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“She actually sounded like she cared”

October 5, 2009

baggage1A legacy airline with outstanding customer service? Give me a time machine, and I’ll show you one.

Christina Conte didn’t have one, but remarkably, she experienced it anyway on Delta Air Lines. I’m happy to bring you her story because whenever I hear something like it — and it’s not often — I think: There’s still hope.

Delta broke the clasp on my husband’s golf bag when we arrived in Calgary.

They gave us a claim slip for damaged luggage and promised they’d have it to us by week’s end so we could use it to take the golf clubs home (HUGE LIE). We obviously ended up having to buy another golf bag ($80) in Edmonton the day before we flew out as no one contacted us or returned our calls.

After numerous phone calls and chasing my tail, I finally spoke with Mary in Delta’s baggage headquarters in Georgia who was VERY helpful. She actually sounded like she cared.

But solving Conte’s golf bag problem was easier said than done. The Delta folks in Calgary had given Conte the wrong paperwork, so her luggage couldn’t be tracked properly. Mary tracked it down and promised the bag would arrive in Los Angeles the next day.

When I went to pick it up the following day, no one had any idea what I was talking about and there was no golf bag in sight. Our previously “damaged” bag was now either lost or stolen!

We never did get our golf bag back.

So what did Delta do? Rather than asking her to fill out yet another form, an airline representative in Atlanta jumped into action.

After hearing what we’d gone through, he just asked me to send him a link to a Web page with a comparable golf bag, added $80 (without even having me send proof of purchase of the golfbag we had to buy) and sent us a check for $280. I know from experience that this could have gone on and on for weeks and months before any resolution, so I was very pleased that Delta at least realized they’d flubbed up big time and tried to make amends.

Although, they have much to be desired on their baggage handling and the people that are dealing with the claims, they are on the right track with cleaning up the mess, which I suppose is something!

It sure is. Take it from me. I deal with airline customer service complaints every day, and Conte’s case could have dragged on a good while.

Delta did great.

(Photo: nhanusek/Flickr Creative Commons)

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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6 comments

  • http://cestbeth.com Beth

    I fly Delta regularly and I have noticed an improvement this year. Maybe it’s to compensate for any merger glitches, but whatever it is, I like it, and I hope it continues!

  • Jesse

    Let’s hope it’s a sign that legacy carriers are trying to fix up their act!

  • Noah

    I don’t understand what happened. She gets the bag in Calgary, and it’s broken. Then it got lost? Did she leave the bag with Delta to have it fixed?

    I’ve never had an airline damage my luggage. What happens in that situation? Do you have to leave the damaged luggage with the airline? That makes absolutely no sense to me.

  • TOM BROLLINI

    What’s happening??? Are we seeing a trend?

    After American taking care of me on my expired ticket problem, now Delta taking care of a baggage problem & the recent refunding of a ticket cost for someone (don’t remember the airline), are we seeing so actual customer service?

    Sure hope so.

  • Jason

    I guess not everyone is that lucky with Delta. When I picket my bag upon arrival to CLE a few months ago, it was completely destroied: the frame was damaged, wheels were damaged, zipper was opened and all bag was taped over. I immediately took the bag to the Delta’s baggage office. A representative there told me, there is nothing he can do and I need to go online and fill out a form. I asked him if he could at least document in my reservation that I inquired at the airport about a damaged bag and if what kind of damage it was. In the baggage office I was standing next to the counter and was able to see computer screen. The agent actually wrote “a customer inqiures about damaged bag, normal wear and tear”. I confronted the agent and he said, well we don’t cover bags, if we would pay for every damaged bag we would go broke. I did write to Delta later, but got a standard “we are sorry” response.

    Another example, is I was flying on British Airways and the airport I arrived was in Spain. Iberia was providing ground services for British Airways. The bag was also completely destroyed. I filled out a form at the bagage office and Iberia agent told me a new bag will be delivered to my hotel next day. It didn’t happen, nor next day, nor next. When I was leaving back I arrived to the airport actually rather early to talk to someone at the baggage office. An agent said, well we won’t do anything you need to go back to your country and speak with someone at British Airways. When we arrive to DFW there was a BA representative before custom and I explained situation and shown the bag. The agent was really nice, she wrote her name and a phone number and said she will send me a new bag. I had one more leg on American Airlines. When I arrived home I discovered there were a few items missing from my bag, all are new, I just purchased in Spain. I suspect the items were actually taken out in Spain or LGW during long layover. I actually went to the airport and talked to American Airlines agent. She said send me a receipt and I will reimburse. I mailed receipts for missing items and a week later received a check from AA. Another week and the new Samsonite spinner arrived from BA.

  • Traveler

    I had terrible customer service from Delta. They lost my luggage and I was never able to get anyone to help in a meaningful way. They replied their records showed that my luggage was located and delivered to me, but I never received my luggage. It’s alarming that in a time of such close scrutiny of passenger baggage that an airline can lose a piece of luggage. I will never fly Delta again. In Paris, I was asked to fill out a form, wait in line for hours, only to be told that after two days they could no longer help me.

    Really awful experience and had to wear (and still wearing) the same clothes for about a week now.

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