[venuserena]

I booked a flight last February, but several days before the actual flight (in May) I felt extreme pain and the doctors discovered stones in my kidneys. I was strongly advised by my treating physician to postpone the trip to Europe. I did so, talked to the Delta customer service, and canceled the reservation.
Because I am a graduate student, I can't travel during the academic year (August - May) and asked Delta (in an email through their official website) to allow me to use the credit I have with them (over 1,200 US dollars) in the summer, when I will be able to use it for a trip to Europe (where I live) or for research purposes. I explained that as an international student this amount is quite large and equals to almost two times my monthly rent.
I just received an email from the Customer Service notifying me that my request has been denied. I cannot afford to lose 1,200 dollars, but I also can't travel before February because I am preparing for my PhD exams and have obligations to the department that require my presence.
Please advise me what to do and if there is any solution that you might think of.
Thank you in advance!

[jimworcs]

I think there may be a way to do this, but it will cost you $150. Phxflyer is good on this, but he is currently suspended or banned I think, so hopefully some of the other frequent flyers might be able to help. I think what you do is you buy and full fare open ticket fully refundable ticket with the money through to travel within the timeframe they require. Then just before you travel you change it for another ticket for the journey you really want. I am not fully sure the details on how this is done, but the change costs you $150 I think. Hopefully one of the other frequent flyers or Delta employees who come on here regularly can advise you the best way to do this properly.

[The_Judge]

I think your only chance here is going to be to get a refund (if it's a refundable ticket) or throw yourself on the mercy of the customer service staff. I'm trying to be as impartial as possible here and whether the rules are fair or not, this is what DL's website says for the case we have before us....

"For travel outside North America, your ticket is valid for one year. If travel was started, your ticket must be reissued and all travel must be completed within one year of the start date. If travel was not started, your ticket must be reissued and travel must begin within one year of the original date of issue."

So it looks like you have to start traveling in February, or whenever you purchased the original ticket.

I would gather all your medical documents, maybe ask your doctor if he/she could write a letter on hospital letterhead and any other documents that may help your case and copy them all and send them to DL pleading your case. 1200 bucks is a bunch to lose and I'd rather not see DL get that much money for doing absolutely nothing.

If there's some better advice, please, somebody help this person.

[wkharris2001]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

I think there may be a way to do this, but it will cost you $150. Phxflyer is good on this, but he is currently suspended or banned I think, so hopefully some of the other frequent flyers might be able to help. I think what you do is you buy and full fare open ticket fully refundable ticket with the money through to travel within the timeframe they require. Then just before you travel you change it for another ticket for the journey you really want. I am not fully sure the details on how this is done, but the change costs you $150 I think. Hopefully one of the other frequent flyers or Delta employees who come on here regularly can advise you the best way to do this properly.

yes Jim, however if it was an international itinerary it can be anywhere from $200 all the way up to $450 to reissue the ticket, depending on how restricted it is, and if it was booked through a travel agency etc.

but basically your ticket expires one year after the date of issue. if you call and reissue your ticket today. we'll use December 29, 2009 as an example. you pay the fees, etc. the first rep you get should put in your new itinerary hit the go button and it will reissue your ticket for the new trip AND give you a new expiration date of 1 year from today Dec 10, 2010. since you're just putting in "dumby" flight days. make sure you pay for a refundable ticket. because if you go with what's cheapest you're probably going to get another restricted fare, so when you go to reissue the ticket for your "real" flight days you'd get hit with another charge. with a refundable ticket you wouldn't get charged for another reissue charge. and you'd get the difference back on your credit card (however the original 1200 you paid remains non-refundable).

there is only one downside to doing this, the above scenario isn't guaranteed. that's only if all of the automation works correctly. which it does 90% of the time. some travel agency tickets won't work, and if the ticket has been reissued several times it won't work. if the automation doesn't work and it turns into a "manual" reissue. where the representative has to store the fare manually, etc. then the original expiration date will remain. this is a completely one sided policy, but reps don't have a way to change the expiration date of a ticket.

the other more costly way to get everything. is to find a cheap fare if you do enough searching you can sometimes find a cheap $99 fare. i'd try the NY to FL markets for those cheap fares. and book a one way ticket for $99. pay the reissue charges, so you're paying reissue charges plus the $99. and the remainder comes back to you as a travel voucher that must be booked prior to the expiration date. sometimes it will be given to you with the original expiration date. and sometimes the travel vouchers will have an expiration date from the date of reissue (reffer to the two above scenarios)

however, all of this is considered "throw away ticketing" and is written into the contract of carriage somewhere. I don't know what the consequences are if any when it comes to this. I just figured i should throw that out there for your information.

I hope all of this information helps you with your situation. it sucks you were sick.

[PHXFlyer]

Originally Posted by wkharris2001

however, all of this is considered "throw away ticketing" and is written into the contract of carriage somewhere. I don't know what the consequences are if any when it comes to this. I just figured i should throw that out there for your information.

Actually "throw away ticketing" is when there's a round-trip fare that's cheaper than a one-way and one buys the round-trip ticket but never uses the return.

There is noting you suggested above that violates the CoC. It's simply using loopholes in Delta's reissue system to extend the validity of unused tickets/funds.

[wkharris2001]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer

Actually "throw away ticketing" is when there's a round-trip fare that's cheaper than a one-way and one buys the round-trip ticket but never uses the return.

There is noting you suggested above that violates the CoC. It's simply using loopholes in Delta's reissue system to extend the validity of unused tickets/funds.

you're right, i got confused....I haven't taken a ticketing class in a loooong time LOL

[jimworcs]

There you go venuserena... what have you got to lose? Try it and see what happens.. you will at least salvage some of the money....

[PHXFlyer]

And if the OP would post some details as to the exact amount paid and the fare basis I can look up the penalty and advise how much it will be to change the ticket and also search for a no-penalty fare that closely matches what was originally paid. The last time I needed to do this on Delta I lost less than $5 on the ticket and extended it another year. As a matter of fact I have another Delta ticket that will be almost two years old in February.

[wkharris2001]

according to our contract of carriage (just search contract of carriage on delta.com) international rule number 65 section E specifically. she shouldn't have to pay the reissue charge. rule 65 also talks about ticket validity periods

E) WAIVERS FOR ILLNESS When a passenger is unable to travel due to his/her illness or physical
incapacity, or the illness or physical incapacity of a member of his/her immediate family (traveling or not),
or his/her traveling companion, DL will waive fare requirements as specified below. The illness or
physical incapacity must be certified in writing by a physician on his/her letterhead stationery verifying
that the passenger could not travel on the date of travel because of illness or physical incapacity. This
statement may not be on a doctor's prescription pad.
NOTE: Immediate Family, as used herein, means spouse, domestic partner, children, step-children
parents, step parents, brothers, step-brothers, sisters, step-sisters, grandparents, grandchildren, fathersin-
law, mothers-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, aunts, uncles,
nieces, nephews
1) Any waiver will also apply to associates with whom the passenger is traveling.
2) Normal Fare Tickets: The validity of the ticket will be extended up to 30 days beyond the original
limit.
3) Special Fare Tickets: Once travel has commenced, the minimum stay requirement as shown on
the ticket with regard to any fare will be waived or the maximum stay requirement as shown on
the ticket will be extended up to 30 days beyond the original limit, without service charge/penalty
if applicable, in the event of illness or hospitalization of a passenger or any member of the
passenger's immediate family as defined in (E) above. In the event the minimum stay
requirement is waived, the ticket must be endorsed "earlier return on account of illness
of...(name of passenger's immediate family/relationship)".
4) When the passenger has not departed from point of origin, and the fare is:
a) A Group Fare, the passenger may travel with a group traveling later at the same type of
fare. Advance reservations/ticketing requirements and service charges (if applicable)
will be waived. Individual travel will be permitted only if the passengers group fare
allows it.
b) An Individual Fare, the passenger may travel later. Advance reservations/ticketing
requirements and service charges (if applicable) will be waived.
NOTE: Travel will not be permitted on an earlier flight than originally ticketed; at a time
when the fare does not apply; nor will travel be permitted to commence at a fare that
has expired. When necessary, the appropriate difference in fare will be refunded or
collected.
5) The waiver is also subject to the following conditions:
a) If a satisfactory written document is not submitted, the passenger must pay the
applicable fare for transportation used. The passenger may later submit a refund
application with the supporting written document.
b) If the circumstances necessitate that the passenger stop en route, one additional
stopover will be permitted free of charge.
c) An upgrade in class of service (i.e., from Coach Class to First Class) will be permitted

only when the difference in fare is collected from the passenger

[venuserena]

Thank you everybody for the support and the good advice!

I changed the date of the ticket and the new ticket has a new expiration date. There is a reissue fee to be paid the next time I change the flight dates, but at least I don't lose the whole amount of money.

I really appreciate all of your help!

[The_Judge]

Guess what I took from their website doesn't apply in this case. Glad it worked out.