Call Kurtis: Delta Changed My Itinerary

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- We've all dealt with flight delays and cancelations at the airport.  But when two local travelers had their itinerary completely changed with no explanation they called Kurtis Ming.  They planned on heading home to New Orleans for thanksgiving last year.  But just hours before their departure, they learned their flights had been changed until the next day.

Miriam Dejan-Jett escaped the wrath of Hurricane Katrina, but her New Orleans home didn't.  Now living in Sacramento, Miriam and her niece Giselle Jiles make an annual trip back to "The Big Easy" to visit family.  But a change in their November air travel caused some serious turbulence.

"My jaw dropped.  It truly did," says Giselle.

 The pair booked a redeye Delta flight out of Oakland three months in advance.  The day before the flight Giselle got an email saying they had a new flight.  It took off the morning after their scheduled redeye.

"I said, 'Oh, my God, they have completely changed my flight reservations," says Giselle.

Upset and confused, Giselle got on the phone with Delta immediately.

 "She said, 'I don't care.  If you don't use the reservations we change for you, there's nothing I can do for you.  I could care less,'" recalls Giselle.

So they took that flight in the morning.  They missed a black tie event they already paid for.  Giselle says Delta had no explanation for the change.

Kathy Li, of consumer action says airlines protect themselves in their contract of carriage, that's their contract to you, by saying they can change their schedules at any time.  But, an email the day before without a big warning? 

"Without apologies, without compensation, its being stupid," says Kathy, "They are losing the market just by doing ... well not by doing the right thing."

Giselle wrote a letter to Delta, asking for a full refund.  They sent her an apology letter and two $100 vouchers.  Giselle and Miriam weren't satisfied

"Where can you go on delta for $100?" asks Giselle.

So we called Delta and asked when and why they changed the flight.  Delta sent us an email, saying they decided to stop flying that redeye in September.  The airline says they tried calling Giselle but got no answer.  So they say they emailed her, although they wouldn't say how long before her departure day.  Delta says the email she got the day before the flight was a reminder email.

Giselle insists that was the first notification she got.  Delta threw in extra $50 vouchers for Giselle and Miriam but they're not pleased.

"I do not want to travel on Delta ever again.  If I have to pay a premium to travel on another airline, I will," says Giselle.

If your flight is ever canceled and rebooked, and you choose not to take that flight, you do have a right to get a refund.  A good rule of thumb here; check the status of your flights early and often