Delta is at it again with their devaluations to their Same Day Confirm program. The latest change has to do with switching from a connecting flight to a non-stop flight. Per the new rules, Delta’s Same Day Confirmed (SDC) policy will no longer permit changes from a connecting flight to a nonstop flight.
Let’s saying you were booked to fly from Los Angeles-Atlanta-New Orleans, and wanted to Same Day Confirm onto the non-stop Los Angeles- New Orleans flight, you would no longer be able to.
However, currently you can still switch on a non-stop flight to a connecting flight through Same Day Confirm as long as the same class of service is available plus if it follows the routing rules in the ticket.
Bottom Line
I think this is a HUGE negative change to Delta’s Same Day Confirmed options and one they have just tried to slide by under the table. Delta already devalued their Same Day Confirm program last year requiring the same class of service to be available meaning that most passengers are unable to use Same Day Confirm and instead have to use the Same Day Standby option.
What are your thoughts on this latest change from Delta?
Hat Tip: Flyertalk
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I’m not sure what problem this solves or how it helps Delta. Having a traveler go on two flights instead of one does what for Delta or the traveler?
Feels like Delta didn’t think through this one from a customer perspective.
delta must charge more for the non stop and some manager submitted this change as a way to meet some bonus goal.
They probably crunched the numbers after seeing how many people took advantage of SDC from connecting flights to non-tops, as well as how much demand they have on non-stop flights. People booking connecting itineraries because they are cheaper, with no intention of flying them obviously leaves lots of empty seats on the connecting segments, and takes up high-demand (and therefore, higher fare) seats on the non-stop flights. I also read on FT about people doing this on the premium transcon. routes, too, which I’m sure is something else DL wants to put an end to. If only a few people did this every now and then, I’m sure DL wouldn’t have bothered to change their policy. People working the system also pushed DL to place the fare class restrictions on the SDC policy in place to begin with.
Honestly, I’m happy with the changes for the most part. It’s very rare now that I see my name drop down several places on the UG waitlist (and subsequently missing the UG) at the last minute due to PM/DM switching over to flights with more FC seats open.
I think this was just a problem on the premium transcons. e.g. someone booked in F SNA-ATL-LGA rebooking to LAX-JFK on the flatbed with an SDC. I guess they’re having the same problem systemwide so decided to make the rule apply everywhere.
I sincerely hope this is just regarding SDC, and that DL agents can override this during IRROPS.