Let’s take a break from the seemingly never-ending stories of customer service failure to recognize a few companies who did the right thing without being asked.
Delta Air Lines
Behind the scenes, employees often grumble that their customers would do anything to get a deal. They justify their own misrepresentations by saying consumers lie, too.
Joshua Davis and his family were looking forward to a weeklong vacation in Cancun. They were not planning to pay twice for their airline tickets, or to be on the receiving end of a frustrating form letter from Delta Air Lines, which cast a long shadow over their family getaway.
Doug Marshak wants to know. The airline in this case is Delta, which mailed him a box of … well, I’ll get to all that in a second.
If you’re a United Airlines or Continental Airlines frequent flier, chances are you’re a little nervous about the impending corporate marriage that will create the world’s largest airline. Rightfully so.
The Udoviches Spring Break vacation to Fort Myers, Fla., just wasn’t meant to be. The family made it halfway from Texas to Florida before having to turn around, in part because of a late-arriving crew. Now they want their money back for the inconvenience, plus a travel voucher so they can re-do their trip.
If you’re a frequent flier, maybe you covet a Delta Reserve American Express Card. It offers access to Delta’s Crown Room, a first-class companion certificate and a generous 10,000-mile bonus when you sign up.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at this story. In the olden days — before “no waivers, no favors” — fees were routinely overlooked by helpful ticket agents. But in the era of ancillary revenues, where airline employees are evaluated based on the amount of money they collect from passengers, even a few dollars can be cause for celebration.
If you collect frequent flier miles, you already know what happens when you don’t play by the rules. You know there are exceptions to the rules. But what if you play by the rules, and still lose?
Turns out Delta Air Lines’ frequent flier miles don’t expire after all.
Just as Delta Air Lines announced plans to raise its checked baggage fees, another carrier appears to be quietly considering charging its customers for the first piece of checked luggage.
Question: I’ve been saving my Delta Air Lines frequent flier miles for many, many years to take my wife on a 20th anniversary trip this year. I received all of my statements by regular mail. A few months ago, I asked the airline for a PIN number so I could look at my account online, [...]
Perry Cantarutti is the vice president for sales and customer care at Delta Air Lines, the airline’s top customer-service position. I wanted to find out his tips for getting better customer service from an airline — particularly his. So I asked.
So you think that after criticizing the tarmac troopers recently, I’ll lay off my monthly series on the tarmac delay hall of shame.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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