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Delta Requiring Passengers to Agree to Basic Economy Restrictions Before Purchasing Ticket

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Delta Air Lines has begun requiring passengers booking the airline’s cheapest class of service to accept the terms and conditions that accompany such a ticket’s purchase. Purchasers of Basic Economy tickets are required to click “I agree to the restrictions” as well as “Yes” in order to proceed with the purchase. ... (www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com) Más...

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sflso
David Kay 8
From 1969 to 1972, before deregulation, I used to fly from Hartford (BDL) to LAX student standby on mostly empty flights, with food, for $77 each way. Fifteen years later, I picked up a brown bag of food at the airplane door as I boarded. And now that seems like a luxury. I've flown over-priced business class to Asia and have been offered a second dinner. I don't expect more than half a can of soda now when I fly now. Being charged to bring your luggage when you travel is unbelievable. I hardly look forward to flying now.
radix99
radix99 4
According to the CPI inflation calculator (http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl), $77 in 1969 is equivalent to $500 today. So you were paying $1,000 round trip. You can book that same itinerary for under $400 today. So you're getting less because you're paying MUCH less.
chalet
chalet 3
Next will be BYOB and (hold your breath) BYOTP TP stands for Toilet Paper.
joelwiley
joel wiley 1
BYOA (bring yer own air) or 'rent' theirs
mddickens
mddickens 5
Just for grins, I priced a flight from Memphis - Las Vegas in January for a trade show I have to attend. The cheapest Delta fare quoted on Expedia was $278.70 round trip. The Southwest fare was $275.00 round trip. But, no bag fees on SWA. That's worth up to $60.00, plus I don't have to do business with an airline that despises me and had no compunction at all about bending its customers over when it had the chance. It'll be a cold day in "you know where" before I go Delta.
zcolescott
Delta is apparently getting a bad rap for this, and I don't understand why. People want rock bottom fares, well guess what, that's what you're going to get...no frills, period. You want priority seating? Pay for it. Upgrades? Pay for it. Early seat assignments? Pay for it! Tired of people whining or feeling like they are entitled to something they aren't paying for while others do.
tobinsparfeld
Tobin Sparfeld 8
I think people understand the idea of a discount in exchange for fewer services, but the "no seat assignments" policy is what bothers me. Airlines already have the seat reservation system in place, so it saves them nothing to turn it off. It goes with the ever increasing practice of charging people for whatever they'll pay for, irrespective of whether or not it really saves the company money (priority boarding, unreasonably high checked baggage fees, etc.). This makes sense when dealing with calculating automatons, but human beings perceive this as being treated with contempt, and they don't like it.
GringoZX
Why does it have to have anything to do with whether the company is saving money or not? It's a feature for those that want another way to save money and get a cheaper ticket (even if it is in reality only a perceived savings; similar to many other 'deals' that other companies offer).
If you don't want to pay extra for the priority boarding or assigned seat on the aisle near the front or the exit row, then don't. But, don't complain about not getting the same service as the traveler that did pay for those extras. We as consumers have brought this system on.
rdlink
rdlink 4
You both have a point, but my response to yours is that I will vote with my wallet. If Delta feels that I should pay extra to be treated with dignity, I will give my business to an airline that provides said dignity in the price of my ticket.
mikeharbour
Mike Harbour 4
Airlines and dignity are two words that are rapidly distancing themselves in the same sentence.
dkgambler
Dean Kennedy 2
Absolutely. Delta is giving people more choices, but it requires a person with a certain level of intelligence to understand tradeoffs. This is basic economics. Don't like the conditions? Don't buy the fare. This is simple stuff. I'm old enough to remember people who absolutely loved to bash airline food back in the day when a meal came with the flight. Now everybody loves to complain about the lack of one. They can buy a halfway decent sandwich for ten bucks or so but nope.... they want that free meal they loved to hate. In summary, a person can be smart, a person can be brilliant. People are idiots.
30west
30west 4
I totally agree with you. If you want more "stuff", it cost money and it's your money to spend if you perceive the value in the extra cost.
joelwiley
joel wiley 4
The article example: fares $236 coach & $216 basic economy. Allow Delta to stuff you into any spare open seat and save a whole $20. You can use it for your $tarbucks and Cinnabon, and you retain your full whining rights.
mariofer
mariofer 2
Entitlement mentality Mr. Colescott. I want it all but don't want to pay for it.
sflso
David Kay 2
Yeah, insert your credit card to open the overhead bin. Don't tell Delta! Insert a quarter to recline your seat. Want to use the tray table? It'll cost ya. I think I'm onto something!
dmitze01
Dan Mitzel 2
Sucks for frequent business travelers like me, whose company's travel agency books the cheapest economy fare available. I've been stuck with this E-fare code twice now.

I say bring back the all-inclusive coach fares, and the empty middles as well as the in-flight steak dinners for that matter.
paviation07
sam kuminecz 2
Steve Cravener...NYC to Orlando is about a 20 hour car drive... When you figure in tolls, gas, wear n tear on your vehicle, hotel, and food stops your looking at a 1000 dollar round trip and about 2 1/2 days to drive round trip...
It would be easier to just take the 3 hour flight and save hundreds
yr2012
matt jensen 2
Or take the train. Amtrak is far better choice for that corridor. $303 for a coach seat or $632 for a roomette one way. The roomette includes meals.
mikeharbour
Mike Harbour 1
Plus, if you get on near D.C., you can even take your car or motorcycle down to "Flar-uh-duh" with you!
MaryLightheart
It's like the old Tim Conway skit "No Frills Airline." I guess a Delta exec found it on YouTube and thought it was a good idea.
AWAAlum
AWAAlum 2
I frankly don't see how saving 20 bucks is much of a lure to agree to all of these restrictions. Someone commented something like ... if you want the frills you've got to pay for them. These things aren't "frills", they're very basic services that cost the airline nothing. This kind of attitude toward the very people who fly the airline and keep it in business sure as heck doesn't make me want to fly Delta.
Flightdog
Roger Curtiss 3
Last to have overhead bin space? That one seems to describe the airline's attitude.

Why doesn't Delta simply have you check a box that says, "I acknowledge that the airline is going to treat me like shit and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it."?

joelwiley
joel wiley 1
See: Hobson's Choice
a2joe
Joe Hood 1
BYOTP--visit China sometime
jimmyhalwilliams
Jim Williams 1
This is how the airlines make big bucks. Take it or leave it.
PKVol
With retail, there are stores that charge more for the same item and people willingly pay for it because of the extra service they get. A perfect example is Publix Grocery Stores. If you compare non-sale prices to other grocery chains, chances are, Publix costs more, but their customers rave about the friendliness and helpfulness of the employees and shop there for the experience.

I don't guess it's feasible for their to be an entire company willing to provide better customer service at a higher price in the airline industry, probably because Southwest already offers a higher than average level of customer service at a price equal or less than the competitor.

Delta is merely saying, we'll provide the price you want to pay, but here are the sacrifices you have to make in order to get that price. You're going to see other customers getting better service on the same flight because they paid for it and you didn't.
arnolddekorver
Up up and away.......
sljester
Oh, . . . and yes we dressed decently too.
sljester
Sad but predictable. When I took my first flight in '61 (TWA Connie from Dayton to Hartford) as a kid flying was an adventure, something to look forward to; today it's mostly akin to a bad bus in a hostile territory. These days, unless I can't avoid it, I either drive or find a way to fly GA. Thanks Delta and all the rest of the corporate greed mongers for ruining a beautiful relationship.
Paul03
Paul Rybak 3
I haven't flown since the NSA strip searches. Drive 1200 miles (RT) to my kids four times a year. For me it's not worth the hassle and cheaper. We drive up in one day, light lunch. Gas cost RT is $90 Air fare is $239, ATL to MDW. 1 2/2 hour drive to Atlanta and another 1 1/4 hour to the kids.
GeoAnas
Geo Anas 1
I don't remember where I read that, but when Air France introduced the very cheap tickets - not sure now how they are calling them - without checked in luggage, the main reasoning behind it was to score higher in the tickets search engines.
Following this reasoning, it makes sense that Delta is doing the same, as I think they make more money, by scoring higher and then asking you to add a checked in luggage afterwards.
From the consumer's perspective, it takes a little more search to find the best fare, or a development of the various search tools to include or not the checked in luggage in the price.

As someone implied before, if the prices are indeed cheaper, then maybe it's not a big issue. But if it's a trick to increase their prices by eventually offering only the flight with the same ("old") price and then ask you for more for the addons, then that's a reason to avoid that company.

On the other hand, if they offer prices such as Ryan Air's, for example, that can be really less than half the price of a "regular" airline, then I would vote for Delta if I'm up to pay for the extras that I want.
julianjim
jim garrity 1
This makes me sad because my Dad&I were both WAL sucked into DAL! My Dad retired just prior to the merge, I got the boot along with 100's+ in ALL departments, from pilot to baggage crusher,(even the sky caps!).Flying non-rev was okay the first few years, then with so many employees/family flying, DAL made it harder even for them! One of the perks of any job is perks, but treating the hand that feeds you like crap with other carriers that can(and do) better,not a good move with DAL!
esu589
Joseph Sede 1
For many years now I have avoided flying Delta even if they were lower. I find them to be arrogant and no t a people person airline.
rdlink
rdlink 1
You both have a point, but my response to yours is that I will vote with my wallet. If Delta feels that I should pay extra to be treated with dignity, I will give my business to an airline that provides said dignity in the price of my ticket.
esu589
Joseph Sede 1
I found Delta to be the most arrogant Service out there. For many years now I have made it a point not to fly delta even if they were less expensive.
homburge
homburge 1
What this really is is an attempt by Delta to see just how many people will bite on a really in-the-dirt fare. All they are trying to do is determine what percentage of customers are willing to forego all the basic reasonableness for a $20-less ticket.

What other industry says to it's customers "If you're willing to be treated like dirt, we're willing to have you pay a dirt-level price."

Anyone who bites on this offer deserves the low level of service they get. You can justify it however you wish, but that's the real deal here.
WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 1
Sadly, there are people who will click those buttons, and later complain about it, even though they bought something that obviously wasn't what they were expecting. I see such in video games where gamers complain about games they bought without reading anything about said game(s) before buying.
WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 1
I may look for a cheap flight, but I look for services I want. Still, even though I live in the Atlanta area, I avoid Delta all that I can. I often flew AirTran if I went anywhere though now that Southwest merged with them, I fly them now, but they do not go into the airport 2 miles (off the end of the runway) from where my folks live like AirTran did.

Last time I went anywhere overseas, it was United and Air Canada. If I could fly Lufthansa here in the US, I would.

n914wa
Mike Boote 1
Just imagine if they didn't do this. Passengers would be howling at the flight attendants for NOT giving them the same level of service as people in other classes.
sflso
David Kay 0
I sure hope someone from one of the airlines is catching the discontent with its customers and decides to start treating us with a little respect. Unless something changes, the flying public, their customers, aren't right, which is my round about way of saying I thought the customer is supposed to be right. Ha! Their attitude is named after an old airline - if you're in New York and you want to get to London, Try Walking Across. I love how airfares are dropping with another round of fuel price cuts. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Where do I sign up?
chalet
chalet 0
Will you stop whining, I am fed up with so many complaints like demanding first class travel and paying close to nothing. Back in 1969 good ole PANAM charged $ 232 one way to Orly Airport (that is Paris for those of you who have not traveled around the world like me). I asked Expedia what is the going rate 15 advance purchase and returning 15 days later and the result was $ 810 or so. Well according to the Dept. of Labor 232 bucks in 1969 dollars are worth 1,508 in today´s dollars, and one more thing, Economy in those days was almost like Business today. So for those who want royal treatment cough up good or walk (just jocking)..
IMissPiedmont
Steve Cravener 0

$216 each way from New York to Oralndo? Why would you not spend the extra $20 if you were forced to fly? A trip that short though, I would just drive.
GringoZX
I'm originally from the northeast and now live in Florida. The trip is 20+ hours if you don't stop and rest. I haven't driven that trip since my children grew up and moved out on their own. With a family of 5 it made economic sense to drive. But now, flying alone or with my wife makes absolutely no sense to drive. Even on one of the major airlines.
BobRose
BobRose 0
Another over reach by a major airline to the detriment of passengers. Add this to the other reasons... NOT TO FLY DELTA.
sflso
David Kay -4
Remember when flying was fun and you were treated with respect?
linbb
linbb 9
And you paid full price for a ticket and flights were not full? And now everyone wants cheep fairs along with leg room and three course meals. You get what you pay for.
yr2012
matt jensen 3
Only the wealthy could fly when I started out on DC3's. The flight from NYC to LAX was $300 one way - from CHI to LAX - same price. The flight landed in OMA, DEN & SLC
emilpela3
Emil Pela -1
This is the type of "stuff" (I'm being nice) that caused me to completely quit flying Delta a few years ago. Something about two mechanicals in one day. The gate agent in Springfield, MO told us they couldn't get our connecting flight out of Atlanta to Springfield because they couldn't find a mechanic in Atlanta to fix the plane! They then completely trashed my bags on another flight about two weeks later. FYI I'm still waiting for an apology.

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