Delta Air Lines is offering complimentary transportation aboard select northeast flights for Amtrak customers who had their tickets cancelled due to the rail shutdown in the northeast corridor. Here are the details provided by Delta.

Delta is honoring existing tickets for previously scheduled Amtrak service in the Northeast Corridor and adding seats to its Shuttle service for travel between New York LaGuardia (LGA) and Boston Logan (BOS) or Washington Reagan National (DCA) airports through Tuesday, May 19, 2015.

Effective immediately and in place through Tuesday, May 19, Delta will:

  • Honor existing Amtrak tickets for travel between Washington, D.C., Boston and New York;
  • Waive change fees for travel on Shuttle flights booked between DCA, BOS and LGA; and
  • Increase seat capacity on affected Shuttle markets with a larger aircraft type.
  • Offer one-way fares at or below $315 for new Shuttle tickets booked between DCA, BOS and LGA

Exception Policy Offered to Assist Delta Customers

Delta is offering rebooking options to assist customers who are ticketed between Washington, DC and New York, NY or between Boston, MA and New York, NY and may be impacted by the Amtrak northeast corridor shutdown.

Affected markets:

  • Between Boston, MA (BOS) and New York, NY – LaGuardia (LGA)
  • Between Boston, MA (BOS) and New York, NY – Kennedy (JFK)
  • Between New York, NY – LaGuardia (LGA) and Washington, D.C. – Reagan National (DCA)
  • Between New York, NY – Kennedy (JFK) and Washington, D.C. – Dulles (IAD)
  • Between New York, NY – Kennedy (JFK) and Washington, D.C. – Reagan National (DCA)

MJ’s Take

Delta is taking steps to meet a temporary spike in demand for northeast shuttle services, and offering a gesture of goodwill to travelers who have been negatively impacted by Amtrak’s cancellation of services. Media has latched on to price spikes in the shuttle market since the tragic Amtrak accident, and this strikes me as a reasonable response. Further, it appears Delta is up-gauging aircraft in the affected markets which means they may actually have some seats to offer travelers carrying cancelled Amtrak tickets. Good move.

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-MJ, May 15, 2015

Logo image courtesy of Delta Air Lines