Overview
IROP is defined as irregular operation (IROP) as a delay or cancellation to a flight schedule occurring for a variety of reasons including but not limited to:
- Weather or other “acts of God”
- Servicing of an aircraft
- Aircraft equipment change
- Crew rest etc.
Standard Irregular Operation Guidelines
Reaccommodations/Ticket Reissue
When a standard IROP occur, travel professionals must contact Sales Support or Airline Reservations for assistance with customer reaccommodations and any ticket reissues. Reaccommodations and ticket reissues during an IROP will be made without penalty or administrative service charges.
Refunds
Refundable Ticket
Travel agencies may provide full refund or refund to customer after deducting their management fee (Booking / cancellation management fee.)
Non-Refundable Ticket – Wholly Unused
Travel agents worldwide can refund a wholly unused non-refundable ticket when there has been a IROP event, if the following apply:
- Flight canceled due to an IROP or there is a change in the schedule of 120 minutes or more
Required PNR Documentation
When the qualifying flight cancellation or change in schedule is received, please add the OSI message below and submit the refund in the GDS.
Note: the OSI message must be added before the itinerary is canceled.
The PNR must be documented with one of the following OSI entries:
- OSI DL REFUNDED PER IROP CANCEL DLXXXX/DDMMMYY (XXXX = canceled flight number and DDMMMYY = impacted flight date)
- OSI DL REFUNDED PER IROP DELAY DLXXXX/DDMMMYY (XXXX = delayed flight number and DDMMMYY = impacted flight date)
Non-Refundable Ticket – Partially Used
Travel agents must contact Sales Support or Airline reservations office for assistance with a refund for a partially used nonrefundable ticket affected by an IROP event.
Travel Exception Event Irregular Operations Guidelines
Travel professionals may rebook and reissue tickets for their customers whose flights have been cancelled due to irregular operations caused by weather events or for “acts of God” (e.g. storms, floods or earthquakes), provided certain conditions are met. See Travel Exception Policy Guidelines.
Refunds
If a travel exception waiver is issued and a customer’s flight is cancelled due to irregular operations such as weather or an “act of God”, Airlines allows travel professionals to refund a totally unused non-refundable ticket(s) through normal ARC processing, if no other alternate flights are acceptable. The PNR and ticket must be documented as noted below.
Required PNR Documentation
When the qualifying flight cancellation or change in schedule is received in the GDS, please add the OSI message below and submit the refund in the GDS.
Note: the OSI message must be added before the itinerary is canceled.
Document the PNR with the following OSI message:
OSI DL REFUND PER XXXXX (Enter weather/event name) / DDMMMYY (See Travel Exception Policy for date)
If the ticket has already been reissued by Delta or the ticket is partially used, travel agents may utilize the Travel Agent Weather Event Online Refund form to submit a refund request or contact Global Sales Support or Delta Reservations for assistance.
Additional information
Compensation
When an Irregular Operation occurs, Airlines will attempt to reroute, re-ticket, and under certain circumstances pay for hotel, ground transportation, communications, and meals per the rules of the Contract of Carriage.
For general information related to possible compensation due to an IROP event, please refer to respective Airline's Contract of Carriage .