So I had hoped my first blog post would be along the lines of .NET development but it looks like it was Delta that motivated me first. Stand by for some fun with LINQ to SQL coming soon!
Dear Delta Customer Care,
I remember being about 8 years old the first time I flew Delta. To this day I remember being taken to the cockpit and being awed by the array of buttons, gauges and instruments. In fact, I still have a toy Delta aircraft and a pair of wings from that trip, although they are buried deep in boxes by now. I remember how Delta was, and it is unfortunate that today, December 29th 2008, I am sitting frustrated and wondering what happened to that Delta? The reason I write this letter is to describe in detail how the indifference and mistakes of numerous Delta employees resulted in not only the worst flying experience I have ever had but also a customer service experience that is rivaled only by check outs at the Wal-Mart on the bad side of town.
After spending Christmas with my family in the Newport News, Virginia area I was set to return home to Orlando on Saturday 12/27 with my flight (Delta 4968) leaving at 5:00pm. I arrived with plenty of time and sat waiting for my flight when right before the passengers started to board my name was called on the announcement system and the attendant asked me to sit down and wait. When I asked what the problem was she simply instructed me again to sit down and stated that she would give me more information in a moment. I watched as all the other passengers boarded, this was about when I started to get the feeling I wasn’t going to make my flight. I then watched the Delta attendant close the door to the boarding ramp and start typing away on the computer. At this point I knew something was up so I approached the attendant again. This time, without looking up, I was told that the flight was oversold and I was being transferred to a flight out of Norfolk, Virginia taking off at 7:20pm. (No “I apologize sir”)
My next step was to see someone at the Delta check-in desk (still in Newport News). When I tried to hand my flight information to the attendant and explain my situation he pointed to the Self-Check In kiosk. I tried scanning the barcode, no luck, the screen says See Attendant; I laugh a bit to myself. I manage to get the same attendant’s attention and after he makes several attempts at scanning my paper work, the decision is unanimous, we need a supervisor. Eventually I get a supervisor, explain my situation, and she immediately looks down and starts typing away (No “I’m sorry for your inconvenience sir”…). After about 15 minutes of typing away and printing out vouchers goes by she finally hands me everything I need to get going. At this point it’s 6:15, I’m 45 minutes from the airport and no one has acknowledge or even treated this like anything other than business as usual, even worse I’m feeling like there’s something I did wrong (I am Jack’s sense of frustration). I mention to the “supervisor” that she’s the 3rd person I’ve spoken to without getting an apology or even an acknowledgement that I’m being inconvenienced. Her response? Go tell Travelosophy to stop overbooking Delta flights. Yes, she pronounced it Travelosphy, and I’m starting to get the feeling this night isn’t going to end well.
Skipping ahead to Norfolk: Thanks to my nicotine fueled cab driver, I make it to the airport before 7:00pm and when I reach Delta Check-In I’m told that my flight has been delayed. The bad news? This means I’ll miss my connection in Atlanta. Furthermore, the next flight isn’t heading out until 7:00am the next day. Looks like I’m spending the night in Norfolk… The good news? Someone finally acknowledged I’m being inconvenienced. Once I accept my fate and get over it, I ask the Delta attendant where I’ll be staying that night. She says that they will be giving me a voucher for the Holiday Inn and nonchalantly mentions that this will be at the Inconvenienced Passenger rate. The Inconvenienced Passenger rate? I told her I assumed that rate was zero, after all Delta was the one who Inconvenienced me! Imagine my surprise when I discover that this rate is not zero. I couldn’t tell you what the rate is because I didn’t ask. Instead, my next request was for a supervisor. The supervisor, after listening to several minutes of my pleading, eventually resigned to comp’ing my room. Can you believe that I had to convince a supervisor?! Was this a dream? I started pinching myself… It was not a dream.
5:50am on Sunday, 12/28: I arrive at the airport, as instructed, before 6:00am. Apparently Delta had booked my flight with US Airways, in my head I applauded their willingness to look for flights with other airlines, very “out of the box” I thought. My applause suddenly stops when the US Airways agent tells me my flights were never confirmed and that there were no seats available. Moments later I’m back at the Delta Check-In counter explaining what has happened (the story is getting longer). She starts looking for flights and tells me the next flight that could get me to Orlando is Monday. Keep in mind that I have just dragged myself out of a very comfortable hotel room bed and that it is just after 6:00am on Sunday. I assumed she had looked around at Newport News but I thought I’d ask anyway. “Oh, you want me to try Newport News?” Well… yeah. She tries NN and great news, there’s 3 flights heading to Atlanta and 2 different connections to Orlando! I’m pretty good at this; maybe I should reconsider my career path?
Back in Newport News: It’s just after 7am and I’m Standby for a 9:30am flight and an 11:50am flight, and worst case I’m confirmed for a seat on a 12:50pm flight. Also, I’m trying to figure out how to position my body so that I can fall asleep on airport chairs that do not have adjustable armrests. I did not find a solution to this problem.
Finally: I did not catch either of the Standby flights. Furthermore, my 12:50am flight did not leave the ground until shortly after 2:00pm. Fortunately, I managed to catch my connecting flight in Atlanta as well (also delayed). What time did I finally land in Orlando? 8:30pm.
Time since original departure:
27 hours 30 minutes
Time to drive from Newport News, VA to Orlando, FL (according to Google Maps)
11 hours 51 minutes
After Arrival (We’re not done yet): By the time I arrive in Orlando I’m exhausted, I’ve been wearing the same clothes for 2 days, and I’m wondering if it’s really over, am I really home? I pinch myself some more, still not a dream and this time I’m happy. I stop by Baggage Service to get my luggage. Yes, I have been without my luggage throughout this entire ordeal. I would like to mention Madonna S., the representative assisting me at Baggage Service in Orlando. I explained my entire story; all the while she apologized and recognized that this was a major “inconvenience”. My advice to Delta, promote Madonna S. and fire everyone that works at the Newport News airport. After listening to my entire long winded and emotional spiel she tells me that the computer shows I volunteered to be bumped from my original flight. I explained that this was either a mistake or an outright lie (I am Jack’s sense of betrayal) and that it was most absolutely involuntary.
Madonna again apologizes and explains that the only compensation she can offer is a $100 voucher. I politely refuse to accept $100 as a sign off for this fiasco. After all, I’ll have to take a vacation day from work now to run all of the errands I’d planned on taking care of on Sunday. Madonna agreeably offers their Corporate Customer service number as an alternative. Which I accept, then take my baggage and upon arrival at home, sleep like a rock.
Today: Today I called Corporate Customer Service only to be told by “Minnie” (probably not her real name) that Corporate Customer Service no longer accepts complaints over the phone. Instead, she directs me to Delta.com/Contact Us where I can complete their online form and post my complaint electronically. One second… so Delta kicks me off of my flight because they over booked it, sends me back and forth between two airports, holds me hostage for 27’ish hours without my luggage (fortunately tooth brushes are free at Holiday Inn), tells me to pay for my own hotel room, and not even to mention all of the rudeness I’ve dealt with up to this point, and you want me to submit my complaint on Delta.com??! The agent hangs up…
At this point I was getting ready to drive back to the Orlando airport to speak with Delta in person. If nothing else, I could let them know that they no longer accept complaints via phone. Before walking out the door I figure I’ll try Customer Service one more time. This time I’m shocked when I get a totally different response, apparently Delta does take complaints over the phone! Apparently the previous Delta representative just didn’t want to take a complaint over the phone!
Fortunately, the second representative, Ms. Roberts in Tampa, was understanding and apologized. She too offered me a $100 voucher for my inconvenience and stated that for anything further I would need to write/fax a letter. I again refused to accept the $100 and this is that letter.
In Summary:
· A Delta representative in Newport News Involuntarily removed me from my flight and then recorded it as Voluntary.
· I spoke with 3 Delta representatives in the Newport News airport without a single one of them apologizing or even acknowledging that I was being inconvenienced.
· After arriving in Norfolk and missing the only other flight that evening Delta wanted me to pay for my own hotel room.
· Delta either failed to secure my flight for the next day or failed to mention that my status was Standby.
· It took 27 1/2 hours to get me from Newport News, VA to Orlando, FL. See aforementioned driving time.
· A representative from Delta’s Corporate Customer Care outright lied and said that they no longer accept complaints over the phone.
· My weekend was shot and I have had to take a vacation day today to take care of everything I had planned on doing before returning to work.
Names:
· Thank you to Madonna S. who works the Baggage Service counter at the Orlando airport.
· Also a thank you to Ms. Roberts with Corporate Customer Care in Tampa, FL
· Tracey G. from the Newport News airport is incompetent, slow and rude. She’s probably better suited to flipping burgers than representing a company like Delta.
· Minnie from Corporate Customer Care should be fired immediately for outright lying to a customer. However, that’s probably not her real name so good luck with that one.
Thus far Delta has given me a $400 credit voucher and offered me a $100 cash settlement for this disaster. The last thing I want to sound like now is a gold digger but I believe that when a company wrongs a consumer, especially when it is exacerbated by the indifference and incompetence of their own employees, they have a unique opportunity to prove the strength of their brand. I’m giving Delta that opportunity now. I don’t want your $400 credit voucher; this is the same thing you give customers that voluntarily bump from oversold flights, very different situation here. Also, you can keep your $100 cash settlement. Honestly, that’s a little insulting; my vacation day is worth more than that. What’s fair compensation for something like this? I’ll leave that for Delta to decide. If they ask me, I’ve always wanted to go to Capetown, South Africa.