Airline flight changes

It never hurts to ask. We have a trip coming up, rt, San Francisco-Boston. The flights were chosen for the best departure and arrival times. First our return flight got changed to two hours later, which has some unfortunate results. I won’t bother recounting them, except to say they all cost money.
. A few weeks later, we received notice that our outbound flight had been changed from a 1:30 departure to one at 8:30 a.m., and that meant we would need to sleep at a hotel the night before. Kind of fed up, I looked to see if there were a better time, I discovered our original flight still existed. I invested less than an hour of time, including that spent on hold; and we are back to our 1:30 flight.

If I were you, I would keep checking. If a direct flight appears, talk to an agent. I’m sure that Delta, like United, tells you, when they change your flights, that you can change your new assignment at no cost. If necessary, remind the agent of that promise

Changes seem to be inevitable these days, all inconvenient at best. How long before your trip, and so how much time for more changes to possibly be imposed on your booking? It certainly sounds reasonable to be on a direct flight, should one be reinstated. I don’t suppose they’d have you at the head if the line to be moved onto such a flight, or to be notified of the availability? It’s probably incumbent on you to track the situation, and monitor whether a direct flight becomes available. Will the price have gone up, if so? Can Delta offer any assurance what might, or definitely won’t happen?

For what it’s worth, British Airways has canceled our September flight, but moved us to a much different time. Same direct Denver-London flight, but now to connect to Bologna, we’ll be spending a very long time at Heathrow Airport, and landing in Bologna just before midnight, instead of late afternoon. So same connections, no rerouting, but a sizable schedule change. And we’re having to arrange for a middle-of-the-night checkin, with an off-hours fee.

You need to check the T&Cs of your booking.

If the flight no longer exists, the airline will put you on the nearest available slot. If you want to change, then things maybe different - can you change flights and dates no matter what? Can you change but you would have to pay the difference in price between when you booked and the then current price?

We had a similar issue in October when our flight from Spain to London was cancelled, as it changed from a twice a week route to weekly, so we had the choice of adding or losing half a week. The quarantine requirements getting back into the U.K. were then relaxed, so more people wanted to travel the route, so our original flight was reinstated. They tried to charge us the difference in ticket price, but after having spoken to a manager, they agreed to just change the ticket. This flight was actually changed 7 times in total including time and date changes, so travel during a Covid pandemic isn’t a relaxing thing. Most of the changes happened whilst we were away. It put us off flying until things are more certain.

There’s a good chance that your flight will get changed again before September. Keep checking your booking. We weren’t contacted about most of our flight changes, we only saw what was happening by logging on.

Same thing happened to us……last December we found a wonderful nonstop flight at a great price from JFK to Zurich mid-September 2021…….we booked and were thrilled to get it!……..my husband was checking the flight a month ago and noticed we had been changed to a 1 stop flight through Amsterdam…….no notice-NOTHING. The flight is through Delta…….has the personal attention to detail gotten this sloppy over Covid? We love the Amsterdam airport and do not mind too much but it seems we should have been at least notified.

I'm confused by the Delta schedule these days. I'm keeping watch for September as well, but from SeaTac. So far my flights are still there.

But, as I watch and click around, I can see that one of my options, should Delta cancel, is through MSP.

I can specifically see that Delta is flying that nonstop at least three days a week for the first week of September - Tues, Wed and Fri.

Jules, if you change your travel day, there are no non-stops for early September? The website still says there are.

If you are not getting notified by Delta, do a couple of things one make sure they have the correct email address. 2nd check your spam file. I say that because I get notifications for flights six months out thar have a three minute schedule change so they’re sending them out.

I did get notified of this change. We paid with miles. When I look at the day we are leaving there are no longer any nonstops, whether I look at miles or dollars. The day before now has nonstops again. I think they are still working on at least my particular flights, because I was unable to change seats on one of the legs. I can't leave a day later, because I have train tickets purchased for the day after my arrival (and have at least 10 inns/hotels reserved for my trip). Last week they had changed my flight to the following day which I changed back to an earlier nonstop on my original date. If it comes to it, I will leave a day earlier.

I don't really blame DELTA so much, I think everything is in flux as a result of COVID and now the airline having to ramp up as travel resumed. @Jazz, When I mentioned the addition of nonstop flights on my departure day, I actually do think that they could add nonstops as demand for travel increases.

I had to fly three times during the pandemic. My flights were changed constantly. I understood why it happened as DELTA responded to the pandemic. My daughter moved mid pandemic to Hawaii for grad school and each time I flew out to help her, my flights ended up being, MSP to Portland, to Seattle to Honolulu. It was pretty much an exhausting ordeal at the time, but I had some great close up views of Mt. Hood and Rainier! At least during COVID, I could talk to DELTA on the phone to modify my flight arrangements.

@Tom, I'm not sure what you are getting at. You can easily discern the nonstops by the diagram shown with the flight pricing. Like I said, I had a nonstop flight. It made no stops and went directly to Paris. Now I do not have a nonstop. The flight terminates in Atlanta and we change planes. Last week, when my flight was changed, I told the agent (via IM) that I wanted the other nonstop on my original departure date.

I don't blame DELTA so much, and they've been really good to us during the pandemic. I just would really like a nonstop to Paris. I'll keep my eyes open.

@ Tom, there are no nonstops on my departure date.

All I can say is, “A-a-rgh”! Today I got another flight change notification from United. Again, they moved our Bos > Sfo segment, this time to a 1:45 departure from 6:30. When I checked, they are showing a 6:45 flight. So, for a 15 minute change they have popped us onto a flight that is 5 hours earlier? This makes absolutely no sense. I’ve been trying to be understanding and to stay calm, but really! As with the op, we have complicated plans - - - I know, not the airlines’ concern - - - and it’s maddening to try to keep adjusting to what seems to be senseless, arbitrary tinkering. Stay tuned.

A Delta agent should be able to see all the itineraries you have had with a given ticket, including your original itinerary. You should be able to get back to your original itinerary should Delta add back the non-stop flight.

@Tom, My itinerary is set with a set of train tickets purchased. The day we are leaving, there are currently no nonstop tickets. The best itinerary on our original departure date, at this time, is connecting in Atlanta. Other airports including Detroit and JFK have much longer layovers. I am going to continue monitoring and waiting for more changes. As the date gets closer, I'll see if there is an itinerary the works better for us, including going a day earlier. I'm hesitant to give details on the internet on my exact itinerary.

"I did get notified of this change. We paid with miles. When I look at the day we are leaving there are no longer any nonstops, whether I look at miles or dollars. The day before now has nonstops again."

Personally, I would be jumping on that. And booking one night at a hotel at the airport, then carrying on the next day with your planned schedule.

@Tom, I am traveling early fall and flying into Paris. There are still no nonstops on my original departure day.
@Rebecca, I'm considering leaving on the previous day, however, I feel like no matter what I book or change to, it will be changed again. I'm going to sit tight for a while. As much as I would like to spend more time in Paris, and I will if it comes to that, the weekend I'm leaving will be my father's 85th birthday and I'd like to keep that open as much as possible.

I've flown Delta domestically quite a bit during the pandemic. My experience on the domestic side of things is that the schedule is pretty much set in stone for a month's flights following the 3rd Saturday of the month that precedes that month by 2 months.

So... for September domestic flights, I would expect the schedule to be pretty much set in stone after the 3rd Saturday in July (July 17).

I have not flown an international route since the pandemic began, so I don't know if the same pattern applies there.

Our experience with Delta occurred well before COVID. Our preference, if we can’t get a direct flight, is to do the change in Europe. Without notification, not only did they change our flight so we changed in US (Atlanta) but changed our class as well. That’s where I learned to check the schedule for flights I can work with and then call the airline. Ever since we watch the reservation like a hawk, especially the closer it gets to departure.

Lots of great info, here. And it sounds like I'm not alone. Thanks Dave. I'll observe the flights for my day for a while and be sure to check in July. Its also good to know that a Delta agent will be able to track all the changes to my flight. This most recent change we got email notifications. On the previous change to this flight I never did get a notification. It

Patty a thought, transferring in Europe can be risky these days as openings and closings keep changing. And apparently at some airports, even if you're just transiting, they made you "enter" the country and follow all their rules. I didn't want to risk getting stuck halfway to Vienna so I'm doing my change in Newark.