Return flight nightmare Copenhagen to Atlanta - Delta/Air France

[yorkie99]

We just returned a few days ago from a 10-day Baltic cruise. No problems flying to Copenhagen from Atlanta - only that Delta put us on the same model Air France the day after the crash, and I have a fear of flying as it is. Return flight was a different story and I will never fly out of Atlanta or fly Delta again :mad:.

At Copenhagen, we arrived about 2 1/2 hours early for our 11:25am departure. We checked in and the girl said that our flight would be about 45 minutes late in departing, but she "guaranteed" that we wouldn't miss our connecting flight in Atlanta. We, along with the other passengers, arrived at the gate for the flight... the gate was closed because they were sweeping the floors. So, everyone had to lean against the walls or sit on the floor for over an hour because there was no place to sit. Once we were allowed into the gate area, we were informed that our departure is even later than previously stated. We finally taxi down the runway two hours late, with most people upset because they won't be able to make their connecting flights.

We arrived in Atlanta, went through customs and checked in. What a mess. We were told so many times to get in a wrong line, it's like no one was saying the same thing. By now it's 5:05 and we have missed our 5:10 flight, or so we thought. The check in girl never told us until after we had booked on a 7:15 flight and were in the process of tagging our baggage that the 5:10 flight was held over and leaving in 20 minutes. We decided not to try and make that flight which was our worst mistake.

After sitting around the airport for two hours we're told our 7:15 flight has been delayed until 9:22. Understandable because of the storm, but we wonder why we can still see passengers arriving and hear announcements for departures and arrivals. 9:22 comes and goes so I go up to the desk and ask when it leaves. The guy tells me it's now set for 10:48, but at a different gate. Well, thanks for the announcement, Delta. So we gather up everything and walk to the other end of the concourse. On our way, I hear an announcement that the flight is departing from another gate.

By this time I think we'd been up about 24 hours and I wasn't in the best of moods. They kept making announcements that Delta flight XXXX would be departing at 10:48...even though it was after 11pm. Around 11:20, the girl announced that the flight was canceled and everyone should go to the other side of the concourse to re-book at the help desk. People were quite upset.

After standing in line about 1/2 hour we were re-booked for 7:15 the next night. There was no way we could wait that long to get home so I got on the Delta help line and after 15 minutes was connected to someone. She told me that was the only flight that wasn't filled yet, but we could go stand by. I asked why our flight was canceled when there were other Delta flights still arriving and departing and her reply was that ALL Delta flights were canceled due to the weather (well, apparently not because they had flights departing as late as 3:30am). By then I was so aggravated that I told her to cancel the 7:15 flight for the next day and refund our money. I could hear other passengers going through the same thing we were going as far as Philadelphia just to get to Cleveland before the next night. So there we were at 12:30am with no way back to Cleveland. My husband was somewhat upset with me, to say the least.

He didn't know what to do at this point so he had to find a smoking lounge and of course, the one on our concourse was closed for some reason. By the time we got back to the Delta help lines/desk they must have canceled another couple of flights because the line was backed up so far you couldn't see the end of it.

It was after 3:00am before we were re-booked on a flight out at 6:40am to Cleveland via Cincinnati, and after 4:00am before we finally found a place to lie down for a few hours. By 1:30pm we were in Cleveland and at 3:30 we were home, but without our luggage. It was left in Cincinnati, although Delta delivered it to us by 11:00pm that night.

Most of the Delta staff was not professional or didn't know what they were doing. At one point, they decided to close the help phone lines and the girl who was locking the phones up got into a shouting match with a passenger who was still using the phone. Apparently, she thought he should get off the phone and wait until morning to resolve things. She got her manager and he was the cockiest guy I've seen in quite a while. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought the help lines were 800 numbers and were open 24 hours? Another Delta lady told a girl behind us not to let anyone else in line because she was the last passenger they were going to help for the night. The girl asked her if she was going to get paid for doing her job.

I think we walked at least 10 miles the 14 1/2 hours we were there, between changing gates, lines, finding someplace open so we could eat (ended up eating a candy bar), trying to find a restroom that wasn't closed because they were cleaning it...

I realize that flights get delayed and canceled but Delta just seemed to have an attitude. Or maybe I've just been watching too many Airline re-runs (with Southwest on A&E channel).

[6rugrats]

Always try to catch that earlier flight, but I guess you learned that. I think you would have been better off if you had gotten on your phone to rebook instead of waiting in that long line. Leaving to take a smoke seems to have put you even further back in the line.

[Catnip]

Wow.....what a nightmare. How terrible for you! I would have been so aggravated, too! It seems like more & more companies these days provide such crappy Customer Service and it seems that they don't really care if you use their company again, or not.

That's too bad.

[Stellaglide]

Go to Delta.com and through the customer service / complaint page send 2 emails. One briefly describing your experience and disatisfaction with the inconsistiences in the information provided by the Delta agents you spoke to both in person and over the phone. Wait about 2 or 3 days and send another one with as much detail as you can remember including flight numbers, names of reps you may have spoken to etc., times you witnessed planes departing and arriving in relation to what the agents told you etc., etc.

 

My wife and I had a somewhat similar experience back in March where we were delayed over 17 hours in a Delta hub airport and eventually arrived home a day late after missing 4 possible connections because we waited as were told to do but by the time a final decision was made by Delta it was too late and we arrived in ATL to a closed airport at 2:30 am.

 

I sent my first email the following day after we arrived home requesting that a rep contact me to discusss our experience over the phone. Being the rather impatient guy I am, after no response from Delta within 36 hours I sent a very detailed second email and again no response so I sent a third brief email ... what I suggest you do as your first email as no one from Delta is going to call you.

 

Much to our surprise, my wife and I both received an apology letter in the mail with a $250 voucher for future travel and it was actually dated the day we arrived home and before I sent my first email. Approximately 10 days later I received an email with another apology and an additional $125 voucher and a request for my wifes FF number so she could get the same $125 voucher.

 

I wasn't really expecting anything and by this time was happy as a clam. Less than a week later, I received another email requesting that I contact them to see what could be done to satisfy me. I emailed back a nice thank you and explained that we had been fairly compensated and we considered the matter closed.

 

What was interesting is each of the 2 emails and the US mail letter all had different signatures so it looked as though the right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing so in retrospect we may have been able to get even more had we replied to Delta's second email but we were happy with the outcome and weren't going to lie if asked if we had been contacted and offered any assitance.

 

Our situation was a single plane that was taken out of service for mechanical issues. Certainly something that arises from time to time but our beef was that the Delta employees we spoke to but in person at the airport and on the phone at the red courtesy phone center all gave different information and presented attitudes of either "sorry too bad", or "this is all I can do over the phone but the agent there at the airport has the authority to do what you are asking of him/her, and it is Delta policy that they do as your asking" while at the same time the agent in person denied any policy and said he/she didn't know where I was getting the information but it was not policy and he/she could do nothing to help us.

 

For us it was all about providing accurate and consistent information and the poor attitudes we experienced. Some here expressed "good luck" but said Delta did not owe us anything and we should have been more proactive. In hindsight they were correct and we will be with all future air travels. However, Delta did come through for us and restored our confidence that they do care about their customers.

 

Best of luck.

[vivian02]

Yorkie,

Really sorry to read about your story. Over the last ten years I have left Europe with the plane departing the run way late wondering if I can get through customs, immigrations and make it to my the gate in time to make the flight home. Just last August I had a Atlanta Layover from Italy of only 40 minutes. I called the airlines before our trip and they agreed I could not make my flight connections in Atlanta. I asked they if we could fly out the next day since there were no other options available. They changed my flight schdule with no charge and I had arranged reservations at a nice Airport Hotel for the night. Our flight out of Rome was on time and we landed in Atlanta at 4:10 PM. To our suprise our plane pulled over on one of the run way off ramps as the pilot came on over the loud speaker to say there is no gate open for him to go to and as soon as he gets word he would let us know what was going on. To make along story short the FAA had a computer glitch that day and there was no air traffic leaving Atlanta for a three hour period. Planes were backed up everywhere you looked and it took us an hour and a half to get to a open gate. You can imagine the people on our flight wondering what it was going to be like to make their connections. All I knew was that we had a Hotel Room waiting for us for the night. The next morning at the airport we saw people sleeping on the floor and it wasn't too hard to fingure out that the night before had been a absolute mess. Atlanta has been good to us but that was a close call.

Just so you know in early May (2009) I had a return flight on Luthansa from Frankfurt that was 20 minutes late arriving in Houston. Customs was a mess. When it was time to make my luggage transfer the specialist informed me I would have to recheck my luggage. I made it to the United check in and was notified my flight left two minutes ago. Believe it or not the lady was very nice and sent me over to the Continental counter. Continental put me on a flight leaving in 50 minutes and I arrive back home 1 and a half before my original flight. The orginal flight was flying into Denver before the final flight into Albuquerque. Had my connection been in Newark or Atlanta I would have been spending the night at the airport. Really sorry about your nightmare I hope your next flight back is much more enjoyable. Tim

[kenish]

OP- Sorry to hear about your nighmare. If you don't mind, some feedback to help get results from Delta customer service if you decide to pursue this (and I would). Cut your letter way down in length from your post. Don't mention stuff that was not their fault or in their control (type of aircraft, airport cleaning crew working in gate area, etc). Also DL is well-aware of the numerous flight cancellations going on that day, so no need recounting that. I think your central beef is inaccurate information and poor attitude of employees. Focus on that, and give only the details they need to pinpoint specific employees. If they need further info they will ask. Edit, edit, and re-edit your email or letter. Also make it clear what result you would like.

 

Keep us posted!

[FlyerTalker]

When I see these "I'll never fly XYZ Airlines again" posts, I usually just blow on by. But this one merits some fisking:

but she "guaranteed" that we wouldn't miss our connecting flight in Atlanta.

Amazing how a counter agent is able to guarantee this.

We, along with the other passengers, arrived at the gate for the flight... the gate was closed because they were sweeping the floors.

Of course, this is Delta's fault. How could we not see this.

By now it's 5:05 and we have missed our 5:10 flight, or so we thought. The check in girl never told us until after we had booked on a 7:15 flight and were in the process of tagging our baggage that the 5:10 flight was held over and leaving in 20 minutes. We decided not to try and make that flight which was our worst mistake.

So, the 5:10 actually left a bit off time. Who's to say you would have made that anyway. They booked you on a flight with seats where you could make the connection.

After sitting around the airport for two hours we're told our 7:15 flight has been delayed until 9:22. Understandable because of the storm, but we wonder why we can still see passengers arriving and hear announcements for departures and arrivals.

Just because other flights are operating during stormy conditions doesn't mean that YOUR aircrafts/flights are unaffected. Airport capacity suffers during bad weather. It's not like a blizzard that shuts down ALL operations - it's just that you can't bring them in and out like you would on a clear, calm sunny day. So the fact that other aircraft/flights are operating is the luck of the draw.

9:22 comes and goes so I go up to the desk and ask when it leaves. The guy tells me it's now set for 10:48, but at a different gate. Well, thanks for the announcement, Delta. So we gather up everything and walk to the other end of the concourse. On our way, I hear an announcement that the flight is departing from another gate.

Gates get shuffled during irrops. You had plenty of time to make the shift between gates (1:26 - more than enough) but I think you just didn't like the idea of having to move. And if it got shuffled again, that's the way the situation goes. Also, just sitting around until the scheduled departure time before making any kind of inquiry demonstrates a passivity that will NOT serve you well during irrops. You must be proactive and on top of things.

By this time I think we'd been up about 24 hours and I wasn't in the best of moods. They kept making announcements that Delta flight XXXX would be departing at 10:48...even though it was after 11pm. Around 11:20, the girl announced that the flight was canceled and everyone should go to the other side of the concourse to re-book at the help desk. People were quite upset.

At some point, flights do get cancelled. Crews time out. Would you have prefered that DL just "give up" on a flight if it is going to be delayed an hour? Two? Trust me, they try to get the flights out if possible. Sometimes, it just doesn't happen.

After standing in line about 1/2 hour we were re-booked for 7:15 the next night. There was no way we could wait that long to get home so I got on the Delta help line and after 15 minutes was connected to someone. She told me that was the only flight that wasn't filled yet, but we could go stand by.

You should have been on your own cell phone calling DL to make alternative arrangements while in line. And you got seats where there was availability. Did you really want DL to take people with confirmed seats on the earlier flights to be bumped to accomodate you? What if you were one of those people?? Think this out. You got seats when seats were available. With bad weather and flights cancelled, there is increased demand on those flights operating.

I asked why our flight was canceled when there were other Delta flights still arriving and departing and her reply was that ALL Delta flights were canceled due to the weather (well, apparently not because they had flights departing as late as 3:30am).

A reservation agent on a telephone line has no more information than what's on the CRT screen in front of him/her. So the question can't be answered with any real information, so you got the "I'm tired of this question" answer. The gate agent is the person who has the best info. Besides, the question at that point was moot.

My husband was somewhat upset with me, to say the least.

Truly something to blame on DL.

He didn't know what to do at this point so he had to find a smoking lounge and of course, the one on our concourse was closed for some reason. By the time we got back to the Delta help lines/desk they must have canceled another couple of flights because the line was backed up so far you couldn't see the end of it.

So, we give up our place in line to smoke (though I wonder why you couldn't have stayed in the line without him) and again, that's DL's fault.

 

In fact, be glad that you were in ATL. Many, many airports have NO smoking lounges, so you would have had to leave the secure area, go outside the building, and reclear security.

 

I could go on with more, but you get the idea. When irregular operations or other problems occur, you have two choices. Be proactive with the airline via the telephone or internet OR be docile and follow the herd in a reactive mode. Your choice.

 

Yes, you had a bad experience. Was it all the fault of Delta as you loudly claim - I don't think so.

[boone2]

Had a somewhat similar experience flying from Rome to JFK and then onto buffalo to drive home to Toronto 2 years ago I wont' go into details except to say that with one exception the Delta ground agents at JFK have to be the rudest, nastiest most customer unfriendly lot I have met in my lifetime. The one supervisor saved the day and was so apologetic for what we had to put up with. I won't say I would never fly Delta again, that would be cutting off my nose to spite my face as my mother used to say, but I certainly don't go out of my way to fly them

Terry

[greatam]

Sorry for the horrible flights but another case of being unprepared for problems.

 

As Flyertalker pointed out, there were quite a few times you could have mitigated the circumstances.

 

Onr thing that really sticks out-why use the Delta phones at the airport??? Use your own cell phone and CALL DELTA. Either have the Delta reservations number programmed into your phone or on an easily accessible list. Call at the first opportunity-when you are still on the plane, when you are in line for Immigration, waiting for luggage, etc. etc. You already knew you had a problem when the plane landed in ATL. You most likely would have been told on the phone about the late departure of the 5:10PM flight. You may or may not have made the flight, but at least you KNEW.

 

Alternative routings may have gotten you home much earlier. Agents don't want to listen to any more complaining than necessary during irrops. So they don't even offer alternative routings. Their thinking-just put the pax on the SAME EXACT flight they originally booked, even if it is a day later.

 

IF pax are WILLING to reroute their trip, it makes it SOOOO much easier on everyone. But agents are not inclined to reroute, due to the tremendous complaining that usually ensues.

 

I will guess for your particular flights there may have been capacity into NYC//DTW/CVG if the planes were flying. You could have been home much earlier if there was capacity and the planes flew.

 

Agents were only looking to get you to CLE. Due to the storm and late hour, there were not a lot of options. But there is a possibility that you could have gotten on either of two flights to CVG that evening or one of three flights to DTW, all leaving after 6:00PM. You could have either spent the night in a different airport and gotten home very early the next day. OR you could have rented a car and driven home the SAME day (around midnight).

 

Agents WOULD not offer you this option unless you volunteered to stay in another airport or drive home. But if you are proactive, have alternate routings that you are WILLING to take and OFFER those routings to agents, they are generally MORE than willing to put you on the flights if there is space available and the plane is flying.

 

I know what I would have done at the FIRST sign of a problem. If I wasn't prepared before the problem, I would have found a computer some place ( pay per use in most airport terminals), thought out alternative routings I was willing to take, found those routings on Delta's schedule and BOTH called Delta AND gone to the first agent I could find with routings in hand. Whoever you made contact with FIRST could have rerouted you. You MUST be proactive in today's airline environment.

 

While there is no excuse for rudeness from the agent's, the passenger that offers alternatives and IS PREPARED for problems usually makes the agents smile and bend over backwards to help.

[G'ma]

Ah, the joys of travel.

 

I'm always prepared with a good book and the ability to sleep propped in a corner if necessary.

 

I've found in over 35 years of traveling both on business and recreationally, that:

 

*shouting and getting mad accomplishes nothing. It also makes the "shoutee" very hostile and less likely to put forth an effort to assist the "shouter".

 

*many times, the "front line" folks you are dealing with don't have the latest information.

 

*information under certain circumstances can change with lightening speed.

 

*delayed flights due to weather conditions rarely bode well for passengers. Flights start backing up and down the country and, eventually, arrives at a grid-lock.

 

When taking long flights anywhere, but especially internationally, I'm fully prepared to not get home at the scheduled time. I'm always prepared with the phone numbers of the airlines involved and have no problem using a pay phone to call direct.

 

I never leave a line I'm standing in based on rumor that "something else is happening somewhere else".

 

I keep a smile on my face at all times, knowing the persons being dealt with have nothing to do with the current situation....that decisions are made elsewhere and there is no way to contact those decision-makers.

 

I've spent DAYS waiting to get a flight home due to unforseen circumstances......but I always get home.

 

 

 

 

*

[yorkie99]

My husband and I are not what you'd call frequent flyers - this is the 3rd time in 8 years and 1st international trip - and if this happens in the future I'll make sure I think back to this post and the suggestions. Thanks everyone :)

 

6rugrats

Always try to catch that earlier flight, but I guess you learned that. I think you would have been better off if you had gotten on your phone to rebook instead of waiting in that long line.

I know that now, in hindsight.

 

Catnip

It seems like more & more companies these days provide such crappy Customer Service and it seems that they don't really care if you use their company again, or not.

Exactly, whatever happened to being polite and keeping your cool even if a customer is upset?

 

Stellaglide - thanks for your tips :)

 

vivian02 - next time we fly anywhere I'll take phone numbers of local hotels as well as the 800 number for the airline (never even crossed my mind, which was my fault)

 

kenish

OP- Sorry to hear about your nighmare. If you don't mind, some feedback to help get results from Delta customer service if you decide to pursue this (and I would). . . I think your central beef is inaccurate information and poor attitude of employees.

Exactly. We even had several people ask us which line to stand in or where to take their luggage.

 

FlyerTalker

FlyerTalker - red comments

OP - green comments

 

When I see these "I'll never fly XYZ Airlines again" posts, I usually just blow on by. But this one merits some fisking:

Actually, I said "I will never fly out of Atlanta or fly Delta again", so some of your comments that you think I directed at Delta are actually directed at the Atlanta hub.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by yorkie99 View Post

but she "guaranteed" that we wouldn't miss our connecting flight in Atlanta.

Amazing how a counter agent is able to guarantee this.

So, you're saying a Delta agent lied?? :p

 

Quote:

We, along with the other passengers, arrived at the gate for the flight... the gate was closed because they were sweeping the floors.

Of course, this is Delta's fault. How could we not see this.

No, actually that is the fault of CPH...I should add them to my list, also. :rolleyes:

 

Quote:

By now it's 5:05 and we have missed our 5:10 flight, or so we thought. The check in girl never told us until after we had booked on a 7:15 flight and were in the process of tagging our baggage that the 5:10 flight was held over and leaving in 20 minutes. We decided not to try and make that flight which was our worst mistake.

So, the 5:10 actually left a bit off time. Who's to say you would have made that anyway. They booked you on a flight with seats where you could make the connection.

Yes, we may have made the flight which I admit was a mistake not to try. Had no complaints about being on the 7:15 leaving that night, but objected to the 7:15 the following night. My gripe was with her waiting until she printed off the baggage tags to mention that our original flight was being held over. That would have been the first sentence out of my mouth had I been her - I could have saved the passengers time and myself some work.

 

Quote:

After sitting around the airport for two hours we're told our 7:15 flight has been delayed until 9:22. Understandable because of the storm, but we wonder why we can still see passengers arriving and hear announcements for departures and arrivals.

Just because other flights are operating during stormy conditions doesn't mean that YOUR aircrafts/flights are unaffected. Airport capacity suffers during bad weather. It's not like a blizzard that shuts down ALL operations - it's just that you can't bring them in and out like you would on a clear, calm sunny day. So the fact that other aircraft/flights are operating is the luck of the draw.

 

Quote:

9:22 comes and goes so I go up to the desk and ask when it leaves. The guy tells me it's now set for 10:48, but at a different gate. Well, thanks for the announcement, Delta. So we gather up everything and walk to the other end of the concourse. On our way, I hear an announcement that the flight is departing from another gate.

Gates get shuffled during irrops. You had plenty of time to make the shift between gates (1:26 - more than enough) but I think you just didn't like the idea of having to move. Me thinks you are thinking way too much, as that was not the case.And if it got shuffled again, that's the way the situation goes. Also, just sitting around until the scheduled departure time before making any kind of inquiry demonstrates a passivity that will NOT serve you well during irrops. You must be proactive and on top of things.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when a flight moves to another gate, doesn't the agent, or someone, make an announcement to that effect? This affected all the passengers waiting on that flight, not just us. No announcement was made until after I inquired about when the flight was leaving.Was the agent ever going to make an announcement? BTW, most everyone on the flight was a passive flyer.

 

Quote:

By this time I think we'd been up about 24 hours and I wasn't in the best of moods. They kept making announcements that Delta flight XXXX would be departing at 10:48...even though it was after 11pm. Around 11:20, the girl announced that the flight was canceled and everyone should go to the other side of the concourse to re-book at the help desk. People were quite upset.

At some point, flights do get cancelled. Crews time out. Would you have prefered that DL just "give up" on a flight if it is going to be delayed an hour? Two? Trust me, they try to get the flights out if possible. Sometimes, it just doesn't happen.

You must work at Delta or for an airline/airport in some capacity. When I see passengers filing in from a flight or hear announcements that flights are leaving for Philadelphia, Charlottesville, and Louisville I get aggravated after being told that flights were grounded because of the weather. Doesn't work well for customer relations.

 

Quote:

After standing in line about 1/2 hour we were re-booked for 7:15 the next night. There was no way we could wait that long to get home so I got on the Delta help line and after 15 minutes was connected to someone. She told me that was the only flight that wasn't filled yet, but we could go stand by.

You should have been on your own cell phone calling DL to make alternative arrangements while in line. Yes, we should have, and will the next time this happens. As I said, we are not experienced flyers and were doing exactly what an agent of DL or Atlanta said to do. And you got seats where there was availability. Did you really want DL to take people with confirmed seats on the earlier flights to be bumped to accomodate you?No, that would be quite narcissistic - I never said that was what should be done. What if you were one of those people?? Think this out. You got seats when seats were available. With bad weather and flights cancelled, there is increased demand on those flights operating.For some reason I get the feeling you're reading a lot into my post that isn't there. With Atlanta being a hub, my guess was there were other routes that would go to Cleveland, and finally a Delta agent did route us to Cleveland with a 4 hour layover in Cincinnati.

 

Quote:

I asked why our flight was canceled when there were other Delta flights still arriving and departing and her reply was that ALL Delta flights were canceled due to the weather (well, apparently not because they had flights departing as late as 3:30am).

A reservation agent on a telephone line has no more information than what's on the CRT screen in front of him/her. So the question can't be answered with any real information, so you got the "I'm tired of this question" answer.Duh!! Why do you think I was so upset?! And if their info is not so reliable why were we told to use the help lines? The gate agent is the person who has the best info. Besides, the question at that point was moot.

 

Quote:

My husband was somewhat upset with me, to say the least.

Truly something to blame on DL.

Now you're just being a

 

Quote:

He didn't know what to do at this point so he had to find a smoking lounge and of course, the one on our concourse was closed for some reason. By the time we got back to the Delta help lines/desk they must have canceled another couple of flights because the line was backed up so far you couldn't see the end of it.

So, we give up our place in line to smoke (though I wonder why you couldn't have stayed in the line without him) and again, that's DL's fault.

In fact, be glad that you were in ATL. Many, many airports have NO smoking lounges, so you would have had to leave the secure area, go outside the building, and reclear security.Cincinnati has a very nice smoking lounge - it's clean, vending machines, nice comfy chairs, a/c, too.

 

I could go on with more, but you get the idea. When irregular operations or other problems occur, you have two choices. Be proactive with the airline via the telephone or internetYou're right, I've learned from this experience OR be docile and follow the herd in a reactive mode. We were led to be docile and follow the herd in a reactive mode with the help of either/and or both Delta and Atlanta hub.:DYour choice.

 

Yes, you had a bad experience. Was it all the fault of Delta as you loudly claim - I don't think so.No, some seemed to be the fault of Atlanta, also. And our inexperience, but I guess we were expecting the airline to help us.

 

boone2 - rudest, nastiest most customer unfriendly lot

I think the same holds true in Atlanta.

 

greatam

Onr thing that really sticks out-why use the Delta phones at the airport???

Because we were inexperienced fliers just doing what we were told. But, we know better now.

 

Alternative routings may have gotten you home much earlier. Agents don't want to listen to any more complaining than necessary during irrops. So they don't even offer alternative routings. Their thinking-just put the pax on the SAME EXACT flight they originally booked, even if it is a day later.

 

I wish I had known this earlier in the night. When we approached the last Delta agent, I told her that I didn't care where we had to go, just get us to Cleveland the earliest she could.

 

G'ma

*shouting and getting mad accomplishes nothing. It also makes the "shoutee" very hostile and less likely to put forth an effort to assist the "shouter".

Agreed. But I did witness a Delta agent shout rudely to a passenger then seem to wonder why he responded back so rudely.

 

*delayed flights due to weather conditions rarely bode well for passengers. Flights start backing up and down the country and, eventually, arrives at a grid-lock.

Good point. I guess it's possible that things may have been backed up at Cleveland, also.

 

I've spent DAYS waiting to get a flight home due to unforseen circumstances......but I always get home.

I think I'd rather drive than spend days at an airport. In fact we were considering renting a car and driving out in the morning, but all the hotels were booked and you can't exactly get restful sleep at the airport.

[scottbee]

I've read this entire thread, and do I think it's the fault of Delta, ATL or CPH airports? No, not really. An air traveler also needs to be on top of things.

 

CPH: When the flight was going to be late leaving CPH, you could have realized that you're making your connection tight. This is the time when you need to pipe up and say "Hey, this might make me late, what are my options?". DL (and any other airline) are not in the business of trying to piss people off, so they will make efforts to re-route you and get you there, but it's up to you to initiate, and possibly offer the gate agent some alternatives "Hey I was going to CVG, but CMH, DAY or CLE would work too" is the sort of thing they need to hear, as unless you tell them, they're assuming one and only possible destination.

 

ATL: When you arrive and find things messed up, you need to re-start that same "Hey I was going to CVG, but CMH, DAY or CLE would work too" type conversation. IRROPS are more of a pain to the airlines than they are to you, they want/need to get you where you're going.

[Stellaglide]

This thread, as well as one of my own a few months ago, is very helpful to those of us who fly infrequently or who rarely encounter inflight problems.

 

The advice provided by members like FlyerTalker, greatam, kenish, globiliser, G'ma, and others I'm forgetting is invaluable.

 

Albeit, their delivery may be intrepreted as a little harsh, their knowledge and time provided to us is greatly appreciated. I suspect some of the "tone" I and possibly others, read into their repsonse to "my" frustrations was a result of years of 'banging their heads' in addresing passenger related complaints.

 

Their message is proavtivity, yet it often seems to be 180 degress from the message provided by the airline representatives. When we find ourselves in a pickle with very little experience, we gravitate toward those in authority to assit us and resolve the problem at hand.

 

Unfortunately, the gate agents and even some of the reservation agents at the other end of the 1-800 lines, do not have all of the knowledge to solve our immediate problem. Thus the need for poactivity.

 

I'm sure the OP, like myself, will be much better prepared to handle any future inflight disruptions.

 

Please consider a sticky, similar to the "cruiseair explanation" where one with infrequent flying experience could educate themselves about how to be proactive before departing as opposed to incredulously searching for explanations after the fact.

[greatam]

 

Please consider a sticky, similar to the "cruiseair explanation" where one with infrequent flying experience could educate themselves about how to be proactive before departing as opposed to incredulously searching for explanations after the fact.

 

Thanks for the nice comments. Sometimes we do get cranky, especially replying to posts that start with "is this OK????" AFTER booking and "I will never fly XXX again" when passengers did not do their research before the flight or it is one of their first flights with an airline.

 

I won't fly SW and would be hard pressed to get on another US Air flight. But I say that with LOTS of experience flying both airlines. SW very often canceled early morning flights from PHX/LAX, making me later repeatedly to meetings. Plus I absolutely cannot stand the "cutesy" culture of SW, the open seating, no first class and Rapid Rewards that get you to Cleveland, OK City or Islip, NOT Hong Kong, Hawaii or Alaska.

 

US Air-just too many screw ups over and over. And when they left me at the gate in Reno-final straw. My luggage made the flight, I did not.

 

We will try to put together a sticky for proactive flying.

[epixx]

Hi Experts!

 

I am attempting to be proactive with respect to a multi-city itinerary on USAirways, since I see how highly regarded this airline is with you all. Flying 8/18 on number 714 (PHL to VCE) at 6:25 pm and returning 9/2 on number 743 (BCN to PHL). If we run into problems outbound I see on the USAirways website number 702 (PHL to FRA) leaving 8:20 pm and number 5716 (Lufthansa, FRA to VCE). I do not see any alternatives for the return. Question: If we have return problems, for which other airlines (i.e., partners of USAirways) should we look into potential return flights?

 

Thanks.

[vivian02]

Yorkie99,

Since this was your first International trip for sometime I would say you had a very nice vacation until your return flight home. Over the past six years I have picked up great information on these threads. Before I even book a flight over seas I make sure of several things. Who I am flying with Example: if I am flying with BA with a transfer on Libera I will avoid the flight. If I have a flight out of say JFK or ALT on a 757 I will not book that flight. If I have to make a transfer out of CDG I will avoid doing so if possible.

I'm not sure if I'm correct on this but once you realized your flight was running two hours late at CPE I think you may have had a chance to bargin for hotel stay by Delta in Atlanta. Even if Delta says "no" you can always ask them if they have discounted hotels for customers in your situation. It doesn't hurt to ask. Tim

[banditcat]

If all of the above fails the fall back can be the 1 800 number on the back of the American Express Platimum Card. We were returning from Hong Kong and landing into Chicago and all connecting flights canceled and it was four days before Christmas. You can imagine the scenario, stand by was all we could get because the flights were booked solid. The first confirmed reservation home was for three days later. Called the 1 800 number on the card and we got the last car available to do a one way drop off from O hare. American Express could check the availability very quickly and make reservations for us. It is an expensive card but for traveling this is a perk we won't do without.

 

Hannah