More Delta Issues

[RweTHEREyet]

My son and his girlfriend are leaving tomorrow morning for Hawaii. He went to check in on line today and the system came back with a message saying that "on-line check-in not available, you must check in with a desk agent", or something very close to that.

So, he called and asked, and the person in India he spoke to said that because of his "type" of reservtion he could not check in on-line. !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

So I called, and the person in India that I spoke to said that there are a certain no. of seats on each flight that are not permitted to check in on-line. It is done randomly and not manually, nothing serious.

Correct, nothing serious, but big inconvenience.

Anyone else had this happen on Delta or any other airline?

[lllovell]

It happened to hubby two weeks ago when he was flying down to meet us in Orlando. I thought it might be because he had no return flight purchased, which I know is one of those "red flag" issues. (he was riding back in the car with us).

He checked in at the airport without any trouble at all. Hope your son has the same luck.

Laura

[Blue&Gold]

Even with "confirmed" reservations they have to maintain a percentage of seats available for bumping. The "majors" will sell over the number of seats on the aircraft, then reimburse volunteers who drop off the flight. If 100% of the seats check in online or through some other method, the gate agents have no flexibility to take volunteers to get off the aircraft.

[ErinC]

Back in Nov. we flew to Las Vegas. I booked DH, myself, and DD2 on an early morning flight. A few weeks later, my MIL decided she wanted to come along. When she called and tried to book the same flight, she was told that those flights had been cancelled. :( I checked online and sure enough we had been moved to an earlier flight. Delta NEVER notified me. Had my MIL not tried to book the flight, we would have shown up at the airport late for the plane. Of course when I tried to checkin online they would not let me. I even had problems at the airport. The skycap even told me that I was going to have to pay a change fee!:burningma I told him that no way was I giving Delta another dime! Not only that, since they had changed our flights and never notified us, they just stuck us wherever on the plane. My DD2's seat was THREE rows away from mine! Needless to say, Delta was very much on my bad list that trip!

[RweTHEREyet]

Even with "confirmed" reservations they have to maintain a percentage of seats available for bumping. The "majors" will sell over the number of seats on the aircraft, then reimburse volunteers who drop off the flight. If 100% of the seats check in online or through some other method, the gate agents have no flexibility to take volunteers to get off the aircraft.

I'm not sure how checking in on-line has any impact on how they get their volunteers. I am familiar with the over selling and asking for volunteers to give up their seats, etc., but not sure about how on-line check-in would make a difference. What am I missing?

[dvcconvert]

I've had that happen when I've had an exit isle seat -- they have to see you're not bound to a wheel chair or something - basically that you are physically able to perform the service needed if you're in those seats -- that might be 'it' (?) :)

[RweTHEREyet]

Nope, they don't have exit aisle seats.

[Dale-n-chip]

I fly quite a bit and had the same thing happen two weeks ago from DFW to Phoenix. It was me and DS5. When I purchased the tickets on-line a month in advance, I wasn't able to select seats. Thought it was temporary (maybe they didn't know what kind of plane, etc). Forgot to check on it again before attempting to check in on-line.. . no luck! Not only could I not check in, I couldn't even select a seat! All of you thinking "Hmmm. . . who gets to sit next to the five year-old?" raise your hands! :earboywav

A call to American Airlines netted me this explanation:
A certain percentage of seats are reserved by the airline for assignment at the airport. This allows for flexibilty in rearranging seats. (yes, that's what I was told). Get to the airport early so you get a seat and are at the front of the line to make changes to your seats.

We arrived two hours before our flight. While the ticketing agent couldn't CHANGE our seats (it was a full flight), she could at least issue us seats. I camped out at the desk at our gate to be the first in line with the gate agent. Of course, she had to ask someone to change seats and change from a window to a middle seat, no less. Fortunately for all involved, some nice passenger switched with him. Must have been the threat of sitting next to DS5 for the three hour flight that did it! :dazzled:

[DisneyNutMary]

My sister had this happen once, with AA I think. She was unable to check in online- but the rest of her family was able to. They were flying from Las Vegas back home to NY.
When they got the the airport, and she was finally able to check in, she got the dreaded "SSSSS" on her boarding pass, and got the pleasure of a full search.

[RweTHEREyet]

Son and girlfriend do have assigned seats at this points. At least, that is what their confirmation says. Just no boarding pass. They head to the airport this morning, so we will see what happens.

[RweTHEREyet]

Just got back from the airport, and I am not sure what the problem was at all, they checked in with no problem. Girlfriend had the pat down at security because her computer wouldn't come on or something like that. I have never seen two young people smile so much in my life. And I have to admit that I am so jealous that they are going without me. Another hour and they will be on their way.

[RweTHEREyet]

Just touchin' base to say that I just got a phone call from DS, and they made it fine to Hawaii. They landed around 9:00 P.M. Hawaii time and 3:00 a.m. my time. So when he called, they were wide awake at 5:45 a.m. Hawaii time, so he is heading to the beach with camera and tripod to get sunrise pictures.

I am just relieved that they are on the ground safe and sound, so I had to share.

[Colorado Belle]

Hmmm Hawaii...sounds like things must be pretty serious with DS and gf!!!!!
Glad they arrrived safely Rwe....its always a relief to get that phone call, isn't it?