[Dooley]

In August this year we had long standing reservations SRQ-ATL-SLC-FCA. The night before the trip I tried to check in online. Was I surprised to see the entire outbound trip had been cancelled. Called Delta and was told the reason was a broken airplane on one leg of the trip. I said that I thought Delta had more than one airplane, especially at ATL., and was told only one was available for that flight. We were rescheduled on a later flight. Some time later I met with a friend who was booked on the same trip (first class), and he said the trip for him went as planned, was never cancelled. Since my wife and I were traveling on an AM EXP companion ( buy one -get one free)ticket, I feel we were bumped and the "broken " airplane was Delta's way to get out of required compensation. Could this be true? Of course, delta denies it.

[Gromit801]

Guessing here. They might have had a plane with a mechanical. The replacement plane was smaller, less seating, so some people got bumped. For example, if the original plane assigned to the flight was a 737-800, and the replacement was a 737-400. Less seating.

The res agent didn't have, or didn't care to research the issue.

[Dooley]

I might buy that argument had not my friend who wasn't cancelled said they were on an Airbus A330, same type of plane I booked 6 months earlier.

[The_Judge]

I'm not making excuses cuz I dislike airlines as much as the next guy but some configurations of the exact same type of plane are different. For example, we had some 747-100's that seated 424 people and some that seated 384 people. Same aircraft type but less seating.

[jimworcs]

Whilst that points about seating configurations are true, the evidence in this case points against it. Delta could have told the customer the truth in that scenario. Instead they chose to lie. There is a reason for this.... although Delta do, at times, appear to lie for no apparent reason. However, I would gather your evidence and file a complaint to the DOT, showing your evidence that the flight did in fact go. Delta would hopefully then have to explain or pay you compensation for bumping you involuntarily. I would not let this drop... they lied for a reason, and I suspect your version is closer to the truth than the "broken aircraft" baloney you have been fed.

[Dooley]

I tried to get Delta to explain their policy on "bumps" as along with this trip we had our seats changed for the worse on another Delta trip (2 out of 4 legs) and the common denominator was each time we were on American Express companion tickets. I am seeing a pattern here. Too bad Delta won't come clean. Is there a way to check a date in the past to see if a particular flight did in fact go?

[jimworcs]

I thought you had a friend on the flight, so could prove it went. I am not sure, but there are "flight tracker" sites which might have historical data. Perhaps someone may know and point you in the right direction.

[Dooley]

Yup, had a friend on the flight, but I'd like to have written documentation.

[jimworcs]

Try this site... I don't have time to search all of it, but it may have the infrmation you need....

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Flight...atusByRoute.do

[Ombudsman]

Originally Posted by Dooley

I might buy that argument had not my friend who wasn't cancelled said they were on an Airbus A330, same type of plane I booked 6 months earlier.

Originally Posted by The_Judge

I'm not making excuses cuz I dislike airlines as much as the next guy but some configurations of the exact same type of plane are different. For example, we had some 747-100's that seated 424 people and some that seated 384 people. Same aircraft type but less seating.

According to SeatGuru DL's A330-300 seats 298 while the A330-200 holds only 243. If they indeed swapped for the smaller aircraft some passengers may have been displaced even though they were still on an A330, just a different variant.