Delta Cancelled our Return Flight, and Split Up Our Party on New Flights AFTER we Paid Extra for Seats

[DisSurfer878]

So, this morning, Delta cancelled our return flight from MCO-LAX.
We now have a 90 minute layover in ATL. It's fine. I could be angrier about it no longer being direct, but they gave us a reasonable layover length so I will live with it.

HOWEVER. We paid EXTRA to select seats together, and now on our flight to ATL, they split us up. I understand for most people on a short flight this would be fine. However, I have a disability that requires me to be with my travel companion at all times. They also placed me in a middle seat and him in a window. I cannot be in a middle seat with my disability WHICH IS WHY WE PAID EXTRA for that not to happen.

all the other seats in coach are full according to the map. What luck am I gonna have calling amd telling them they need to remedy their mistake?I have status with Delta through their FF program, and by being a Platinum AMEX holder, but not high up or anything.
i am so pissed. My flight isn't until June, why on earth would te corona crazy be affecting it?!

 

[lorenae]

I’d wait and see. It’s possible that your June flight may be cancelled and/or rerouted. Right now it’s impossible to say. Delta just cut domestic flights 40%, and it could be much worse by June- or much better. If they add a flight, you’ll be able to have what you need back. If they don’t, they could still move you. That’s three months away.

 

[DisSurfer878]

I’d wait and see. It’s possible that your June flight may be cancelled and/or rerouted. Right now it’s impossible to say. Delta just cut domestic flights 40%, and it could be much worse by June- or much better. If they add a flight, you’ll be able to have what you need back. If they don’t, they could still move you. That’s three months away.

I understand what you're saying. My concern is just that this flight is already so full, I worry that waiting longer will mean no seats in any fare class to move to.

 

[lorenae]

Yes, but it won’t be full in June. Everyone got rescheduled, and plans will change radically daily for quite a while. Not everyone scheduled on that flight will remain on that flight. Even in normal times, airlines overbook because people miss flights/change plans, etc. This is not a normal time. Your flight might be cancelled or changed 10 times before June.

My neighbor is a long time Delta pilot. He doesn’t have any idea what his work schedule is for this week, let alone 3 months from now. He was supposed to go somewhere yesterday, but that flight was cancelled. Everything is in turmoil in the travel industry, and Delta has no idea what will happen this week. Flights from MCO may be rerouted/cancelled this week as the governor asked for people to stop coming to Florida as of yesterday. A TSA agent at MCO tested positive for Covid-19. I think they are concerned about the immediate flights and plans, and so much will change between now and even next week that we can’t project a full flight in June.

 

[MikeOhio]

It’s not exactly normal times right now so might want to be ready to be flexible.

 

[JimMIA]

The horrific crisis of having your flights and seats changed may seem trivial before your trip actually gets here.

Everybody in the travel and hospitality industry is coping with an impossible situation as best they can. Inconvenience may occur.

 

[sethschroeder]

If you paid extra then you call delta and ask them what they can do to make it right.

 

[sam_gordon]

If you paid extra then you call delta and ask them what they can do to make it right.

This would be the normal response. I would just worry about this happening multiple times between now and June as the airlines sort through all their options. It can't hurt to call and at minimum have them note on your reservation what your medical requirements are. I know it's easy to say, but don't get upset on the phone.

 

[JimMIA]

If you paid extra then you call delta and ask them what they can do to make it right.

Actually, they didn't pay extra.

They just paid the normal price with normal seat selection instead of basic economy. They are regular passengers, just like probably 200 other passengers on the same flight.

Nothing the least bit out of the ordinary here.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

So, this morning, Delta cancelled our return flight from MCO-LAX.
We now have a 90 minute layover in ATL. It's fine. I could be angrier about it no longer being direct, but they gave us a reasonable layover length so I will live with it.

HOWEVER. We paid EXTRA to select seats together, and now on our flight to ATL, they split us up. I understand for most people on a short flight this would be fine. However, I have a disability that requires me to be with my travel companion at all times. They also placed me in a middle seat and him in a window. I cannot be in a middle seat with my disability WHICH IS WHY WE PAID EXTRA for that not to happen.

all the other seats in coach are full according to the map. What luck am I gonna have calling amd telling them they need to remedy their mistake?I have status with Delta through their FF program, and by being a Platinum AMEX holder, but not high up or anything.
i am so pissed. My flight isn't until June, why on earth would te corona crazy be affecting it?!

not much to make you feel better but remember they people already booked on that flight with paid seats would have first dibs ahead of you. also size of plane probably changed. I would call and explain what you need and why. they might be able to help. it could be changing your flight again. what I am hearing it could be less people flying which is related to Corona stuff. and since it is June it could change before then again

 

[sethschroeder]

Actually, they didn't pay extra.

They just paid the normal price with normal seat selection instead of basic economy. They are regular passengers, just like probably 200 other passengers on the same flight.

Nothing the least bit out of the ordinary here.

Except they did pay extra. Since you can check seat maps before purchasing you would purchase the option to pick your seat if there was not any options less.

If the reason you paid extra was specifically to choose a seat and they removed that because they are cancelling and consolidating flights than then I would call them and explain that.

Also I 100% find is strange if everyone on a flight paid the main cabin ticket price. Delta usually has a ton of basic economy which wouldn't be assigned seats until the day before. So something is extra strange unless delta has 50-100 people with zero flight access at this point.

 

[JimMIA]

Except they did pay extra. Since you can check seat maps before purchasing you would purchase the option to pick your seat if there was not any options less.

To me, paying "extra" is paying for extra legroom, first or business class, or other preferential seating. Paying coach fare is not paying extra -- it's paying the normal price, and carries the normal perks like seat selection, checked luggage, use of overheads, etc.

Buying basic economy is buying discounted tickets with few, if any, perks. It's not the normal price.

If the reason you paid extra was specifically to choose a seat and they removed that because they are cancelling and consolidating flights than then I would call them and explain that.

Regardless of how you and I define "extra," YES the sensible approach would be to call the airline.

OP apparently has some type of disability, and that (NOT "paid extra") is by far their best approach to getting their seat assignments fixed.

 

[sethschroeder]

Buying basic economy is buying discounted tickets with few, if any, perks. It's not the normal price.

The only difference on many lines is the seat selection. Also if you are a medallion member at Silver or higher you get waived baggage fees as well (I think delta cc holders do as well).

As an example right now without status if you fly from my area of the country to MCO in basic or main cabin you will pay $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second bag.

So seat selection is very literally the only benefit of main cabin. Well and likely being first to get reassigned to a new plane if they cancel flights.

You can look up baggage fees here: (if there / dividing it mean between those two countries)
https://www.delta.com/content/www/e...rip/checked.html/#StandardCheckedBagAllowance

 

[tallguy001]

Think all of the normal way of thinking needs to go out the window. Half these airlines could be I bankruptcy but June.

 

[JimMIA]

The only difference on many lines is the seat selection. Also if you are a medallion member at Silver or higher you get waived baggage fees as well (I think delta cc holders do as well).

As an example right now without status if you fly from my area of the country to MCO in basic or main cabin you will pay $30 for the first bag and $40 for the second bag.

So seat selection is very literally the only benefit of main cabin. Well and likely being first to get reassigned to a new plane if they cancel flights.

You can look up baggage fees here: (if there / dividing it mean between those two countries)
https://www.delta.com/content/www/e...rip/checked.html/#StandardCheckedBagAllowance

Sure policies vary. My airline of choice doesn't charge me, but that's irrelevant to OP's problem.

My main point was that your suggestion to CALL the airline is the most sensible approach for OP to take.

Whatever we think about various policies... for OP to FIX their situation, CALLING the airline is a much more productive strategy than complaining on some Internet forum like this one.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Don’t try to call now about this...
There are people with travel plans in next few days who need help over this! They will tell you to wait.

 

[JimMIA]

Don’t try to call now about this...
There are people with travel plans in next few days who need help over this! They will tell you to wait.

Yeah, that's true. The only real way for OP to get this resolved is to call, but the airlines are requesting not to call unless it's really urgent.

And the other thing is that everything can, and probably will, change between now and June.

The parks and resorts are all closed, and there is really no date for re-opening. At least a partial restriction in domestic flights is supposedly being considered, or the airlines themselves may cut way back because of diminished demand.

OP might not have any flight arrangements to worry about come June.

 

[spiders]

If you have a disability then I'm sure they are going to accommodate you.

It's affecting you now because June isn't that far and nobody knows just how low demand is going to go. Every airline is in survival mode right now.

Delta, along with many others, have been very busy today flying airplanes to the desert for storage.

 

[lorenae]

I was just chatting with my neighbor- a long time Delta pilot. He’s maybe going to be out of work for a while. He flies the big international jets, and they have 35 of those flights scheduled for the next month, and 1500 pilots for those jobs. So you’re looking at 1465 pilots out of work just this next month, only for the big international jets. No telling about smaller planes, airports, flight attendants, mechanics, etc.

Delta is solvent now, but won’t be at this rate. I got an email today saying Delta already cut domestic flights 40%.

I seriously would take a deep breath and forget about this for 10 weeks or so. The airline will make MANY changes daily, and no telling if/when there will be flights in June.

My trip is scheduled for May. I didn’t cancel, as Delta asked us to please not call unless we were traveling in the next 72 hours. My flights may be cancelled. I may get my money back. My flights my be changed. My flights might actually occur if Disney reopens, if domestic flights are normal, and if the airlines get bailed out if needed.

Honestly, the flight is unlikely to remain the same. People may or may not travel that day, the entire flight is liable to be cancelled or changed. You may not need the return flight, if you can’t get to MCO in the first place in June (and I’d say that’s a real possibility).

Seat selection WILL change, sometimes right at the gate. It’s nothing to worry about in June, let alone in March during a global emergency.

 

[chaoskids]

IMO the answer is twofold. They paid for specific seats. If the airline cannot honor specific paid for seats on the new flight, then they need to refund the up charge. Once the up charge is refunded, be happy to still be on a flight.