Stupid Delta Airlines

[PartyForFree]

I just sent this to the Delta customer service line, and with some good sleuthing got the email addresses of their president, and board of directors who were copied on it.

What's the over / under on what they give me?

To whom it may concern,

Having recently hung up the phone with your customer service department, I was told I needed to fill in this form to receive more than a $100 travel voucher as a result of my experiences with Delta Airlines this past week.

My family and I were to fly from Sarasota FL to Buffalo NY, connecting in Cincinnati on March 08, 2008. After waiting in the Sarasota airport for approx. 8 hours, the flight was cancelled due to both mechanical issues with the aircraft, and the flight crew having been working for too long. I believe they referred to this as "running out of time".

From there, your Delta rep gave us accommodations at, and I'm probably giving the Sleep Inn too much credit here, a "flea bag" motel across the street from the airport. In addition, my wife and I we were given $7 meal vouchers which had to be used in the Airport. Unfortunately, My son didn't qualify for a meal.

Given the late hour, we were unable to find a flight to Buffalo via any route for the next day. Instead, we took a taxi to Tampa, where we were scheduled to fly to Buffalo via La Guardia the following afternoon.

We arrived at the Tampa airport, only to sit there for another 8 hours and ultimately find our flight cancelled, Again! Thankfully, the hotel in the Tampa airport was a Marriott, allowing us to have our first few hours of comfortable sleep in two days. Again, we were issued $7 meal vouchers, this time one for each of Dinner and Breakfast the following morning.

The next day (a work day I might add) we returned to the airport, and found ourselves in the middle of ANOTHER delay for mechanical issues. Making the most of our delay, I quite politely asked the agent at the gate to assign our seats. Never in my life have I encountered a more dismissive or rude individual. Her name escapes me, but she was working at gate E59 on March 10th at 2PM. Please look her up and give her my best.

Despite departing several hours late, we arrived at La Guardia with exactly 21 minutes to catch our connection to Buffalo, which was in a different terminal. In true sprinter form, we managed to make it to the gate as they were making the final announcement for us by name. Of course, our baggage was not so fortunate. I appreciate you delivering it to my house a few days later. Don't worry...it's not like I had any use for its contents.

If I may offer my observations:


1) I suggest you acquire a new compliment of springs, doors, and fuel lines. Clearly, your existing supply has passed its expiration date.


2) My wife is pregnant, making this entire ordeal absolutely miserable for her. I assure you, pregnant women do not enjoy running (outside) as fast as they can between terminals in New York in winter.


3) We endured all of these delays with our two year old son in tow. If the person reading this letter is a parent, you'll have some idea of what that must have been like. If not, I'd ask you to relay this story to a colleague who has children, for I feel they could better describe the experience in person than I ever could on a keyboard.


4) Surely someone should have known our crew was "out of time" prior to the plane actually landing in Sarasota. They (eventually) knew the arrival time, and seems to me that basic math could have determined this earlier. Is it reasonable to think someone should actually do the math while the plane is in the air? Had we known a few hours earlier we would have not been departing, we would have had the opportunity to try and make alternate travel arrangements, instead of sitting around the airport waiting. Not knowing Delta's corporate policy on math doing, I was left only to wonder...


5) I very specifically made travel plans to return home on Saturday, as I had to be at work on Monday the 10th for two important meetings. I missed a full day of work, for which I will not be paid by my employer. As a result, I was forced to use a vacation day. This is time I will no longer be able to spend with my family. Granted, I got to spend an extra day with them in the airport, but that hardly seems fair. Instead, I will no doubt forgo a paid day of work. For this, I will be sending you an invoice in the amount of $450 Canadian dollars.


6) How on earth do you expect someone to eat an adequate meal at an airport for $7? Has the person who made the determination of this amount ever actually been in an airport? Surely you don't consider a medium juice and a blueberry muffin adequate sustenance for a grown adult, let alone a pregnant woman? Sadly, I lost the envelope in which I kept the receipts, but I would estimate my out of pocket food expenses for two adults and a child, over three days in the airport, to be $200. As I can't supply you with receipts, I will omit these from my aforementioned invoice.


So here I am, letting cooler heads prevail, and not writing to you until such time as I feel I can express myself in an appropriate manner.
As I understand it, the default position of Delta airlines, is I am entitled to a $100 travel voucher.


$100!


I'm not even sure how to respond to that. Had "little miss dismissive" from terminal E59 suggested that, I suspect I would still be in the custody of the department of Homeland Security, awaiting deportation back to Canada. My last hope would have been that they don't fly Delta, if nothing else, ensuring a prompt deportation.


I propose the following:


1) You fully refund my parties original ticket (#0067101860170) purchase.


2) A travel credit of $8260.71. This represents the cost of 3 passengers flying first class from Toronto, Canada to Kahului, Hawaii on December 13, 2008 and returning on December 20. I imagine Hawaii would be lovely in December. Please note, I will assume the costs of food and accommodations at my own expense, unless you have additional $7 vouchers available. I've heard Maui can be pricey!


In consideration of your anticipated cooperation, I will refrain from issuing my $450 invoice at this time.


I look forward to hearing from you.


Peter Moore - A disappointed traveler

[stiankr]

Seems like you had a rough experience, let us know how it goes

[Kyle]

Yes please let us know if Delta gives you a 9k credit. I wouldn't cross my fingers

[JohnH]

I got held up in that madness on the 8th, what a nightmare. I feel for you.

[LadyHoldem]

Honestly, great letter. Sucks, and I know how you must have felt, and OMG LOL at the $7 meal vouchers, they charge what.. $5 for a drink on the plain.. 2 bucks more and hey.. dinner time!

Delta is known to be the gutter of the airline industry, but I have heard that complaining is generally well rewarded with every company.

We actually wrote a nice little letter to AA when we returned home, and to a newspaper, no luck so far, but when we googled the insider theft that was apparent in our case, we find a retired sherrif who's gun was stolen 'apparently' by airport employees. He didn't get real far, so we rather gave up :P

I hope you get the trip to Hawaii! I love the propositions at the end, I've never thought to add that to the end of a complaint letter!

Let us know how it goes!

[Georgia Poker]

Great letter and I love the humor!

I travel weekly and I've learned the ropes. Letter writing will almost always get you something in return. You have to remember that this is a policy for airlines, they push and typically only 50% or so of the passengers push back. Even fewer write letters. So for the 70% or so of people that they do screw over, means that there's more money "in the fund" to satisfy customers that do write letters.

I almost got kicked off a flight on Airtran for being drunk about 10 years ago. I wrote a nasty letter telling them how humiliating it was for me to be called out by the flight attendant and pilot. I got two free round trip vouchers for my trouble!

[Graham]

Very nice letter, love the sarcasm ... sorry to hear about your trip.

[mypokercorner]

I've had similar experiences with Air Canada. I travel regularly for work, and there is an incident 50% fo the time, guaranteed. I loved the letter, but you are likely wasting your time. They probably don't give a shit.