seat selection.

If this happens you must telephone to "accept" the flight change if this happens even if the new flight time is only a minute's difference. Just asking for new seats or your old seats back will "accept" the change.

Then you can go into the on-line seat selection later as often as you want.

If you like the new schedule it is a good idea to call and "accept" it as quickly as possible and get new seats. If the flight number becomes different and you don't "accept" the new schedule manually over the phone and select seats you have a greater chance of being switched to yet other flights.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Caution: If an airline calls you a day or two in advance, telling you you need to change flights, it is a good idea to tell them to leave everything unchanged "while you think things over" and hang up. Then without telling them ytou investigate for yourself whether the flight was really cancelled. Airlines make a lot of those midnight phone calls to trick people into taking later flights so fewer people have to be bumped at the airport.