Question about Delta policy

[maiapapaya]

I was hoping someone might have some experience they could share. We have flights booked on Delta for the end of October. They are classed as "non-refundable" tickets. Because of a work issue there is a very strong possibility that my DH will no longer be able to go on our vacation. Because this isn't a death/illness I know our trip insurance won't cover it. Does anyone know if Delta will issue a voucher, like other airlines sometimes will, if you have to change your flight? I know they will charge a fee to change a flight, but at this point we don't have any concrete future trip plans, so that wouldn't be an option (to just change the flight to a future trip & pay the fee).

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

You probably won't like this but...

Delta will issue you a credit for future travel less $150 change fee.

Travel must be within one year of your orginal booking date.

 

[soxfan11901]

You can get an electronic credit for your flights. You cancel your flights, they save the credit for you in the system (save your ticket info...tkt no.s, record locator from your original tickets so they can access your credit later).
You have a year to use the credit (some airlines this is a year from the initial travel date of your cancelled flights, some it is a year from original purchase, not sure of Delta's policy for determining that).
When you use the credit for a future trip, the change fee will be deducted from the value of your old tickets. Each credit has to be used by the person originally scheduled to travel since tickets are non-transferable also.

 

[maiapapaya]

I was actually expecting some sort of fee (since I know they have that change fee). It would just be nice not to lose the entire cost of the ticket if it comes to that. Thanks for your replies!

 

[cigar95]

some travel policies do cover some employment-related issues, such as loss of a job. If you aren't already certain what your policy covers, take a closer look.

 

[sam_gordon]

Assuming DH already had the approved time off and things changed, maybe ask work to cover the change fee or the tickets themselves?

 

[maiapapaya]

Fortunately it's not job loss, but that would probably mean we're not covered.

Unfortunately it's not as simple as a pre-approved vacation being cancelled (or they would definitely have to reimburse us). It's a bit complicated to get into the whole thing, but what it essentially comes down to is an "understanding" that the time off would be given, but now they are having trouble getting someone to cover DH's position while he is gone (which is absolutely necessary). I know we shouldn't have booked the ticket without a written guarantee of the time off, but with flight prices rapidly rising we took a gamble and booked. In the past he has never had trouble with coverage, but for various reasons manpower is a problem this time. Lesson learned and still hoping for last minute good news. I was just hoping if it comes down to it we won't lose everything on his ticket (he is insisting that I still go with the kids so it's only the one fare that we will take a loss on).

 

[Jestocost]

You probably won't like this but...

Delta will issue you a credit for future travel less $150 change fee.

Travel must be within one year of your orginal booking date.

To be clear on the process at Delta, they don't issue you a voucher or credit for the ticket price less $150. If you cancel the ticket you will have a credit good for travel that must be completed within one year from the date the tickets were purchased. The credit will show up as the full amount, but don't be fooled. They will deduct the $150 and apply the rest once you go to make a reservation using the credit.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

To be clear on the process at Delta, they don't issue you a voucher or credit for the ticket price less $150. If you cancel the ticket you will have a credit good for travel that must be completed within one year from the date the tickets were purchased. The credit will show up as the full amount, but don't be fooled. They will deduct the $150 and apply the rest once you go to make a reservation using the credit.

I think they "may" have changed this. My last $170 ticket cancellation actually showed up as $20 in the "ecredits"

I know that they did used to do what you say, but..

(Of course Delta's IT is a little strange so it could go either way depending on "whim of the system" )

 

[jeff968]

I'm in a similar situation and have found the same sad information.

I have $171 flights. Minus the $150 transfer fee that leaves me $21 to apply towards a new flight which has to be used 1 year from the date of my purchase.

Now, if I had a $500 flight then I would still have $350 left to use.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[maiapapaya]

Our flights were $297, so it should be a $147 credit, which is better than nothing! Hoping we won't need to cancel DH's ticket, but still good to know how that will work. Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[Jestocost]

I think they "may" have changed this. My last $170 ticket cancellation actually showed up as $20 in the "ecredits"

I know that they did used to do what you say, but..

(Of course Delta's IT is a little strange so it could go either way depending on "whim of the system" )

I think the last statement is accurate, since I used credits within the past couple of weeks and the $150 didn't get deducted until I went to use them.