The Three-Legged Race

Tuesday, 12/15/2009

It's a 10+ hour flight from Atlanta direct to Buenos Aires, Argentina, but we'll be in transit for just over 24 hours today. Just because we look for the bargains.

The business class ticket from Atlanta, non-stop, to BA would come to about $3,100 RT. Searching further, I found a 1-stop flight from Miami to BA for $2,200. In order to take advantage of this bargain, we have to fly from Atlanta to Miami in time to catch the first leg of the flight. Since we don't want to risk missing the flight, I left plenty of time to allow for weather delays, not uncommon at this time of year. We left home this morning at 7:30 to be at the airport to catch the 9:37 flight to Miami.

A $900 saving is a bargain I can really appreciate. But wait! The Miami-to-Buenos Aires itinerary includes a change of planes in Atlanta.

We change at Hartsfield-Jackson to the only daily flight from Atlanta to BA – the very same plane on which the $3,100 passengers will be riding. Talk about a differentiated market segment!

So,.... I figure that it's so inefficient to fly us on 3 legs when 1 would suffice. I called Delta (and talked to a supervisor) offering that we would happily pay the full fare we purchased from ATL to MIA and even permit them to re-sell our seats on the ATL-MIA and the MIA-ATL legs; just allow us to board the Buenos Aires flight in Atlanta. That would give Delta 2 additional revenue-generating seats at no cost to them.

Nope, I was told; that would entail a fee for an itinerary change PLUS the difference in fare.

I'm writing this while cooling my heals in the Miami Airport Delta Lounge, waiting for the flight to Atlanta.