Why Issue a Ticket

According to IATA regulations, a ticket serves the following purposes:

• A ticket is a contract between the passenger and the carrier for passage between the specific points shown on the ticket.
  
  
• A ticket is an authorization for passage between two points, on a specific flight and date, as recorded on the ticket.
  
  
• A ticket is evidence of payment and provides a receipt to the passenger.
  
  
• A ticket is an accounting record.

Multiple Tickets in the Same PNR For the Same Person 

To provide the best service and convenience for our mutual customers, Delta highly recommends that only one ticket be issued per PNR, per passenger. Although Delta’s system can support issuing multiple tickets in the same PNR, for the same passenger, issuing multiple tickets in the same PNR for the same passenger can create service failures. Failure for services include but are not limited to:

• Online, mobile or kiosk Check-in failures
• Difficulties checking in baggage
• Accidental cancellation of down-line segments
• Automated schedule change and irregular operation protection failures

Additionally, when more than one ticket is issued per passenger in the same PNR, only the most recently issued ticket will be associated (hooked) to the reservation until that ticket is flown or the ticket is updated manually. Any unassociated (unhooked) tickets will appear in the customer’s wallet on delta.com as an unused credit. If the customer inadvertently applies the ticket toward a new purchase, it will no longer be available to use in the PNR it was intended for.

To provide the best possible travel experience for our mutual customers, we recommend building a separate PNR for each ticket that is going to be issued for the passenger.

Ticket Validity

For travel within the 50 United States or for travel between the 50 United States, Canada, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, a ticket is valid for one year from the date of issue and all travel must be completed within the validity period.  If exchanged, whether travel has commenced or not, the ticket must be reissued and all travel completed within one year from the original date of issue.

Please note: certain fares may have different periods of validity, in which case the specific rules associated with the fare will take precedence.

For all other travel, a ticket is valid for one year from the original date of issuance and travel must commence within this validity period. Once travel has commenced, then all travel must be completed within one year from the date on which travel commenced.  If a ticket is exchanged or reissued:

a) A wholly unused ticket must be exchanged within the original validity period of one year and will be given a new ticket issue date, but retaining the original validity period, based on the date of exchange. Travel must commence within the original validity period and all travel be completed within one year of the date on which travel commenced.

b) If travel has commenced, then the ticket must be reissued and all travel completed within one year from the date on which travel commenced.

Please note: certain fares may have different periods of validity, in which case the specific rules associated with the fare will take precedence.

Ticket Transferability

Delta tickets are nontransferable.  Travel agents are not permitted to transfer/reissue a ticket into the name of another traveler.

Maximum Number of Segments

The maximum number of segments on an electronic ticket is 16.

Waitlisted Segments in a PNR

Use the following guidelines when adding waitlisted segments to a PNR:

• Waitlist segments are only allowed if the fare rule allows segments to be waitlisted. Review complete fare rules before adding waitlist segments to a PNR.
• No more than four flights or combination of flights between the same city pair can be waitlisted in one PNR. 
• The waitlist segments should be entered after the applicable confirmed segment.

Placement of Waiver Code on a Ticket

When Delta Sales Support or Delta Reservations authorizes an exception, a waiver code is provided for placement on the ticket. Proper placement of the waiver code is required to avoid unnecessary debit memo transactions and additional administrative cost for both the travel agency and Delta.

Waiver Code Placement and Document Instructions:

• If there is no ticket designator utilized for ticketing needs, the waiver code is to be documented in the ticket designator box (fare basis/ticket designator) Example: Fare Basis Code / Waiver Code - QA7NR/12342X)
  
  
• If a corporate, agency or other ticket designator applies, place waiver code in the tour code box.
  
  
• If both the ticket designator and tour code field are being utilized for ticketing, the waiver code is to be placed in the endorsement field.
  
  
• It is necessary to document the ticket record in addition to the PNR. If the ticket is NOT documented and an audit is generated, debit memos may apply.

Ticketing must take place on the same day the waiver code is given. Failure to ticket the same day will result in a debit memo.

Note: For auditing purposes, if you are using the endorsement box to enter the waiver code, Delta recommends that you place a waiver code in the first position, to ensure that the entire waiver code appears in the endorsement box.

Guidelines to Ticket an OA Itinerary on Delta Ticket Stock

Published Fares

Delta does not permit travel agencies to issue an electronic ticket using Delta (006) ticket stock for itineraries that do not include at least one Delta (DL), Air France (AF) or KLM (KL), Virgin Atlantic (VS), Aeromexico (AM) or Korean Air (KE) flight segment. The fare must also allow ticketing on Delta ticket stock.

Please note: Certain exceptions may apply. For questions, please contact the GDS help desk for additional information.

Private Fares

Delta does not allow travel agencies to issue other carriers private fares on Delta (006) ticket stock.

Neglecting to adhere to the ticketing restrictions above could result in one or more debit memos.

Termination of Appointment

Delta may elect for any reason to terminate an agency's appointment. Termination will be advised by Delta's Travel Agency Accreditation Group. This action terminates the agency's authorization to do the following, but not limited to:

• Sell tickets and services on Delta
  
  
• Use Delta's validation plate (or auto-validation) for transportation on another carrier
  
  
• From claiming commission on the sale of Delta's services

Additional Resources

For assistance with GDS procedures for ticket issue, reissue, refund or void processes, please contact your GDS help desk. For all other questions, please contact Delta Sales Support or Delta Reservations for assistance.