[Miles Hillis]

I am hoping you can help me.

On 7/2/10 I phoned Delta to change a same day award travel ticket in order to depart at a later hour but with the same origin and destination.
The operator was very friendly and said the change had been entered and was valid. I then asked whether there was a charge. The operator said it was $150. So I requested that she simply reinstate the original itinerary with no change penalty.
59 minutes later (with a few reassurances in between) she informed me that the system had locked and that neither she nor her supervisor were able to reverse the ticket, go back to the original itinerary or reverse the $150 charge.
She said the best she could do was give me a $200 mileage award certificate good for 12 months from 7/2. (My flight does not originate until Sept 30, thus effectively making the voucher useful for only 2 months should I plan to pay with dollars for a similar departure date next year.) I explained that a voucher was of very little use to me since I use air miles for flights.

Finally I agree to the terms since I was locked into no option. I did not receive a voucher.

I asked how I could complain about Delta's inability to reverse a booking while it is still in process. She said to go on line, select "complaints" and register my concerns. However that website is full, among other things, of customer complaints about Delta doing nothing to accommodate them.

So on July 6, I again called Delta. (I waited until regular-duty staff would be back to work and perhaps better suited to assist me.)

I was referred to a supervisor (Mr. Matti West) who assured me that everything was locked in place and that nothing could be changed. However he did offer to send me a copy of the voucher(which he did). I asked if he had a supervisor and was advised that he did not. He also assured me that the $10 additional fee for taxes was the same fee I had already paid and that it would not appear as an additional charge. (Time will tell!)

My original ticket number: 00608746758734 09Jun10
New ticket number: 00621795568203-21
Place of issue: CVGRES
PNR CODE: PL04P9
ISSUING AGENT: DL/LD

SERVICE CHARGE FEE NUMBER: 00621795568203

Anything you can to to help me resolve this would be very much appreciated. I did not call my credit card company to dispute the charge since it is a Delta credit card and I felt the result would be, predictably, the same.

Miles Hillis

[jimworcs]

This website is not an official site, so you can only receive advice. Delta are appalling and you have little chance of remedy from their normal customer disservice agents. However, I think you have case to argue that the original change was not valid, as the airline had not informed you in advance that there would be any charge to change the ticket. Therefore, a valid contract was not transacted. For a contract to be valid, there has to be a meeting of the minds.. and agreement to the transaction. You clearly had not agreed to this transaction. The airline recognised this and tried to reverse it.. but due to their own technical difficulties were unable to do this. I would send them a final notice by letter that you expect remedy, specify what you expect, and then file in Small Claims Court. I think you have a fair chance of winning. It costs very little to file, and you can recover these costs if you win.

[Miles Hillis]

Thanks so much for your advice. I agree with your logic and so tomorrow I will follow through. I really don't expect much in return. just a reversal of the charge and, perhaps, as a reward allow the change of itinerary to go through.

It is more a matter of principle than one of expecting some great benefit from the effort!

Thanks again,

Miles