TM Travel World explains how to avoid telephone ticketing fees with Delta when booking partner awards.
Most partners cannot be booked online, and if you ticket over the phone they charge a fee.
But Troy points out that on the web (and only on the web, not by phone) Delta will permit you to hold an award. So hold whatever segments of your trip are avsilable online. That creates a reservation.
Then have an agent update the reservation over the phone with the additional flight segments you need. You can refresh your screen and the reservation right in front of you will show up with the new segments.
Once they’re there, instead of having the agent book the ticket, just purchase the ticket online.. no telephone booking fee. Sneaky, eh?
Now that it’s advertized on at least two blogs, wander how long this trick will last :p
Not sure about delta but I know that us airways policy is that if you’re booking a partner award ticket it cannot be done online therefore they wave the phone fees for booking by phone.
Don’t expect DL waive anything for you 😛
I’m also afraid that evil delta will soon pull off this trick.
I hope you’re not as sneaky in your day job 😉