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Delta Airlines

Delta Airlines • SkyMiles • Travel vouchers • Delta/AmEx promotions • European promotions • Reservations & itinerary changes • Lost/damaged luggage • Unaccompanied children • Puerto Rico USA • Miscellaneous --- News • Delta Reduces Capacity As Fuel Prices Rise • Delta Cuts Flights in Slowing Economy • Delta Alters Fees to Conform to Northwest's • Delta, Northwest Complete Merger • Delta Adding Wi-Fi to All Flights • Delta Raises Second Checked Bag Fee to $50 • Delta Passengers Stranded 7 Hours on Plane • Delta Sells Ads on Boarding Passes • Delta, Northwest Merger Faces Heavy Chop • US Airways Makes Bid for Delta • Delta Beefs Up Routes, Retrofits Its Jets • Delta Begins Passing On Airport Fees To Passengers • Delta Writes Coda to Song • Delta Files for Bankruptcy • Delta Sells Regional Carrier To Raise Cash • Delta Abandons $499 Fare Cap • Delta Warns of Bankruptcy • Delta Passengers To Brown Bag It • Delta Cuts Fares

Complaints about the major airlines are plentiful. What's a little unusual about Delta is how angry some of its best customers are -- those who've reached stratospheric in the SkyMiles program, for example. These are the 100,000-mile flyers that every airline swears it will do anything to retain. Delta certainly has an odd way of showing it.

We'd say the comments below pretty well sum it up.

Bibi of Lakeville, MN September 23, 2008

Bibi of Lakeville MN (09/23/08)
I was scheduled to fly back home from JFK (New York) to Minneapolis (MSP) on Monday, July 14, 2008. I was told by the Kiosk that there was a problem with my itinerary and as such I was unable to check in at the kiosk. I went inside and spoke to an agent. They instructed me to wait until I can speak to a supervisor as there was a problem with my itinerary. I waited and waited and the line was not moving I kept telling the agent that I just need to check in and I can't miss my flight. I had a very important meeting at work that I could not miss. The agent told me that because of the problem with my itinerary I need to wait for a supervisor. The agent was also very nasty and told me that she has not time to deal with my problem right now as her line is very long! I could not believe what I was hearing!

I went to another agent and by this time I was crying and I begged and pleaded with the agent to help me. When he checked my itinerary in the computer he said that there was nothing wrong with it! He does not know why I was told that there was a problem. He then called the gate to see if there was a delay so that I could still make the flight. The person at the gate said that there is no chance and I should go home because there are no delays and I can't make the flight. I was very disappointed to say the least.

But the drama that is Delta did not end there. I called over the phone to re-book my flight and I was told that I needed to pay the difference in air plus a change fee! After all that I had been through I had to still end up paying. While I was on the phone with the agent explaining what had happened she said that not only could I have still made the flight but that the flight was delayed and was not scheduled to take off for another hour or so! She waived the difference in fare but she said that there was nothing she could do about the change fee. I ended up flying the next day home and I missed my meeting at work!

Needless to say that Delta is by far the worst airline I have ever traveled with. This was only my second time flying with Delta and I have to say that both experiences were horrible. The agents are very nasty and do not appreciate customers. I came back to work and have told everyone NEVER to fly delta. I think that the agents knew the flight was overbooked and only told me there was a problem so that they could sell my seat to someone else. That is just wrong and a very terrible thing to do to someone. It shows that Delta has no respect for their passengers at all! To make matters worse it ended up costing me 100.00 not to mention the inconvenience to drive back and forth to the airport!

Justin M. Ruggieri of Tucson, AZ September 23, 2008

Justin of Tucson AZ (09/23/08)
After a week-long vacation in New York, Delta changed my return flight to Tucson to an earlier flight without telling me & my fiancee. When we showed up at the airport on time for our scheduled flight, we were told that we had missed our flight and would need to purchase new tickets at our own cost. When I showed them the itinerary that showed the scheduled departure that I had purchased, that is when they informed me that they had changed my flight to an earlier flight because they were not comfortable with the time between my connecting flights in Atlanta.

When I explained to them that the itinerary was printed out at the Delta ticket counter in Tucson immediately prior to my outgoing flight from Tucson at the start of my vacation, they shrugged and said that they were not responsible for what the computer says, and that they can change my itinerary at any time. They then informed me that the only way I was getting back to Tucson was to purchase a new ticket at full price. I pleaded and begged and they offered to put us on a different flight that was departing from JFK for Phoenix in 1 hour and 45 minutes. I asked how we were expected to get to JFK in such a short time, Mr. Savastano said that we were on our own and to catch a cab - you might make it.

We did catch a cab, and eventually made it to JFK with barely enough time to get to the gate. The cabe ride cost us 50 and a lot of anxiety. And the ride from Phoenix to Tucson (via Shuttle) cost us 100. When I contacted Orbitz to ask about reimbursement of the 150 they agreed to pay it. When I contacted Delta merely to ask for an explanation and apology I was told that we weren't going to get paid any money and that Delta was acting within its guidelines and had no duty to inform us of the change in itinerary. Delta treated me with total contempt over the phone and seemed completely unfazed when I informed them that they had lost a customer and that I would be filing a complaint.

Germaine Doremus of Schenectady, NY September 14, 2008

Germaine of Schenectady NY (09/14/08)
Just came back from a cruise (air arranged by Delta) Terrible flights with planes with no room, and from Cincinnati broken toilet. Am afrequent flyer and am not pleased. Dl6312 from Miami to Cincinnati and to Albany NY .Tried to call Delta in vain.

Just tired and upset of the Delta conditions of the planes. Recovering.

Judith Hernandez of Temeula, CA September 11, 2008

Judith of Temeula CA (09/11/08)
Trying to plan round trip to Italy with sky miles. Planning on taking med cruise for 12 days from Rome. Traveling partner didn't have miles. Took a lot of time with agent to plan trip with miles that also had seat for partner w/out miles. Very complicated routing with partner airlines and iffy time between flights which could easily contribute to missing flights, lost luggage, etc. This was done in January 08. Told ticket agent dates needed but I neglected to allow for time change. Agent didn't mention, wish she would have because I discovered in July that I had the incorrect arrival date and departure date for Rome by one day. Had to change flight completely which resulted in a fee of 100 and 200 for me and my travel partner.

I ended up paying for tickets rather than using skymiles. My partners reserved tickets turned out to be a lot less. For a person not too skilled at reserving independently this turned out to be an expensive nightmare for me. Had to get new flight to coordinate with already reserved hotel and cruise dates. I earned my skymiles thru American Express credits. I am going to use existing miles in future (they were completely credited which was nice), then cancel American Express card and never fly Delta again.

I had to speak with so many people, some nice and some not so nice, with regulations not understood consistantly by staff. Very confusing for me and Delta staff. I think Delta service is very intimidating and complicated. They do not want customer loyalty and are not user friendly. Thanks for opportunity to voice my opinion. Now we will see how the paid ticket flight experience works out.

I had to pay 1200 for a flight I originally wanted to purchase with sky miles. Could not change lodging without cancellation complications so had to use original arrival date of Sept 20, 2008. Don't think there is a legal remedy for my complaint but at least I have learned a lesson. See if this has happened to more people than myself!

Rev /dr. Francis I. Uguru of Brooklyn, NY September 8, 2008

Rev of Brooklyn NY (09/08/08)
I booked a two-way flight for me, my wife C and 3 children including an 8-month baby to travel with Delta Airlines to Nigeria to bury my 115yr old mother, two months before I traveled in July 15, 2008 at the cost of 7,952.00. Delta delayed the flight at Kennedy airport because they overbooked and lied about it with technical difficulties. We missed our flight and it took Delta a whole day to provide us a hotel and rerout us to Paris. Our children were traumatized and ran over the whole place only to be scolded by a booking woman officer. It took us two extra days to get to Nigeria. Unfortunately our luggage did not arrive.

We were forced into a hotel in Lagos where we paid 150.00 a night instead of traveling another 500 miles to our destination. Our luggage arrived after. After all said and done, we came to Lagos and went to Delta Airlines on August 16 we were scheduled to return to the U.S. because my children would be prepered for the new accademic school year. Delta refused us to board the plain. Asked why? the answer was that the children whose names were endorsed in their mother's passport as which allowed Delta to take us to Nigeria in the first place. They referred us to the American Embassy where we applied for the children's passport. It took nearly one month to certify the Embassy with the requirements because it involved my coming back to NY to mail to my wife the required documents. Our left over money from the burial finished and I had to borrow 1000.00 for my family to feed, pay hotel bills and transport themselves back and forth the U.S. Embassy.

My wife was supposed to return to Ny last night, she could not find her luggage and could not manage the three young children with her carry-on. She and the children were traumatized as she could not stop weeping aloud as she reported to me that they missed their plane. As a Guidance counselor in New York buplic school, I called off from work to await their safe arrival because it is now 8:40a.m. and she just called to tell me that the have boarded another plane for NY.

It also very disheartening that after all the bargain and large sum of money that I paid Delta someone had the got to distort 100.00 from me at Kennedy airport on the pretext that one of my luggage was three pound overweight. And yet, Delta had to surcharge me 700.00 for not returning the day we indicated we would. I don't know how it was our fault. All documents are in tact and I need people to hear the injustice some American citizens are dishing out to their fellow citizens.

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