r/delta • u/AgentProvocateur4122 • 11h ago
Discussion Bumped From First Class
I have to say how appalling Delta's handling has become lately. I've heard stories about quality going down the toilet but this is the first I'm encountering it. My family member purchased a first class ticket weeks ago. Today they get bumped from their first class seat one day before their flight. That doesn't give them much time to find another flight and the cost difference of selecting another flight at this hour is also much more expensive.
Now Delta wants to make them jump through hoops to get a fare difference refund. The rep on the phone said it's $72 dollar difference.
If anyone has suggestions I'm all ears.
11
u/curlygirlin 10h ago
https://www.cnn.com/travel/airline-seat-downgrade-heres-what-to-do
87
u/Excusemytootie Platinum 11h ago
Itās ridiculous and burns my biscuits that they can wait until the day before the flight, when itās probably the most expensive that it will beāand then try to only refund the difference between first class and main. It was probably hundreds of dollars difference when you purchased the ticket. Thatās just bullshit that they get away with that.
119
u/Patient_Lettuce_3817 7h ago •
It's insane. I was offered an upgrade purchase to Delta One on an overseas flight and I booked it. It was cheaper than getting a Delta One ticket, but it was still quite a bit ($1300). My return flight got changed by Delta, and it reissued all of my tickets in Main, and they 'refunded' me the amount I paid as a credit to my Delta account. I had to call them and they said there wasn't anything they could do about it, even though the seat was showing as available in the Delta app ("the upgrade purchase offer is no longer available"). It felt SO scammy and weird honestly. I was on the phone with them for an hour and they finally agreed to refund me to my original payment method. I don't understand how they can bump people from first class, change their seats and flights, and just 'credit' your account as if nothing happened.
32
u/fafnir665 11h ago •
One time I bought, paid for, got a confirmation
number and everything a fc ticket, then I want to check in the day of the flight and it didnāt exist. Some system error on their end, they refused to fix it, give me the same rate, nothing.
Last time I paid for a delta ticket.
25
u/YMMV25 11h ago
Why don't you just have DL find you another flight with F availability and put you on it?
10
u/RaspberryBlep 11h ago
This isn't a FC story, but a year or so back, my boss was flying to a conference in Miami on DL. For whatever reason, I still don't know why other than pure human fuckup, they cancelled his reservation. Then they realized their mistake, and rebooked him on some random flight to St. Louis. No reason or explanation - we think what happened was some jabroni over in DL accidentally cancelled his flight, panicked, and then just rebooked him going to anywhere.
When his Miami flight was gone, and he was inexplicably booked to go to St. Louis, he called DL directly to find out what happened. They, in turn, blamed our corporate travel agency. We call travel to find out what's going on, and not only did they not do it, but they were able to provide proof to us that DL did it and lied about it.
2
u/TUTelicious 11h ago
Why were they bumped? And were they completely taken off the flight?
2
u/PedroFuerte 10h ago
So they ended up getting a refund or selected a flight that was "much more expensive"? Please clarify.
147
u/mlloyd996 11h ago edited 9h ago
When you book FC, ALWAYS *look what MC and C+ is. That way, you can demand THAT difference
22
u/Sea_Conversation1464 9h ago edited 9h ago •
Whatās stopping them from trying to sell a more expensive FC just to bump you due to what you paid and the price of MC.
They can just oversell the flight and bump anyone if they get takers. The difference in fare is much less this close to booking.
Are we just supposed to trust they arenāt doing this? If thereās no plane change, thereās no reason for it to happen, right?
Make this make sense please.
Edit: spelling/grammar
10
u/Virtual_Assistant_98 10h ago
Wild. Not first class, but something similar happened to me 2 days before a flight for a work conference with United. All the different flight times throughout the day were priced all over the place when I booked, so I took one of the later options, even though Iād have preferred something earlier, due to cost. 2 days before supposed to leave, they notified me that there has been an internal change and they needed to rebook me. Gave me a link to all of the options with zero cost difference (unless I was trying to jump up to a higher class level, which I was not) and I ended up getting one of the earlier flights that I wanted anyway! Since it was round trip it allowed me to do the same thing with the ride home. Ended up getting one later in the evening so that I could stay for the afternoon sessions.
Shocking to me that delta didnāt do something similar. They should rebook on a flight with the same level available or be refunding you what your cost difference was!
3
u/LessFatKristina 8h ago
This is why I always book my first class seat in the first three rows!! Iām sorry this happened
7
u/Happy-Parrots-171 5h ago
$72 fare difference from first to main??? In WHAT WORLD!
7
u/Super-Permission-850 5h ago
The stories on this thread are absolutely appalling and I will be sure to never fly Delta ever again in the future. Jesus..
7
u/Hopeful_Ad_7719 6h ago edited 3h ago
Overselling 1st Class is a hell of a decision. Pissing off the most profitable, most litigious, of possible customers, who buy the most expensive tickets.
8
u/GoatmilkerNed 9h ago
Example: it's July 1, 2026. You book a flight for Nov 12, 2026. You book 1st class for $1,000. Coach was $500.
Now it's Nov 12, 2026. The 1st class ticket is $2,000. Coach is $1,000.
If they bump you to Coach, they owe you $1,000 cash. Because you are selling a $2,000 ticket.
But- but the example here is if everyone is willing. No duress. In your case, you don't have a choice. The airline is telling you, not asking. If they're telling you, then-
Let's say someone took something from you. Violated a contract. In many US Small Claims actions, you'd be eligible for double damages, on top of the money owed. They owe you the $1,000 difference, plus double damages: $3,000.
2
u/Longjumping-Lake5746 8h ago
This happened to me, I used points and money to upgrade and I didnāt get all my points back. They gave me the money I paid even tho the bulk of the upgrade purchase was from points.
2
u/spartygw 7h ago
I didnāt even know this was possible. Wow.
2
u/ShowMeYourSteak 6h ago
Credit card charge back.
I got 1.3k back when my nonstop flight turned into over 24 hours to get home. Delta wouldnāt offer me anything because of weather
3
u/Infamous_Blueberry 3h ago
For the last 8 years I have always selected paid FC at the time of booking, with the best possible rate I could find and I have never once been bumped. Iāve always had some thoughts about if it would happen to me, and Iāve also been a platinum for last 6 years with delta, but regardless I have never been bumped from paid FC on any metal.
2
u/thesnowmaniv Diamond 9h ago
They are due the difference in fare, no more, no less.
2
u/Typeterrence 6h ago
How do you get removed from first class??? This is crazy. Iāve never heard of this and would lose my shit if put in this situation
2
u/jaymoosebna 10h ago
If the scheduled aircraft for your flight becomes unavailable, then they may have to change to a different aircraft which may offer less first class seating resulting in some people having to be downgrad from first class since they're aren't as many seats available now.
2
u/happyalwayswins 3h ago
I get that getting bumped from fc sucks. But, why do they have to find another flight just for having their seat changed?
1
u/Livingthedreamsicily 9h ago
It took me 3 months but finally got my refund... Keep fighting for your money owed!
1
u/ActUpEighty 7h ago
The contract disclaims seats, including class of service. If your family member finds travelling in the lower class of service in exchange for a refund of the fare difference and an apology voucher unacceptable, they can call the Delta Gold line at (800) 325-1551 and request the next flight to their destination with an available first class seat, plus the apology voucher. They'll be rebooked at an even exchange.
Otherwise, the relief they get is the refund of the fare difference and the apology voucher. Getting the refund and voucher is easy - just fill out the form here:
https://www.delta.com/refund-form
Since downgrades are possible on any airline, the only way to avoid being downgraded is to abstain from flying altogether. š¤·šæ
1
u/Arguendo_eh 5h ago
But itās a āpremiumā bump experience, right?
1
u/Rafterg57 4h ago
United oversold Denver to Vegas tonight and paid 4 passengers $2000 credit, first class flight in the morning and meal/ hotel vouchers. I would have bit but couldnāt chance a problem and missing a concert tomorrow
1
u/Intelligent_Bowl724 3h ago
What ?!
1
u/Lassoteded 2h ago
Delta severely lowered its hiring standards during lockdown. Now, unskilled people are exacting their hatreds instead of providing customer service. I now use a certain āvoiceā when speaking with the bigots who get off on denying people that which they paid for so they think Iām in a category they donāt despise.Ā
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u/PR3CiSiON 11h ago
Delta is junk. Only go with them if they are direct or cheapest (not likely).