Why Schedule Changes Occur

Airlines routinely change their flight schedules for a variety of reasons. Some reasons for schedule changes include but are not limited to:

• Seasonal demands
  
  
• Time changes from daylight savings to standard time or vice versa
  
  
• New routes
  
  
• Changes to flight numbers or operating times
  
  
• Flights that no longer operate

Most schedule changes occur outside of 7 days before travel.

Schedule Change Process

When a schedule change occurs, the travel agencies receive messages for each affected agency PNR. Delta sends the agency PNR through Delta Messenger for customer notification, the PNR is updated and in most cases the ticket is revalidated. An OSI remark is added to the PNR for agencies to see status regarding notifications.

Please note: Travel agencies may receive multiple schedule change notices. If reissue is required, it is not necessary to reissue tickets immediately after accepting the schedule change. Agencies may reissue as deemed necessary based on the customer’s travel plans and the agency's business practices.

Tickets That Are Revalidated

By revalidating the ticket, Delta preserves agency control of the ticket. The agency will know that the ticket has been revalidated because the revalidation data will automatically be included when the agency requests a ticket display, provided the GDS sends the display request to Delta, following normal industry standards. 

The updated flight, date, time and booking class data, which were changed due to revalidation, on the impacted coupon(s) will display. This information is dynamic (real time), therefore ensuring the agency gets the most current view of the electronic ticket. In addition, it will provide clear indication to the agency that the ticket has been updated and their customer is check-in ready, requiring no reissue by the agency.

• If the itinerary in the PNR and the ETKT data match exactly, the ticket has been revalidated by Delta. No reissue by the travel agency will be necessary. The passenger is check-in ready.
  
  
• If the itinerary in the PNR and the ETKT data do not match, the agency must reissue the ticket using the normal schedule change guidelines (See guideline information below).
  

Please note: It can take up to 72 hours for a ticket to be revalidated once a schedule change occurs. If the ticket has not been revalidated after 72 hours from when the schedule change occurred, travel agents should reissue the ticket as an even exchange to ensure that the passenger is able to check-in for their flight.  

Tickets That Are Not Revalidated

Approximately 20% of all schedule changes cannot be updated using Delta’s automated revalidation technology. Below is a List of instances when the original issuing agency must update the PNR, manually reissue the ticket and notify the customer of the changes.

Please note: This is not intended to be a full/complete list; it is only to illustrate the most common conditions where revalidation would not occur.

• There is not a reaccommodation option booked for the customer (ex. UN segment)
  
  
• The minimum connect times are not met with the alternative routing
  
  
• An itinerary that requires a change in the number of flight coupons
  
  
• When there is no E-Ticket in the PNR
  
  
• The new flight option is more than 48 hour later than the previous flight
  
  
• The flight change has caused a misconnection, which requires reaccommodation of the passenger onto other flights, dates or times
  
  
• The itinerary changed from a non-stop to connecting flights
  
  
• Tickets are issued on another carrier’s ticket stock
  
  
• Tickets contain other airline space
  
  
• The PNR contains a 'G' or 'C' header in the name field
  
  
• The PNR contains select SSRs (example: UMNR, PETC, MEDA)

If Delta is unable to revalidate the ticket, the travel agency will need to manually reissue the ticket.

Reaccommodations That Are Not Acceptable

If a customer’s PNR has not been reaccommodated or the reaccommodation provided by Delta is not acceptable to the customer, a Travel Agent may provide alternate reaccommodations using the guidelines from the Schedule Change and Irregular Operations Rebooking Policy for Travel Agency Partners. 

Interline Revalidation Between Delta and Virgin Atlantic

A new interline revalidation program was activated between Delta and Virgin Atlantic (VS) and applies to revalidation transactions that occur on/after November 13, 2019.

The interline revalidation program will update the master ticket record in the validating carrier’s system, ensuring that the travel agency-issued ticket will now match the itinerary for the impacted coupon(s), resulting in no reissue required. Travel agents can easily verify the update by displaying the Electronic Ticket Record (ETR) to make sure it matches the itinerary in the PNR.

If the ETR does not match the itinerary in the PNR, Travel Agencies must manually reissue the ticket.

• For DL 006 tickets that include segments operated by VS; if VS revalidates the VS-operated coupon, the revalidation message will be sent to DL and the VS coupon on the DL 006 ticket will be updated to match the revalidation data sent from VS.
  
  
• For VS 932 tickets that include segments operated by DL; if DL revalidates the DL-operated coupon, the revalidation message will be sent to VS and the DL coupon on the VS 932 ticket will be updated to match the revalidation data sent from DL.