Delta Update

[Trogon]

Seriously, I would have been OK with a 14 day quarantine at my safari place from last week instead of coming home, happy to spend the additional cash on trigger time, enjoy the lifestyle and not be home back at my job. I guess I should have scribbled "Positive Please!" on the $50 I handed over, lol.

 

[koodoo62]

I am hoping that the 2:45 arrival time will allow for more connections. In the past DL200 got there about 5:00 thus making all but the latest connecting flights impossible.
The return flight allows passengers on in CPT but not off. We plan to get on in CPT and avoid the extra 4-5 hours from JNB. This long return flight from JNB makes the other options more attractive now.
Philip

Just got notification that my 10 August flight from Atlanta to Joburg is cancelled. Just reserved business on Qatar. I have been a long time Delta fan (this is my 15th safari) and I really like the Atlanta airport but it doesn’t seem like we have much choice this year.

 

[sierraone]

For anyone who thinks they have an answer. I have been a long time fan of Delta for many years, but have only been to S.A. twice. What has happen to Delta? I can understand the cancellations and changes from last year. But it appears to me that in recent months, Delta can do nothing right. Is this a Delta problem, a U.S. Govt problem or what?

 

[Surgeon1]

I'm done with Delta, even cancelled my Delta American Express Card, sick of their service and their politics

 

[JimP]

I'd say that the problem with Delta is the governments policies.

They are not going to fly a plane to SA when there is no one to sit in in on the way back. Neither is United or any other airline.

I believe that Qatar is getting away with it since there have been no restrictions place on the country of Qatar and that is where you fly into before flying into SA. Likewise your return trip will be from Qatar and not SA.

 

[markm]

Did the same some time ago .they are the worst air lines .

I'm done with Delta, even cancelled my Delta American Express Card, sick of their service and their politics

 

[koodoo62]

I'd say that the problem with Delta is the governments policies.

They are not going to fly a plane to SA when there is no one to sit in in on the way back. Neither is United or any other airline.

I believe that Qatar is getting away with it since there have been no restrictions place on the country of Qatar and that is where you fly into before flying into SA. Likewise your return trip will be from Qatar and not SA.

I think you are right about this. It is a large plane and a big investment in fuel costs for that flight. If only US citizens can make the flight back and forth from Atlanta to Joburg it is probably not economically feasible. If we could get the US government to get their head out of the sand and get moving with vaccine passports to allow the vaccinated to fly it would really be a help. The EU is much ahead of us on this.

 

[Hank2211]

I'd say that the problem with Delta is the governments policies.

They are not going to fly a plane to SA when there is no one to sit in in on the way back. Neither is United or any other airline.

I believe that Qatar is getting away with it since there have been no restrictions place on the country of Qatar and that is where you fly into before flying into SA. Likewise your return trip will be from Qatar and not SA.

I expect most governments are smarter than that. I flew into Canada from Doha last week and I was clearly asked where did I start my travels and where had I spent my time. South Africa, of course. I guess I could have lied, but given computer systems integration these days, I would call that a low percentage move. They used to ask "where are you coming from" and "Doha" would have been a (semi) truthful answer to that question, but it would get tougher when they next asked "And what was the purpose of your trip" or, in my case, "what were you doing with a firearm in Qatar"!

I think it works for Qatar Airways because Doha is a hub for the world - flights were coming and going from every continent, and not every country restricts flyers from South Africa, so you can get pretty much anywhere from there. The only people flying Delta from JNB to Atlanta are essentially those going to North America, and principally the US. So unless you're going to the US, the flight back is pretty empty.

 

[fourfive8]

Not following the theoretical financial excuse for not having flights to and from JNB because the plane has passengers going from US to JNB but then having empty planes on the return?? Where did all the passengers go? The US govmnt's paranoia about this coupled with the obvious lust for power and control doesn't help and I have a feeling carriers like Delta are perfectly willing, if not eager, to go along with it when they get their "too big to fail" bailouts and don't have to fly.

 

[Philip Glass]

Delta has cancelled all of July. Here we go getting rebooked!

 

[WAB]

Delta has cancelled all of July. Here we go getting rebooked!

Terrible, I hope you find a good alternate.

 

[CAustin]

Delta has cancelled all of July. Here we go getting rebooked!

Sorry man!

 

[sierraone]

What has happened to Delta? There has to be someone who can explain this total chaos they are in and in turn has such a disastrous effect on so many of us. And we are just a relatively small group of hunters.

 

[HuntingGold]

I want to book Africa so bad but cant pull the trigger due to the BS. I used South Africa Airways on all my previous trips because of the direct flights from JFK to Joberg. Now it looks like the most direct and reliable route is through Doha. I would like to book this week but man it's tough to pull the trigger! Too many connections makes the chances of a delayed flight or cancellation too great of a risk.

 

[JimP]

I'm just crossing my fingers that all will be good next year at this point in time.

I'm booked for a June hunt and will look at United but just may go with Qutar depending on price difference

 

[IdaRam]

What has happened to Delta? There has to be someone who can explain this total chaos they are in and in turn has such a disastrous effect on so many of us. And we are just a relatively small group of hunters.

Just my opinion and complete speculation, but here’s my 2 bits. Regarding the ATL - JNB flights only:
Limited passenger pool compared to pre-Covid. Those limited passengers saw flight deals on United’s newly added route, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian, etc. Cost comparison on United vs Delta - $1600-$1800 on United vs $3200 on Delta. United has filled up and Delta is empty.
Qatar - Cost of business class fare on Qatar is comparable to Delta’s cattle class.
Delta isn’t in the same league (not even close!) to Qatar, Emirates, Ethiopian. Comparing coach in Delta to Qatar, Qatar is significantly cheaper and so much better it’s not even close.
So, as long as there are better, lower cost alternatives to Delta, they will continue to cancel flights because no one is booking them. Until demand is not serviced by the other better cheaper carriers ATL-JNB route on Delta is dead.
I can’t come up with any other rational explanation. I am booked on United in August for the reasons above.

 

[VonJager]

I think you are right about this. It is a large plane and a big investment in fuel costs for that flight. If only US citizens can make the flight back and forth from Atlanta to Joburg it is probably not economically feasible. If we could get the US government to get their head out of the sand and get moving with vaccine passports to allow the vaccinated to fly it would really be a help. The EU is much ahead of us on this.

F*** that.

 

[Philip Glass]

I think you are right about this. It is a large plane and a big investment in fuel costs for that flight. If only US citizens can make the flight back and forth from Atlanta to Joburg it is probably not economically feasible. If we could get the US government to get their head out of the sand and get moving with vaccine passports to allow the vaccinated to fly it would really be a help. The EU is much ahead of us on this.

We just need the government out of the way. No testing no vaccine!

 

[Philip Glass]

What has happened to Delta? There has to be someone who can explain this total chaos they are in and in turn has such a disastrous effect on so many of us. And we are just a relatively small group of hunters.

Guys it’s not Delta! It’s Biden. He banned RSA citizens from coming to the US. The flight loads are cut in half and they WIlL NOT fly half full. We knew this was coming.
Delta is simply the fastest way to Africa and we can gripe and moan but it is what it is.
United claims they are starting their JNB flight in June no matter the loads. We won’t go that route since we are taking suppressors and it’s a felony in NJ. No thank you!
We are looking at getting booked on Qatar. I just hope there are enough business class suites for my group.
Philip

 

[jdemocko]

I booked with Qatar right out of the gate after Delta cancelled 2 other trips I had planned. A friend of mine did the flight from Houston to Joburg on Qatar a month ago and said other than the longer flight it was comfortable and they took excellent care of you. Rifles and transfers were no problem.