$ Safe to book with Delta?
 

Looking for some advice. We just heard on CNBC that Delta may be out of cash
by next month. Their stock is below 2 bucks today, facing bankruptcy, and
will be delisted from the S&P 500.

We have tickets for Nassau/Bahamas Sept 22nd. Should we be worried?
TIA

"Keyser Soze" wrote in message
...
Looking for some advice. We just heard on CNBC that Delta may be out of
cash by next month. Their stock is below 2 bucks today, facing bankruptcy,
and will be delisted from the S&P 500.

We have tickets for Nassau/Bahamas Sept 22nd. Should we be worried?
TIA
No, those flights will be operating, however, many seats will be filled by
Delta's CFO, Comptroller and other key financial staff on their way to the
casinos with the funds remaining in the company cash box, hoping it stretch
it with some good runs at the crap tables. You'll be able to recognize
them....pale faces from all the night work in the last few weeks before the
collapse, suitcoats still on, the breast pockets bulging with currency, anda
desperate, hasunted look in their eyes (except for the two guys who have
secretly bought one ways on to Brazil and aren't planning to go the casino
at all....).

No, dear, bankruptcy is a great thing for an airline. All of a sudden, it
simply stops paying on its old debts and has plenty of cash to operate, not
having all those big payments to make every month. UA's been using it for
two years or so, and may at some point emerge (likely to be owing even more
folks and still an unlikely candidate for long term success without peddling
some of its patrimony in international flea markets.

Of course, if Delta owes you money, especially on an unsecured basis, you
might as well stop by Walgreen's and buy a big tube of that new "warming"
KY. You'll need it. The moment to really get worried is the day when one
or more of DL's "partners" quits accepting "Skymiles" travel, not confident
of DL's ability to reimburse for the tickets (even at the reduced FF comp
rate). That day's a long way off (and may be avoidable).

TMO

TOliver wrote:

Of course, if Delta owes you money, especially on an unsecured basis, you
might as well stop by Walgreen's and buy a big tube of that new "warming"
KY. You'll need it. The moment to really get worried is the day when one
or more of DL's "partners" quits accepting "Skymiles" travel, not confident
of DL's ability to reimburse for the tickets (even at the reduced FF comp
rate). That day's a long way off (and may be avoidable).

Well, that brings up a point.... I have three FF tickets issued by Delta
on NW - for christmas travel. The big question I have is what happens
if Delta goes belly up by Xmas? I *think* I should be OK since I have
tickets in hand, and they are on s (so far) solvent airline....

But in the back of my mind I have a nagging doubt that somehow, if DL
goes bye bye, NW might not honor those tickets.....

So what's the scoop? If DL goes belly up, are tickets issued by them on
other airlines still good?

Sound Advice use the Delta FF tickets ASAP.

In article , Captain Dondo
wrote:

wrote:
Sound Advice use the Delta FF tickets ASAP.


Well, I have reservations for X-mas on NW.... I hope NW will honor
those tickets if DL goes belly up....

Even if they declare bankruptcy (normally Chapter 11 to start), that's
*far* from going "belly-up." As the others have shown, it can take
YEARS for the process to drag out, and either come out successful, or
liquidate completely. But I'm sure you'll be fine for travel this
coming Christmas. That said....


As for other airlines honoring tickets from an airline that's ceased
operating, there are some limits. They're obligated to honor tickets
on a SPACE-AVAILABLE basis, at a charge of no more than $50 roundtrip.
I can almost guarantee that on a holiday travel week, there won't be
any space available -- they aren't going to bump their original revenue
customers to accomodate you.

That obligation is also limited to airlines that fly the same route as
the one that shut down. (For instance, if you had tickets to Boston,
Southwest wouldn't have to honor them to fly you to Manchester, which
is near Boston.) Here's the specific text from the Aviation and
Transportation Security Act:


SEC. 145. AIR CARRIERS REQUIRED TO HONOR TICKETS FOR SUS-
PENDED SERVICE.
(a) INGENERAL.‹Each air carrier that provides scheduled air
transportation on a route shall provide, to the extent practicable,
air transportation to passengers ticketed for air transportation on
that route by any other air carrier that suspends, interrupts, or
discontinues air passenger service on the route by reason of insol-
vency or bankruptcy of the other air carrier.
(b) PASSENGER OBLIGATION.‹An air carrier is not required
to provide air transportation under subsection (a) to a passenger
unless that passenger makes alternative arrangements with the
air carrier for such transportation within 60 days after the date
on which that passenger¹s air transportation was suspended, inter-
rupted, or discontinued (without regard to the originally scheduled
travel date on the ticket).

--
Garner R. Miller
Clifton Park, NY =USA=

"Captain Dondo" wrote in message
...
TOliver wrote:

Of course, if Delta owes you money, especially on an unsecured basis, you
might as well stop by Walgreen's and buy a big tube of that new "warming"
KY. You'll need it. The moment to really get worried is the day when
one or more of DL's "partners" quits accepting "Skymiles" travel, not
confident of DL's ability to reimburse for the tickets (even at the
reduced FF comp rate). That day's a long way off (and may be
avoidable).

Well, that brings up a point.... I have three FF tickets issued by Delta
on NW - for christmas travel. The big question I have is what happens if
Delta goes belly up by Xmas? I *think* I should be OK since I have
tickets in hand, and they are on s (so far) solvent airline....

But in the back of my mind I have a nagging doubt that somehow, if DL goes
bye bye, NW might not honor those tickets.....

NW is also on the bankruptcy watch list. . . .

So what's the scoop? If DL goes belly up, are tickets issued by them on
other airlines still good?

Garner Miller wrote:

In article , Captain Dondo
wrote:


wrote:

Sound Advice use the Delta FF tickets ASAP.


Well, I have reservations for X-mas on NW.... I hope NW will honor
those tickets if DL goes belly up....


Even if they declare bankruptcy (normally Chapter 11 to start), that's
*far* from going "belly-up." As the others have shown, it can take
YEARS for the process to drag out, and either come out successful, or
liquidate completely. But I'm sure you'll be fine for travel this
coming Christmas. That said....


As for other airlines honoring tickets from an airline that's ceased
operating, there are some limits.

Isn't this a bit different.
They actually booked NW flights, but got the tickets from DL.
Doesn't NW have to honor the tickets?

In article , Captain Dondo
wrote:

Well, I have reservations for X-mas on NW.... I hope NW will honor
those tickets if DL goes belly up....

A brief search also found this article, which you may find helpful:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/colum...24-mcgee_x.htm

--
Garner R. Miller
Clifton Park, NY =USA=

mrtravel wrote:

Isn't this a bit different.
They actually booked NW flights, but got the tickets from DL.
Doesn't NW have to honor the tickets?

That's my question... If internally NW only gets paid by DL *after* we
fly, adn DL is not paying, then they don't have much incentive to honor
essentially worthless tickets... OTOH, if they get paid when the
tickets are issued, then I'd say they *have* to honor those tickets;
doing otherwise would constitude fraud... No?