Delta, The GDSs and ATPCO Work Together to Create an Automated Solution   

Delta has been working closely with our long-standing partners at ATPCO and the GDSs to identify an automated industry standard solution for Travel Agencies to exchange tickets that qualify for exceptions under one of our Travel Exception Policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

ATPCO’s Emergency Flexibility Solution makes it easier for airlines to override existing fare rules and waive change fees. It simplifies the exchange process for our travel agency partners, ensuring greater flexibility for customers when they are ready to book future travel.

The Industry Standard Automated Solution

With this standard solution, automation will waive the change fee for tickets that qualify for one of Delta’s COVID-19 Travel Exception Policies. If the fee is waived through automation, the travel agent will not need to place a waiver code on the ticket.

Please note: ATPCO’s Emergency Flexibility Solution is not able to automate multiple changes at this time. If a customer wants to make subsequent changes to qualifying tickets, the ticket will need to be manually exchanged and the Change Fee waiver code added to the ticket.

With the additional flexibility Delta is offering for the Cabin to Cabin and Class to Class exceptions, these waiver codes will also need to be manually added to the ticket.

Automated Exchanges for Non-Expired Tickets 

Since the automated solution went live on June 7, 2020, Delta has been diligently testing to confirm that any exchanges for qualifying non-expired tickets are working correctly in the GDSs.  Automated exchanges for non-expired tickets are available now in all GDSs.  

Automated Exchanges for Expired Tickets

For qualifying expired tickets, Delta has taken the necessary steps to extend validity on these tickets in our system, allowing the expired tickets to be successfully exchanged in the GDS using the industry standard automation solution. The GDSs are committed to extending their databases and holding historical pricing for two years to enable an automated exchange process for expired tickets.  We anticipate that all GDSs will have completed the necessary programming by the end of 3Q20. Until all GDSs are updated, qualifying expired tickets may be exchanged manually in the GDS.

Once the GDS updates have been made, travel agents will be able to retrieve and exchange both non-expired and expired tickets affected by COVID-19 using the industry standard automated solution. 

For additional information please contact Global Sales Support or your GDS Help Desk.  

 
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