[ad_1]
Air travel has already returned to roughly pre-pandemic levels this summer, as many people feel more comfortable flying after being vaccinated. But if you haven’t been on an airplane for over a year, you might notice quite a few changes, like the fact that you have to wear masks at airports and on airplanes, as well as test results. COVID negative or your vaccination card. depending on where you fly. Now Delta Air Lines is bringing another change for travelers by getting rid of one of its long-standing policies for the rest of the year. Read on to find out what the airline is giving up.
RELATED: The One Thing Every Department Store Has Now Permanently Banned.
Delta Air Lines issued a statement on July 27, announcing that the company would begin waiving change fees for customers with Basic Economy tickets. Normally, most Basic Economy purchases are neither changeable nor refundable, as these are the cheapest tickets available, but in some markets these tickets can be changed for a fee of up to $ 500. According to the airline, from July 28, all “customers who booked in Basic Economy can make changes to their flights until December 31, 2021”. Any changes or cancellations can be made at no cost to the traveler, unless the new flight costs more than the original flight. If so, travelers will have to pay the difference.
However, don’t expect to cancel your Basic Economy ticket and get that money straight into your pocket. Under Delta Air Lines’ new 2021 Basic Economy Change Temporary Waiver, passengers holding these tickets are allowed to cancel their flight, but they will only receive an electronic credit equal to the value of the unused ticket, and no to their real money. All eCredits issued under these circumstances must be allocated to new flights which must also be booked no later than December 31, 2022.
RELATED: For more up to date information, subscribe to our daily newsletter.
According to Delta Air Lines, this change in Basic Economy ticket fees comes as the company struggles to meet the recent surge in demand for air travel. An influx of passengers seeking to fly subsequently increased wait times for Delta’s phone lines and questions about travel policies and schedule changes to an “unprecedented level,” said the CEO of Delta Air Lines. Ed Bastain said in the press release. The average wait time to reach a Delta customer service agent by phone is currently around an hour, but some travelers have reported wait times of up to nine hours, United States today reports.
“As you take a well-deserved vacation or travel to reunite with loved ones, friends and coworkers, the last thing you want is to experience long waiting periods when you call for reservations or receive a notification. indicating that your flight schedule has changed, ”Bastain mentioned. “We know you expect more from Delta and assure you that these challenges are temporary. The Delta team is here to serve you and are taking important steps to alleviate these issues.”
This isn’t the only change Delta Air Lines is making to help travelers get through the busy summer travel season 2021 and beyond. Delta is also trying to increase its workforce, according to the company statement. The airline is hiring more than 5,000 new employees across the company, including more than 3,000 for airport customer service and other operational areas.
“The Reservations and Care team is once again welcoming hundreds of Delta alumni to reduce wait times while hiring 1,300 specialists who will be trained and ready to serve customers by September,” said Bastain. “We’re also adding a new phone platform that automatically provides our agents with even more details about your trip, so they can answer your questions efficiently and get you on the right track.”
RELATED: Amazon Just Banned These 3 Popular Brands Permanently.
[ad_2]
Source link