I’ve posted in the past about my relative indifference to various efforts by the major airlines to unbundle their product. However, I am very opposed to fees that are charged under the guise of “expedite” or “close-in” ticketing fees for using your frequent flier miles. It doesn’t cost a penny more to ticket your reservation 24 hours in advance than it does 24 days in advance. A money-grab and nothing else.
I like to fly Delta when I have to. I find their people to be more consistently friendly or at least polite, and their customer-facing technology to be tops. But their mileage program, SkyMiles, is among the worst, and their latest moves make it more so.