Delta to offer new service to PPT from LAX and SFO starting in December

[MrRandal]

For those of you who like to fly Delta, this is huge. They will be flying 767-300's with 3 classes of service, including Delta One, three round trips a week, flying on the days that their SkyTeam partner, Air France doesn't. At the moment, they are offering a flash sale, with reward seats in basic economy for as low as 59,000 miles round trip available, cash price of $796. Those fares have some restrictions, check Delta for details. Competition is always good for the consumer.

[MrRandal]

Upon further reading I discovered that flights from SFO are routed through LAX, with an hour layover going and a 2 hour layover returning.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

Some I like ... some I don't. Love the 2-3-2 seating in economy. Loved the old 340-300 ATN flew fir this reason. 

The early take-off out of LAX is early for those that are driving some distance to get to LAX unless you stay a pre-night in LA. The return time is solid.

Love the new 787's ATN and United fly for their windows and ventilation system.

 

LOS ANGELES – TAHITI (PPT)

Will operate Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday on the Boeing 767-300ER

Begins Dec. 17, 2022

Los Angeles International Airport – Fa'a'ā International Airport

• Departs LAX at 11:10 a.m.
• Arrives PPT at 6:10 p.m.

Fa'a'ā International Airport - Los Angeles International Airport

• Departs PPT at 8:10 p.m.
• Arrives LAX at 6:40 a.m. (next day)

[pittsburgh.joe]

Love Delta - not fond of United. But we live near SFO and much prefer flying direct rather than going through LA. So we'll stick with United's non-stops to Tahiti.

[SWFLAOK]

Hate Delta, and will never fly them again. They book connections they can't make. We were downgraded to economy from business with over a 3 hour delay, and are still trying to get a refund that is much less than what we paid for the upgrade. It was totally Delta's fault. They allow bags to be brought to the gate and checked for free, which delays the departure of the plane. They should charge extra for that, and allow bags to be checked for less at the check in counter. Don't reward passengers for delaying your flights.

[MrRandal]

We all have our own horror stories with airlines, because none are even close to perfect, they all make mistakes. However, I've flown over 800K miles with Delta over the past 30 years, and prefer them hands down to any other domestic carrier.

[FlyerTalker]

How many things wrong with this post:

 

On 8/7/2022 at 4:41 PM, SWFLAOK said:

Hate Delta, and will never fly them again. They book connections they can't make.

 

Not true.  DL books connections that have a VERY high likelihood of success.  It is a MAJOR headache for the airline when passengers misconnect, so thinking that they deliberately want to create a problem for themselves is laughable.

 

On 8/7/2022 at 4:41 PM, SWFLAOK said:

Hate Delta, and will never fly them again. They book connections they can't make. We were downgraded to economy from business with over a 3 hour delay, and are still trying to get a refund that is much less than what we paid for the upgrade. It was totally Delta's fault.

 

Any involuntary downgrade is likely a result of an equipment substitution.  If a flight is originally scheduled with an aircraft with 40 business seats and is forced to have a sub to an aircraft with 35 business seats, somebody has to move back a class.  But some people think the airline is deliberately screwing them over.  As for your "upgrade" price -- why do I suspect that there was a bulk ticket involved, with an "upgrade" by the reseller.  On a regular involuntary downgrade, the fare difference should be credited automatically.

 

On 8/7/2022 at 4:41 PM, SWFLAOK said:

They allow bags to be brought to the gate and checked for free, which delays the departure of the plane.

 

Not true.  Gate checked bags don't delay a flight.  In fact, airlines will do this for full flights so as to expedite the boarding process.  It reduces the number of people trying to use the overhead bins, and the extra time they take up trying to fit bags into the space.  And when they eventually can't find room, then gate checking the non-fitting bags eats into the departure time process.

 

On 8/7/2022 at 4:41 PM, SWFLAOK said:

They should charge extra for that, and allow bags to be checked for less at the check in counter. Don't reward passengers for delaying your flights.

 

The gate checked are carry-ons that would otherwise be traveling for free in the cabin.  That's why they go free into the hold.  And as noted above, this does NOT delay flights.

 

But feel free to continue to hold your beliefs, even if not supported by facts about airline operations.

 

 

 

[FlyerTalker]

In regards to the new DL flights:  Folks should note that they can book these flights, as well as the AF operated ones, through either the DL or AF websites.

 

Sometimes, one can find an arbitrage difference between the two - same flights with different pricing.

 

Other notes:  The DL flight arrives in the morning at LAX, so there are many morning connections out to other DL locations.  The AF flight arrives at 6:30pm in the evening, so as to continue onward at 9pm to Paris.  Few connections from the AF arrival except for west coast destinations and late evening red-eyes heading to hubs in the east.

[MrRandal]

I trust The Points Guy:

https://news.delta.com/4th-year-delta-named-top-us-airline-points-guy