Does Delta get customer service? Maybe

Unfortunately, I still don’t think they get it, at least some of the folks that interact with customers. Had seats changed because of an equipment change and the supervisor in San Diego acted as is if it was our tough luck. Went from a confirmed exit-aisle to an in the back middle seat. Supervisor then proceeded to change my wife’s upgraded seat on the second leg back to coach citing she didn’t deserve to be in business class and whoever did that (it was a supervisor in Atlanta who gave us a comp upgrade) was wrong. He also told me that I can call anyone I want because that doesn’t scare him. Prior to my exchange I watched this same guy frustrate three other passengers with his “Don’t care” attitude. After trying to get a number to their care line, I finally found it from your links. Their reservation folks told me I couldn’t call customer care, but could only write a letter or go to Delta.com and send an email. If what I experienced today is indicative of where Delta is going, they will be back in bankruptcy sooner than later. I’ll certainly look elsewhere first before flying with Delta again – I am sure the other three passengers feel the same.

I’ve been a Delta customer for about 10 years (started in 1997). One of the primary reasons I decided to use Delta is because I was living in the Cincinnati area. One of Delta’s hubs. Anyway, I’ve had Platinum Medallion status for 4 consecutive years. I now live in the Boston area. In the past two years I’ve made about 20 trips from Boston to Honolulu. I frequently used the upgrade coupons Delta provides or miles to get an upgrade to 1st class. On one occassion I had a layover in ATL. I attempted to use my coupon and or miles to get the upgrade. I was told that 1st class was sold out, which meant no chance for the upgrade. I asked to be put on the upgrade list anyway but the gate agent refused because it was already full. I waited for everyone to board just in case someone didn’t check in. Once I boarded I noticed that 2 seats in 1st class were empty. I went back to the gate agent and asked if I could have one of those seats. He said 1st class was full. I got back on the plane and asked the flight attendant supervisor if I could have one of those seats. She said I’d have to ask the gate agent. I explained to the supervisor and the gate agent that I was a Platinum Medallion customer with a full fare coach ticket. Again, I was told no. Once we got to our cruising altitude the supervisor let 2 other people sit in my seat. I’m sure I was the highest priority on the upgrade list. You don’t get much higher than Platinum Medallion full fare coach. I asked the supervisor why the other people were allowed to sit in 1st class and I was denied. She said there wasn’t anything she could do about it. I complained to Delta after my flight. I got the usual thanks but too bad response. I gave them the names of all the Delta reps. I came in contact with along with my seat number and the seat numbers of the 2 people who were upgraded. I figured they could check if my story was on the up and up. Nope! Just the cursory sorry but too bad. I no longer fly Delta if I can help it. I only do it as a last resort.

As a (past frequent) Delta traveler, I have seen the overall quality of service at Delta drop to well below those of other carriers. My most recent attempt to book reward tickets resulted in two days of calls to both the preferred and regular reservation line (two hours and no answer is a bit much – Medallion members who tried their Premium sales and service number were rewarded with a busy signal).

My concern is that, if Delta had simply moved my reservation through without further cost or delay once I got through to a representative, I probably would have let it pass. Unfortunately, once I ended up with a rep, after 2 hours of waiting on hold, I was told it would cost me $20 per ticket to resolve the issue. The issue, by the way, was that my itinerary which was saved in the Delta online system couldn’t be confirmed because the system was not functioning properly (the section which allows you to change your registered credit card was not functioning properly – nothing to do with how you enterred the info, the card you used or anything else – simply that part of the system was not functioning properly…probably still doesn’t).

I tend to fly much more now than in the past…all long haul international flights. Great for getting to Premium levels with these flyers, but I have (and after this will without exception) avoid Delta. As a businessman, I know that those $6,500 – $8,000 (much higher for the flights to Sydney and Seoul I occasionally take) business class tickets I purchase monthly are the way these airlines make their money…what are these guys thinking is beyond me.

Too bad…when I did more domestic flying I use to pick these guys over American and USAir…no more.

On June 16, 2010 I was a passenger on Flt 2568 Seattle to Atlanta and returned June 18, 2010 on Flt 2129 Atlanta to Seattle. On both fights I experienced problems with other passengers and what seemed to be a nonchalant attitude by the flight attendants (except for one threat). On the flight to Atlanta, a young child was in the middle seat, traveling by herself. Occasionally a flight attendant would walk by and tell to not move until the plane was empty and one of the attendants came to get her. In a 5 hour flight, she was never taken to the bathroom, ensured she was hydrated, encouraged her to eat, etc. The flight attendant did give the little girl in 21e a large bag of M and M’s.
About mid flight I started to fall asleep. Suddenly my left leg was wet and I looked up to see the little girl’s bottle of a dark grape colored liquid spilling on my jeans and seat. I tried to get the stains out, one attendant gave me two rolled towels and I went into the bathroom to try and remove some of the stain. It didn’t work. I gave the two towels back to another flight attendant and he gave me a dirty look and dropped them in the trash. The little girl had made quite a mess in the seating area and floor with crayons, smashed m and m’s. coloring books, etc. I don’t blame the child, I do think the flight attendant(s) could have paid more attention to the little girl and taken her to the bathroom at least once.
My jeans are ruined. I did not have the proper clothes to wear after my meeting because of the stains on my jeans. I feel Delta should replace them. I estimate the price for a washed pair of Levi’s to be $45.00
Worse was my experience on the return flight from Atlanta to Seattle. I was in 20a. A middle age brother and sister were in 20 b and c. Once the aircraft had reached cruising altitude, the sunlight was very bright. I asked the passengers next to me to please lower the shades on the windows. They looked at me and laughed, then went back to eating from the several large sacks of food hey brought. The cart came by, each used a coupon for wine, plus both asked for cookies and diet coke. The female took several sips of her wine before pouring it into the diet coke. She then licked the outside of the plastic glass to make sure a drop of wine wasn’t missed, and finished the wine and diet coke. The passengers took turns sharing bites out of the same hardboiled eggs. They ate several sandwiches each, chips, candy, other junk food. I again asked if they would please close the windows half way as I was getting a headache. The female told me to ask the stewardess for a “night” mask. The male, next to the windows, opened an in-flight magazine and positioned the white glossy pages to catch more of the glare from the sun and shine on my eyes. Both found this humorous.
I had to sit there holding up a magazine next to my face to block the glare. I had a neck pillow and I finally was able to position the cardboard safety instructions around the inside of the neck pillow. (I can send you a sketch- I was embarrassed but needed to prevent a migraine). The cart and flight attendant came by and I asked the attendant if I had any rights as a passenger. I explained the sunlight coming through the windows next to seat 20 c was bright, glaring and I had a headache as well as the beginning of stress spasms in neck and arms. The flight attendant asked the passenger in 20c to close the window adjacent to the back of his seat (he couldn’t see out of it but opened it when I said the sun was glaring). She said nothing about the other windows or the magazine in the passengers lap (it was open to the same white glossy pages the entire flight). The flight attendant asked me if I had sunglasses I could put on. I did not have any with me. She said there was nothing else she could do. I again tried to explain how my headache was turning into a migraine.
Later the flight attendant came back and said there was an open middle seat in the back of the plane (the plane was packed). I declined to be mashed in the middle, without my briefcase, etc. 20b and c continued to eat, whisper and look at me and laugh, play with the window shades so one looked closed when the attendant went by, otherwise it was open. The last 09 mins. of the flight, the cart was bought through. By this time I was leaning on my chin with left elbow on seat tray, typing my experience into my ipad with my right hand. I heard the flight attendant ask 20 b and c if they wanted something to drink. They both wanted more diet coke and cookies. After 3 1/2 hours of what I would term subtle abuse, I said, “don’t you two ever stop eating? You’re like a bunch a pigs”. At age 63 what I had been thinking slipped out. The two passengers laughed at me and said they were like a bunch of pigs, so what.
The cart moved on down the aisle, I continued to write on my ipad and realized I had let them antagonize me when they could care less about courtesy. About 10 mins later a male flight attendant knelt down next to my seat and said he couldn’t have me calling passengers names. He was going to have the police waiting at the gate. I asked him his name, he said Nick, and I tried to explain what had happened. Nick said I refused to put on a pair of sunglasses, and refused to take alternate seats. I explained my version. I was offered a space in the galley to stand. My other challenge is lower back pain, which was bothering me and standing in the galley was not an effective way for me to calm muscles and nerves. Nick explained that sitting in window seat means the passenger “owns” the windows and seat for the flight, regardless.
Using Nick’s logic, I had an aisle seat and should have stuck my legs out to be comfortable, not caring if someone tripped. The last 90 minutes of the flight I was concerned I would be met by the police. I am a frequent flyer, on many airlines and the thought of trouble getting on airplanes, possible arrest, no fly list, flagged by airlines, etc. had my stomach churning, neck muscles in spasm and a horrible headache. The passengers in 20 b and c were laughing and making fun of me. It was a miserable flight.
I was wrong in finally voicing my opinion about the passenger’s eating habits. I need to know if Delta treats passengers depending on where they are sitting instead of trying to assist passengers in being courteous to each other and having differences “mediated” for consensus. Threatening a passenger with police at the gate should not be done lightly. Is this standard anytime a flight attendant doesn’t have training to make sure everyone has a calm flight? Who would have “arrested” me? TSA, Port of Seattle police, SeaTac police or King County Sheriff? I didn’t know if I should contact a lawyer via in flight “gogo” internet, who it would be or what I would say is the problem.
I travel for the government frequently. Am I now on a list that will detain or possibly prevent me from flying? If so, under the privacy act, I need to know what information was given to airport officials and the implications. I am willing to forego training to avoid flying on Delta. I do have a problem as Delta is the gov’t carrier for Alabama schools and I have a meeting inn Jan 2011. To avoid Delta, I will have to pay the cost difference to fly on another airline. When I deplaned, I asked the female attendant if police would be waiting. Her statement was, “I don’t know”.
I have been traumatized badly by the flight attendant telling me he would have police waiting at the gate. There is very little in today’s world, more fearful than police after a passenger in the airport. I find myself feeling anxious around clerks in stores. If threats are normal behavior for Delta flight attendant’s please let me know in writing so I can show the gov’t travel agents why I need to fly another airlines (to avoid police waiting at the gate). In 40 years of flying I have never sat next to such rude, inconsiderate passengers, totally unaware the plane was full of people and they were concerned only for themselves. We are all at 40,000 feet and we should be considerate of others. Having a window seat seemed to give them special rights.
I had a window seat when the little girl spilled liquid on my jeans and ruined them. If anything, I was a bother to the flight attendants. I would like a check for $45 to replace the jeans with purple stains. As for being threatened, I expect a letter or email clarifying Delta’s policy on threatening passengers, especially if this is commonplace.
For 11 years I was a medical evacuation technician on C-141′s. I flew from the Philippines to Travis AFB, near Sacramento. I regularly cared for patients and passengers from Alaska to CA and back to WA. By listening to needs, wants and expectations, I was able to prevent unpleasant situations. I have another 70-75,000 hours as a passenger in commercial airlines. I believe your flight attendants need interpersonal training, empathy, courtesy lessons, sensitivity to the needs of several and should receive “immersion? training to understand the repercussions of their statements and lack of action.