What happens if Delta strikes?

[SteinsLaFemme]

What happens to those with non-refundable fares? Will the tickets be honored by other airlines? Will we end up having to buy very expensive tickets from other airlines at the last minute?

 

[bicker]

Most likely, the pilots won't strike against Delta.

However, if they do, ticket holders will most likely be on their own, assuming the airline is still in business. The tickets won't be honored by other airlines. Delta can, if the receiver permits, adopt a policy which would endorce tickets over to other airlines, but that would have to be done to each ticket (after being converted to a paper ticket) manually, at a Delta ticket office. That won't do much good though, because the other airlines don't have enough available capacity to absorb Delta's passengers.

If the airline ceases operations, which is even more likely if the pilots strike against Delta, then of course they cannot even endorse tickets over to other airlines. Ticket holders in that case would be subject to a law passed in November 2001. It has never been executed but its provisions would mean ticket holders could request stand-by accommodation on other airlines, which would be granted for a fee of between $50 and $100 (depending on which lawyer you ask). Keep in mind though that those airlines can and will continue to sell seats up until flight time, and so it is very likely that there won't be any seat to be had for folks looking for stand-by accommodation.

This website explains it all in great detail:

http://www.hasbrouck.org/articles/bankruptcy.html

 

[MomofCKJ]

So if they do go out of business does that basically mean I have lost my $880 and am up the creek? I would need to just repurchase tickets on another airline and lose that money?

Allyson

 

[PlutoPony]

So if they do go out of business does that basically mean I have lost my $880 and am up the creek? I would need to just repurchase tickets on another airline and lose that money?Allyson

Ok, I'll bite....Why would you lose money on another airline ?

 

[dudspizza]

If they were to cease operations you would most likely get your money back, but it would take quite a while. You can put a claim in with your CC company.

I personally don't think they will strike... but then again, maybe that is wishful thinking since I am flying them one way on May 25.

Duds

 

[Leash]

Ok, I'll bite....Why would you lose money on another airline ?

I think she just meant she would lose the money on the Delta flight, she just repeated it.

 

[bicker]

If they were to cease operations you would most likely get your money back, but it would take quite a while. You can put a claim in with your CC company.

Only if you purchased your tickets within 60 days of when they cease operations. If you purchased your tickets earlier than that, that protection is not mandated.

I personally don't think they will strike...

I agree.

 

[PlutoPony]

I think she just meant she would lose the money on the Delta flight, she just repeated it.

Ah - that makes sense. Thanks!

 

[CarolA]

OK
IF Delta goes on strike ONLY and does NOT cease operations, DL will write you over to another airline. Plan on a slow process here. If you booked with a TA call them and get them involved! You will hear the "you need a paper ticket rumor" It really doesn't matter. Unless you paid FULL fare then you have to be written over by DL no matter WHAT type of ticket you have. If you have a full fare Y class ticket then yes you can take the paper ticket to just about any airline and they will honor it. (Trust me if you paid $200 round trip you aren't a full fare)

If DL shuts down as a result of a strike you have a few more options. Under the law other airlines are required to honor your ticket on a standby basis for a nominal fee ($50) There are problems with this, standby means just that so no you and your five kids won't get to sit together etc. (You will be doing good to get on a plane together) Bicker says the law hasn't been used, but it did kick in on the Indpendence bankruptcy earlier this year. (It does NOT apply to charter airlines like TMA) If you live in someplace like Atlanta or Cinn. the standby option is especially horrid as there is NO way anyone can pick up that slack overnight.

If DL shuts down, I would call your CC immediately. Most of them actually have been pretty good about getting folks their money back even outside of the 60 day window when things like TMA and Independence shut down. (The truth is they are already holding payments to DL because of thier risk)

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

I wasn't worried about this until recently. CarolA has always been so optimistic but now she even seems a tad worried (maybe my misinterpretations). CarolA, what do you think at this point?

 

[chasbos]

OK, I have a few questions.

I have purchased 6 tickets for our family vacation this summer. They say NON-REF on the print out (I bought over the internet).

But if I go onto the Delta website it says that you can get full refunds if you bought refundable tickets or if your Ticket # starts with 006 (which mine does)

Now does that not seem a little contradicting?

Also, we are flying out of Calgary to Detroit with a change over in Salt Lake City. Our original flight was to have 45 minutes to change planes - now the website shows we only have 15 minutes to change planes! Does this even make any sense? We will never make a connection like that.

Should I just try and cancel and see if I get a refund or wait and see if we get stuck in Salt Lake City or Calgary if they go on strike.

Good thing this is the last leg of our journey - SWA is flying us to Seattle - I trust them.

 

[poohbear2]

I am also worried about the vacation expenses also.

If you can't get a flight out, will hotels refund days you have missed because of the events?

Will WDW comp you for your vaca time?

 

[kjs1976]

I'll ask this on this strike thread as well...since we now know that they have voted to strike if their contract is rejected by the 4/15 date, how soon can they strike? We fly on Sat and come home Tues!

 

[CarolA]

I wasn't worried about this until recently. CarolA has always been so optimistic but now she even seems a tad worried (maybe my misinterpretations). CarolA, what do you think at this point?

I still hope common sense will win out. My post was just a kind of what if...

I have tickets booked to Europe this summer at VERY ex*****ive prices so I would say I am optomistic about this resolving itself.

 

[dpayne1969]

we dont leave till May 21 so when or if should i begin to worry? I have never been through this situation before and i would like to be ready money wise if i have to shell out extra dough for new flights!! I need advance planning.LOL
Payne's

 

[snickerboo]

I have been doing a ton of research into this since my flights are Apr 25 and May 2. We booked through Travelocity with non-refundable. If Delta strikes but does not go out of business, Travelocity says we will get our money back and they will negotiate with the hotel to get our money back. We are at Holiday Inn Sunspree. I called and confirmed this with their manager. She said it would depend on what time of day they got the cancellation-if late in the day, we'd be charged for one night.

The law says that other airlines have to take you on standby if they have space for no more than $50/person/flight. Keep in mind that this law has never been fully tested and that Delta flies over 300,000 people per day. All of those people will be scrambling for flights, too. There may not be many available seats on standby. The websites I've found said that you need paper tickets if you plan to do this. If you've got e-tix, I would look into converting them (not free or cheap)

If Delta strikes, it's likely that its creditors will call in the debts putting Delta into full bankruptcy. If that happens, we'll all have trouble getting our money back because Delta has to pay off its major creditors long before the ticket holders. If you booked with a credit card through an agent you can probably try to charge back the agent but they may have fine print to cover their behinds. You only have 60 days after the item appears on your cc statement to charge back.

Finally, I have a friend who was a flight attendant and whose dh is a (not Delta) pilot. She sent me this:

'Voting for a strike doesn't mean they will actually strike. I'll ask DH to refresh my memory on the exact procedures but there is a very strict order of things that must be done before a strike can actually happen. The laws covering airline contracts are very different from most industries. The union membership voting to strike is actually one of the first steps and doesn't mean all that much. The intent is to let the company know that the union negotiators have the backing of the entire membership. They want to the company to "get real" in their negotiating. There are a lot of things that have to happen or can happen between a vote and an actual strike. I've seen a LOT of votes to strike and very few actual strikes. I really hope it doesn't come to that! I know how much you are looking forward to this vacation and I hope you will be able to take it with no more hassle."

The pilot's union rep is asking to be allowed to set the strike date. If they strike, we will drive. It will stink but we'll only lose one day. Good luck to all of us with Delta tix. Lots of anti-strike vibes!

 

[disneyfan61]

I am very worried because we leave 4/20 & return 4/28!!!!

 

[CarolA]

OK, I have a few questions.

I have purchased 6 tickets for our family vacation this summer. They say NON-REF on the print out (I bought over the internet).

But if I go onto the Delta website it says that you can get full refunds if you bought refundable tickets or if your Ticket # starts with 006 (which mine does)

Now does that not seem a little contradicting?

Also, we are flying out of Calgary to Detroit with a change over in Salt Lake City. Our original flight was to have 45 minutes to change planes - now the website shows we only have 15 minutes to change planes! Does this even make any sense? We will never make a connection like that.

Should I just try and cancel and see if I get a refund or wait and see if we get stuck in Salt Lake City or Calgary if they go on strike.

Good thing this is the last leg of our journey - SWA is flying us to Seattle - I trust them.

I have been on the DL website trying to figure this out. I can't find the reference to 006 anywhere??? It does appear in the request you fill out, but ALL DL E tickets start with 006 so I really don't think yours is refundable.

To see your fare class IF you got an E ticket FROM DL you can look on the confirmation

Day Date Flight Status Class City Time Other Cabin
--- ----- --------------- ------ ----- ---------------- ------ ------ -------
Thu 30MAR DELTA 1599 OK K LV ATLANTA 720P 33E
AR ORLANDO 851P COACH

Sun 02APR DELTA 272 OK Q LV ORLANDO 1130A **
AR ATLANTA 1254P COACH

(This is a ticket I had last week.)

My outbound was a K and my return was a Q. (Note: This ticket cost $552 and was NOT refundable.) Basically if you don't have a Y it's probably not refundable. There are a few other refundable classes, but Y is the most common.

 

[CarolA]

I
The law says that other airlines have to take you on standby if they have space for no more than $50/person/flight. Keep in mind that this law has never been fully tested and that Delta flies over 300,000 people per day. All of those people will be scrambling for flights, too. There may not be many available seats on standby. The websites I've found said that you need paper tickets if you plan to do this. If you've got e-tix, I would look into converting them (not free or cheap)

!

This is the bankruptcy law NOT the strike law. On the strike the others have to do NOTHING until DL writes you over. (And paper tickets won't help you have to be reserved by DL in the event of a strike) MAYBE paper tickets would help for bankruptcy, but I would not waste the time and/or money to get them. Somehow FlyI tickets were honored and I don't think they ever issued a paper ticket!

This law will kick in IF DL shuts down as a result of the strike. Now, there is a theory that IF they strike it will be for 24 hours only and managment will cave..

And of course the great unknown..... The stike is dependent on the court allowing DL to void the contract. If the court doesn't allow that then all bets are off. Considering the way the courts have been acting w/DL what I really expect is another delay in the whole process.....

 

[ducklite]

OK, I have a few questions.

I have purchased 6 tickets for our family vacation this summer. They say NON-REF on the print out (I bought over the internet).

But if I go onto the Delta website it says that you can get full refunds if you bought refundable tickets or if your Ticket # starts with 006 (which mine does)

Now does that not seem a little contradicting?

Also, we are flying out of Calgary to Detroit with a change over in Salt Lake City. Our original flight was to have 45 minutes to change planes - now the website shows we only have 15 minutes to change planes! Does this even make any sense? We will never make a connection like that.

Should I just try and cancel and see if I get a refund or wait and see if we get stuck in Salt Lake City or Calgary if they go on strike.

Good thing this is the last leg of our journey - SWA is flying us to Seattle - I trust them.

15 minutes is NOT a legal layover. Use that as leverage to get your loons back and rebook elsewhere. American can take you YYC/ORD/MIA/MCO or you can try Westjet the entire way with a layover in YYZ. Another option might be Continental YYC/HOU/MCO.

The good news is that you'll preclear customs/immigration in Calgary so once you land in the States you don't have to wait in line.

Good luck!

Anne