DL award booked for Virgin Atlantic Upper Class - wrong fare class?

I'm probably the dummy for not meticulously auditing the fare class for each segment, but it looks like my DL award booked for a flight on VS confirmed into T (at least according to dl.com).

Cross-referencing on expertflyer says this is a "companion economy ticket" even though I requested business and the agent confirmed that business was available. I paid the J low-level amount of miles (100k) for the return ticket NA-Europe and every other segment has been in J so far.

Do I have any recourse with Skymiles to reissue the ticket in J? It was clearly a agent fat finger / new partner mistake, but I didn't catch it in the first 24 hours and I fly on 4/25 (so less than 72 hours from now)

 

What does your original confirmation email show? You can call and try to press the issue but you're probably hosed on this one. You likely cannot prove that the G inventory was there previously when you made the booking, among other things.

 

Yeah, I know there isn't any way to prove it, sadly. The email says T fare class though every segment says business next to it. Looking through email for screenshots but even those aren't going to be definitive.

I've found space via other routings and am trying to appeal to Delta Assist "why would I confirm 3 short segments in J and not the long haul?" but I really think this was a agent unfamiliar with a rarish non-alliance partner's fare classes. Or "T" sounding too familiar to "G" perhaps.

 

Have you called Delta yet and asked them to check into the validity of the fare class since you paid for a business class reward? If they made a mistake, then have them fix it on the spot.

 

Call them and expect to spend a few hours on the phone and have to do a few HUACA but you should be able to get someone who can see you were debited business class mileage yet you are currently in an economy fare. This happened to a client once who was in the wrong fare class on CZ and we were able to get it fixed after a few calls.

 

No offense, but you really have to pay attention. I've searched for J awards and the search has returned combo itins like what you ended up with. When viewing before purchase, the searches show "Business" and then "and others" next to it, indicating a combination. If you expand the details, you see the breakdown. Sometimes the mix is with First and sometimes economy or the equivalent. Sorry about what happened.

 

So here's the play out:

Call 1: Calling to get VS record locator. "And I want to confirm this segment is in business" "Oh yes, you're all set"

Call 2: Call again to reconfirm a few hours later "Yes you're all set. It looks like coach, but it will upgrade you when you check in" Riiight...

Stop by VS desk at LHR (because I just don't want to leave it up to chance) - "Nope, we definitely have you as economy"

The agents at VS were enormously helpful and sympathetic, while Delta was a bit of a pain (even telling the VS agent not to hand the phone to me). Now I get into SFO, but miss my connection on AS to SEA that evening.

I'm assuming that the AS ticket is lost, but am not as familiar with AS's "flat tire" rules, if there are any. Is there any recourse for calling and either moving the flight to something the next morning? Change fee is likely more than the cost of the ticket ($99)

 

I also feel like this is a situation worth writing in over. Be super nice, ask them to pull the calls, helpfully suggest better training and ask for a gesture of goodwill, no?

 

Agreed, but the best defense is a good offense. I'm sure you will never let this happen again. Sorry your experience wasn't better.

 

Oh I know, I'm usually pretty diligent with meticulously designing each redemption and am really picky about product and segment availability, just disappointed I'm being reassured by some agents that everything is ok while being snubbed by others. Fun way to spend a day a Heathrow I guess

 

Has it been fixed to your satisfaction?

 

It is a are lesson - but always confirm you are in J on the reservation. There are too many "oppes" out there to trust inter-airline reservations.

 

Ooops. This is what happens when you're on two tickets. I'd go ahead and call about it anyways and see what happens.

 

Delta wouldn't waive the change fee, but gave me a voucher for the same amount for travel on them over the next year... They also thought I ended up going TATL in coach and would like to reimburse the Skymiles for the downgrade, provided I show them a coach BP that I don't have (was in front)