Caution this thread is a rant / complaint lodged against Delta Airlines. Miserable Business Trip.

[billymach4]

I have already posted this complaint directly on Delta's website.
Also posted and on FlyerTalk.

Despite those communication channels I am going to send via USPS Certified Mail as well.
I firmly believe that written paper complaints are far more effective than the run of the mill digital complaint channels.
We shall see.


Date: August 26, 2024

Mr. Ed Bastian
CEO, Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Delta Air Lines Headquarters
1030 Delta Boulevard
Atlanta, GA 30354-1989

Stephanie Baldwin
Vice President – Airport Operations, JFK
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Terminal 4, JFK International Airport
New York, NY 11430


Dear Mr. Bastian,

Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Flight Cancellation and Rebooking at JFK on August 18, 2024

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding a highly disappointing experience I had with Delta Airlines during my recent travel. On August 18, 2024, I was scheduled to fly with Delta from NYC (JFK) to Idaho Falls (IDA) via Salt Lake City. The original flight DL0887 was canceled due to weather, and the re-booking process that followed was extremely unsatisfactory.

Here are the key details of the incident:

• Flight Number: DL0887
• Date and Time of Scheduled Departure: August 18, 2024, 4:35PM
• Rebooked the following day and delayed again: Each leg of the next day’s itinerary was delayed and ultimately I missed by connection on the 3rd leg SLC – IDA and arrived 4 hours later than scheduled. A full 24 hours after my original scheduled arrival.
• The flight cancellation was communicated to me after 3 hour of waiting on the tarmac (flightline) and an hour at the gate, which caused significant disruptions to my travel plans. I understand that cancellations can happen due to unforeseen circumstances, but what was most troubling was the lack of clear communication, assistance, and the chaos that ensued during the re-booking process at JFK.
  
  Specifically:
• Upon departing the canceled flight (9:00pm) at the gate we were directed to 2 help desks to chose from. Either on near gate 20 or another at gate 30.
• I opted to choose gate 20. As you can imagine the line was long and the help desk agents were working furiously and tediously to re book the dozens of flights that were canceled that evening on August 18, 2024.
• The line moved at a snails pace. Much to our dismay and surprise as we approached 11:00pm the help-desk agents shift had ended leaving us to fend for ourselves to find another help-desk to choose. Most of us opted to to go to gate 30. However what was most upsetting was that we had to get back on at the END of THE LINE at gate 30!
• I noticed a wall of help phones opposite gate 30. After being totally frustrated I opted to leave the line and I was surprised to get a quick re-book the next day. JFK-LAX, LAX-SLC, SLC-IDA.
• Continued Delays and Frustration the next day:
• 9:00am Aug 19th DL767 JFK 9:00am – LAX 11:45am. Pushed back on time. Taxi to line up for departure. About 15 minutes later we are told that there is an issue with a passengers luggage in cargo. We need to return to the gate so the ramp crew can locate and resolve the issue with the luggage. The issue is resolved and we depart at 10:30AM EDT. We arrive at LAX 12:48PM PDT. I was seated all the way in the rear in Row 54. I had to push past all of the departing passengers and sprint to make my next connection at LAX. This was DL1647 LAX to SLC 1:15 – 4:12pm. That flight was already boarding and just made it in time to board before the gate closed.
• This next connection was delayed and caused me to miss my next flight at SLC to IDA. DL1647 LAX to SLC 1:15 – 4:12pm. Gate Departure 01:33PM PDT – Takeoff from LAX 02:41PM PDT. There was a maintenance issue with landing gear that cause the nearly 90 minute delay. DL1647 was scheduled to arrive at SLC with a 1hr and 15 minute layover. More than enough time to connect to DL3895 SLC – IDA 5:15pm – 6:15pm. However due to the 90 minute delay I was notified that my flight was rescheduled to DL 4078 9:15pm – 10:15pm
• Had to wait another 4 hours in SLC having no opportunity to rest, shower, sleep for nearly 40 hours since leaving my home the prior day on August 19th, 2024.
• As you know I have not received any financial compensation other than skymiles from Delta.I am requesting a thorough review of this matter and a satisfactory resolution. I believe that, as a loyal Delta customer, I deserve better service and support, especially during unexpected disruptions like this. I kindly ask for compensation for the inconvenience caused and assurances that this situation will be addressed to prevent future occurrences for other passengers.
• Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you soon with a resolution. You can reach me via the contact details provided above.
• After re-booking on the wall phone I realized that I did not get a current status on my checked luggage. So I the made my way to baggage claim. There was also a set of agents with a long line. At this point it was approaching midnight and I wanted to get some rest. After waiting I finally made my way up to an agent that took down my baggage claim number along with a description of my bag. The agent directed by to retrieve my bag at carousel 11.
• I waited patiently for four more hours until 4AM. Then I went back to the baggage claim agent line. Waited in line for another 90 minutes. When I finally made my way to a human agent she then advised me that my checked bag was not in fact released and it would meet me in IDA at my destination. You can’t imagine how exasperated I was having to wait hours only to find out it was all for nothing since I never was given an accurate status of my checked baggage.
• Despite my repeated attempts to seek help from the ground staff and customer service, I was met with inadequate responses and left feeling frustrated and stranded. This experience has significantly impacted my trust in Delta Airlines, and I believe that this situation could have been handled far more professionally and efficiently.
  
  Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you soon with a resolution. You can reach me via the contact details provided above.

 

[dioxide45]

Perhaps this is more relevant to the Vacation Travel Information forum?

 

[billymach4]

Perhaps this is more relevant to the Vacation Travel Information forum?

I was considering that forum. But this was not exactly "Vacation Travel". Mod's feel free to redirect as necessary.

 

[klpca]

Well, that sucks. I don't have any advice - I hope that the letter generates something helpful. These days when things go wrong, they go really wrong. I have a friend who is SUPER loyal to United. One time on a business trip to Italy, there were so many snafus that he was still in the US after 48 hours, and had missed his meeting, He wound up just flying home. Like your situation, it was a combination of mechanical/weather. I'm not sure how it was handled, but he is still a UA loyalist, so it must have been ok. He called them out on Twitter, fwiw.

 

[billymach4]

Well I am blasting them from all angles. I got home late last Thursday. I had to get plenty of rest and relax since was so stressed out from the trip. FWIW right now I am messaging with what appears to be a live human on their facebook page.

Obviously I have not yet sent out the paper letters since I just completed the complaint. Following the online complaint form on Delta's web site I generated 4 case numbers. One for each flight and another for a an upgrade that I did not get from the reshuffle.

 

[DeniseM]

Delta did a weird thing to us on our trip to West Yellowstone. When I boarded, the Delta staff member scanned my bar code and said thank you, so I proceeded to board the plane. My husband was 30 seconds behind me. As I got on the plane he handed me 2 boarding passes and said she gave me this. I said why - he said your bar code didn’t scan. I proceeded to look for our seats only to discover that they didn’t exist on this plane - there were only 3 rows in 1st class and we were in 1st class row 4. I struggled back to the front of the plane and asked the flight attendant for help. She was perplexed too - then she saw the new boarding passes in my hand and said, oh, they changed your seats. I told her that they didn’t tell us and she didn’t know why. So we’re assigned to 1st class seats in separate rows. No big deal, but it would have been nice to know!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WaikikiFirst]

You had me at rant against Delta Airlines. What a pathetic excuse for a company. Improve your quality of life. Move to someplace where you never feel any desire to fly on DAL.

People continue to do most of their flying on airlines run by Americans and paying big bucks to stay at WDW. What a strange strange strange world.

 

[Sandi Bo]

Oh my gosh. I so feel your pain! I hope you get some resolution.

I was caught up in the CrowdStrike fiasco on July 19th. I'm not sure I've recovered yet from the emotional drama/trauma of flying - nope first sleeping - in the airport with my mother's ashes and my 6 year old grand-daughter. I can (start to) understand the issue itself was not their fault. But every single event that followed bares points of failure.
- They thought they rebooked me on an American flight the next day (oops - not to be - agent didn't really book it correctly)
- Didn't make a standby flight, but my bags did (thank God I did not check my mother)
- Instead booked me on flight through Atlanta, with a voucher for a hotel
- Booked my hotel before leaving Omaha (oops - I didn't really have a room, kindest man ever offered his bench outside PF Changs to my 6yr old grand-daughter, she got some sleep, thank goodness).
- A whole 'nother fiasco how I almost took Spirit but didn't make that flight due to gross incompetence on their part (and blue screens in the airport so no gate info)
- I swear a wheelchair pushing God dropped from the sky and helped me (in a wheelchair, grand-daughter in lap, mother in bag under the chair) get back to our Delta flight as it boarded (he literally said hop in (to me), hop on (my lap, to grand-daughter) and I'll get you there (My Delta flight kept getting delayed (every 15 min or so, another delay) so we tried to make it to a Spirit flight - hind-sight horrible decision - frantically trying to get back to Delta when I couldn't board Spirit))
- THE BAGS! How incompetent can you get? My bags were at LGA, me at BDL. Two hours of no-one doing anything (agent couldn't contact anyone to get my bags sent, couldn't tell me if LGA could deliver to Greenwich, CT (I had family that could have brought them to my mother's funeral) or could they get them to BDL (again, family could have gotten them to me) or to BOS where I was staying that night. They have no way of communicating with each other. Waited for an employee to clock in who might have a better number to call. They never came. Arguing with a customer in line telling me how great Delta was, and this wasn't their fault. She was a 2M medallion flyer, something like that. I realized at that point I needed to just leave, I did - bought a car seat at Walmart, essentials to get me through the week. Bags made it to BDL the next day, I just had them send them home, there was no point trying to chase me around (funeral was in NH).
- And $12 vouchers for 24 hours worth of airport food - seriously?

They have so many areas where they could do better. When they aren't in a crisis, they really could focus on things like - how to reduce wait time when I am in a crisis or how do I do better at predicting and communicating delays (rather then pushing back departure every 15 min for hours and then very possibly cancelling anyways).

Coming home there was 8 of us. I was really starting to fear that trip, eyeing renting a car and driving. Craziest experience leaving, my 6 year old grand-daughter wasn't seated by any family. I tried to get that changed by the gate agent (the wouldn't over the phone). She wouldn't do it for me - she wanted my son-in-law (wrestling a 4yr old and 1yr old) to do it. Insisted he had to come up with his ID. It was crazy, she did have my grand-daughter seated by her parents, but she wouldn't tell me or reprint boarding passes - it was a surprise when we boarded.

I do feel for these gate agents, they take a lot of gruff. However, they dish it out, too!

Best of luck to you getting some resolution. Let us know what you hear from them!

 

[Sandi Bo]

Well, that sucks. I don't have any advice - I hope that the letter generates something helpful. These days when things go wrong, they go really wrong. I have a friend who is SUPER loyal to United. One time on a business trip to Italy, there were so many snafus that he was still in the US after 48 hours, and had missed his meeting, He wound up just flying home. Like your situation, it was a combination of mechanical/weather. I'm not sure how it was handled, but he is still a UA loyalist, so it must have been ok. He called them out on Twitter, fwiw.

During the Crowdstrike fiasco -- I met this 'kid' in Atlanta that was going to be stuck there for 3 days. He originally was going from Minneapolis to Miami to spend the weekend with his girlfriend. They routed him through Atlanta and his ATL-Miami flight was cancelled. At this point he'd given up on getting to Miami and was trying to home to Minneapolis - and was waiting 3 days for his flight home. I felt so bad for him.

Another gripe from my fiasco - the flight I got out of Atlanta on had at least 6 empty seats. Imagine all those people stuck in Atlanta, and flights leaving with empty seats.

 

[pedro47]

Your rant is justified. IMHO

 

[klpca]

Oh my gosh. I so feel your pain! I hope you get some resolution.

I was caught up in the CrowdStrike fiasco on July 19th. I'm not sure I've recovered yet from the emotional drama/trauma of flying - nope first sleeping - in the airport with my mother's ashes and my 6 year old grand-daughter. I can (start to) understand the issue itself was not their fault. But every single event that followed bares points of failure.
- They thought they rebooked me on an American flight the next day (oops - not to be - agent didn't really book it correctly)
- Didn't make a standby flight, but my bags did (thank God I did not check my mother)
- Instead booked me on flight through Atlanta, with a voucher for a hotel
- Booked my hotel before leaving Omaha (oops - I didn't really have a room, kindest man ever offered his bench outside PF Changs to my 6yr old grand-daughter, she got some sleep, thank goodness).
- A whole 'nother fiasco how I almost took Spirit but didn't make that flight due to gross incompetence on their part (and blue screens in the airport so no gate info)
- I swear a wheelchair pushing God dropped from the sky and helped me (in a wheelchair, grand-daughter in lap, mother in bag under the chair) get back to our Delta flight as it boarded (he literally said hop in (to me), hop on (my lap, to grand-daughter) and I'll get you there (My Delta flight kept getting delayed (every 15 min or so, another delay) so we tried to make it to a Spirit flight - hind-sight horrible decision - frantically trying to get back to Delta when I couldn't board Spirit))
- THE BAGS! How incompetent can you get? My bags were at LGA, me at BDL. Two hours of no-one doing anything (agent couldn't contact anyone to get my bags sent, couldn't tell me if LGA could deliver to Greenwich, CT (I had family that could have brought them to my mother's funeral) or could they get them to BDL (again, family could have gotten them to me) or to BOS where I was staying that night. They have no way of communicating with each other. Waited for an employee to clock in who might have a better number to call. They never came. Arguing with a customer in line telling me how great Delta was, and this wasn't their fault. She was a 2M medallion flyer, something like that. I realized at that point I needed to just leave, I did - bought a car seat at Walmart, essentials to get me through the week. Bags made it to BDL the next day, I just had them send them home, there was no point trying to chase me around (funeral was in NH).
- And $12 vouchers for 24 hours worth of airport food - seriously?

They have so many areas where they could do better. When they aren't in a crisis, they really could focus on things like - how to reduce wait time when I am in a crisis or how do I do better at predicting and communicating delays (rather then pushing back departure every 15 min for hours and then very possibly cancelling anyways).

Coming home there was 8 of us. I was really starting to fear that trip, eyeing renting a car and driving. Craziest experience leaving, my 6 year old grand-daughter wasn't seated by any family. I tried to get that changed by the gate agent (the wouldn't over the phone). She wouldn't do it for me - she wanted my son-in-law (wrestling a 4yr old and 1yr old) to do it. Insisted he had to come up with his ID. It was crazy, she did have my grand-daughter seated by her parents, but she wouldn't tell me or reprint boarding passes - it was a surprise when we boarded.

I do feel for these gate agents, they take a lot of gruff. However, they dish it out, too!

Best of luck to you getting some resolution. Let us know what you hear from them!

That was just awful that you had to go through that, especially under your circumstances. My condolences on the loss of your mom.

Sometimes I feel that, in the name of efficiency and cost savings, we have pushed employees to their absolute limits, and that employees are now pushing back. Which then makes the customer angry. It is a vicious cycle. Crowdstrike was the ultimate failure. We had family who rented a car and drove from Washington (state) to Utah after waiting 3 days for a replacement flight. There is no wiggle room in the system for any errors, so that when something happens they cannot fix it. What a mess.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Imagine all those people stuck in Atlanta, and flights leaving with empty seats.

If they were Delta flights, I find it 100% believable.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Delta is the only airline our son and daughter-in-law will never fly again.

They were going DEN-MSP-Myrtle Beach, this was June of this year. The flight leaving DEN was very late getting off of the ground, but they landed 10 minutes before their flight to Myrtle Beach and ran to the gate, which was only two gates away, and the plane was backing out of the gate. Ten minutes early!!! What was that about? They had five first-class seats.

Delta rebooked them in economy to Raleigh, which was hours away. The Delta employee told them that they should make their connection to Myrtle Beach still that evening. That plane sat on the tarmac for over an hour while the pilot tried to get the internet fixed. They missed their connection in Raleigh because of that delay and were stuck in Raleigh after 10 PM with three small kids and no hotels because the PGA tour was going on.

Our daughter-in-law called every hotel chain in the area and had no luck at all. The baggage handlers were gone from Raleigh by the time they arrived and no luggage and no one to help them with overnight accommodations or anything.

Finally, they rented a car for $700 for a one-day-one-way rental to Myrtle Beach. Enterprise had no car seats left, so they buckled the twins who are two-and-a-half into seat belts, which they figured out how to unfasten immediately and were constantly taking them off.

They arrived in Myrtle Beach at about 2 AM to check into Sheraton Broadway Resort. They went straight to bed, and the twins were happy as can be the next day, when we arrived to their room. They didn't melt down or anything during the ordeal. They stayed away that long. It was an adventure.

The next day, they went to Myrtle Beach airport and their luggage was there by 2 PM. That was good but geez, so much stress.

Our DIL wrote letters and attempted to get some compensation but did get some of their money back from Chase Sapphire Reserve trip insurance.

 

[billymach4]

It's not so much the compensation I am interested in obtaining. Although I am sure they will offer up more as a token to ease my view on this most miserable experience.
I want the Operations staff on the Ground at JFK to know that I had followed thru on my action to write the Senior Executives.

In addition to my original letter I am also going to attach a separate letter requesting a reply and or a discussion with
Stephanie Baldwin
Vice President – Airport Operations, JFK
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Terminal 4, JFK International Airport
New York, NY 11430

The entire process and comedy of errors and the blatant disregard for common courtesy must be noted and there needs to be a better way to handle these unpredictable circumstances. This is not and will not be the first or last time Delta has had to deal with this situation.

 

[rickandcindy23]

When you miss some of your vacation, it's just not okay for the airline to not step up without having to write letters.

I remember, I think it was @Carolinian, years ago, had on his signature DELTA; acronym, Driving Every Loyal Traveler Away. I have always remembered that slogan from years and years ago.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

want the Operations staff on the Ground at JFK to know

To Delta staff, you're just jetsam who might interfere with their ability to get home on time with a minimum of effort.

Next time you go to an airport, remember: JETSAM

 

[VacationForever]

Delta has been my favorite US carrier, followed by United. Based on all the recent reports, including yours, it looks like Delta has gone to hell. We refuse to fly American Airlines, period. We flew on Delta, business class, earlier this year and we did not have issues.

Very sorry for your ordeal. I can "almost" feel your pain. It was certainly torturous.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Delta has been my favorite US carrier, followed by United. Based on all the recent reports, including yours, it looks like Delta has gone to hell. We refuse to fly American Airlines, period. We flew on Delta, business class, earlier this year and we did not have issues.

Very sorry for your ordeal. I can "almost" feel your pain. It was certainly torturous.

We all flew Delta to/ from Venice/ Rome through JFK and had no issues as well, which is why our DIL booked Delta for this flight to Myrtle Beach, just two months later. Two very different experiences/ outcomes.

United has never let the kids down, but they always fly nonstop to Orlando with United in first class. This October, they are going to try Southwest for a bit of a change and about 1/3 the price. Our son is unsure about it. He is very tall but I told him with a little 2.5-year old next to him, he can stretch his legs a bit. He is not convinced.

My step-dad and my step-sister just flew to Atlanta via Delta and had a great flight in first class. He is 90 and getting frail, he is also tall, so first class was the best option for him. She came from Atlanta to fly back with him, so he can see his grandkids and other daughter. They all live near the Air Force base.

I hope he stays in Georgia for a while because I think it will be his last trip, sadly. We can pick him up on our way home from Orlando because we are driving.

 

[tombanjo]

Anyone who has been screwed by an airline is not going to be happy. However, the nature of modern travel is problems compound problems and spiral. If every flight is overbooked, and one flight is canceled, all those 300 people can't just be put on another flight. With the hub system, getting them to the hub is hard. The flights they should have been on are gone, and the next flights are booked.

I have over a million miles on Delta. I like them. Have they really pissed me off before ? Yes, do I keep flying them ? Yes.

AA just really screwed over their business travelers with their booking changes. I really cut down of booking them lost my executive platinum status, and now they have realized screwing over business travelers is not a good move, I am not flying them as I lost my status and don't want to build it up again. If they have the best route for the price, I do fly them. But there is no more loyalty.

Delta changed to a "how much you spend on our brand charge card" for their quote unquote loyalty program. It is really annoying that people who are not day in day out flyers get preference, but that's the way the market is.

I certainly feel for you, and let's say, in certain European countries, stuff like that doesn't fly, and the EU is more regulation to protect people than in certain other areas of the world.

Their accountability is to soak money out of travelers. Who are at their mercy. And they have no mercy.

 

[pedro47]

Anyone who can fly non stop to Orlando or Fort Lauderdale, Florida are blessed. In the Tidewater Virginia Area you will need to drive to Richmond, Washington, DC or Baltimore for a non stop flight to Orlando or Fort Lauderdale, Florida

We liked Delta, United and Southwest.

 

[WinniWoman]

Omg. So sorry you went through that nightmare!

I have no words other than here we are in the year 2024 and instead of having progressed to better, faster and more efficient means of travel, we’ve gone backwards.

Yet somehow they can send spaceships out into the universe. Oh wait- aren’t the astronauts stuck up there until next year due to problems with their ship?

As I have mentioned a zillion times, after our upcoming trip in October we won’t be flying anywhere ever again.

PS. Your letter was way too reserved. If it were me I would have unleashed on them BigTime!

 

[billymach4]

Thank you all that took the time to read this letter. Appreciate the empathy.
FWIW I also posted a similar thread on FlyerTalk.
Not really a regular poster over there and as can be expected there are some rather blunt commentary and opinions.
Then there are some that took the time to read and offer suggestions.

Will I fly Delta again. Yes.
We as the flying public does not have a wide choice nowadays due to mergers over the years.

I did realize the following while commenting the last post over on FT.

Honestly I am not really counting on any financial compensation.
I was totally aggravated at the desk staff at JFK. There was no consideration given to us after the agents closed the desk at gate 20 after they clocked out.
I mean .... We already waited... Now you are just going to cast us back to the end of another line!.

Totally get that unforeseen circumstances at airlines happen all the time. But they must have contingencies in place to handle a massive ground delay.
It is obvious they have not planned or exercised any such contingency.
The management and staff on the ground at JFK need to know of my disdain and lack of respect.

They are not public servants at the courthouse or DMV. We pay alot of money for a service.
So if we are not at 35,000 ft you can treat us like turds...... We need the same respect on the ground during a delay.

During a flight the FA's and crew do everything to make us safe and comfortable. The agents in the terminal? They don't have the right to treat us with disrespect.


All I am asking if for common courtesy as a customer on the ground. Treat us just as the Flight Crew does to make us feel safe and comfortable with flying at 35,000 ft.

I know, I know.. Get real. I am not going to be able to effect any sense or change in the airline industry.
But writing and talking about this is helping detox this experience from my memory.

BTW... I did send off the hard copy letter's today. Not holding my breath.

 

[billymach4]

Omg. So sorry you went through that nightmare!

I have no words other than here we are in the year 2024 and instead of having progressed to better, faster and more efficient means of travel, we’ve gone backwards.

Yet somehow they can send spaceships out into the universe. Oh wait- aren’t the astronauts stuck up there until next year due to problems with their ship?

As I have mentioned a zillion times, after our upcoming trip in October we won’t be flying anywhere ever again.

PS. Your letter was way too reserved. If it were me I would have unleashed on them BigTime!

@WinniWoman Thank you for understanding. I know you have a long thread(s) detailing your trip.

 

[billymach4]

Delta has been my favorite US carrier, followed by United. Based on all the recent reports, including yours, it looks like Delta has gone to hell. We refuse to fly American Airlines, period. We flew on Delta, business class, earlier this year and we did not have issues.

Very sorry for your ordeal. I can "almost" feel your pain. It was certainly torturous.

Thank you

 

[jp10558]

Personally, I'm going to try and only do direct flights anymore. I'll drive the 5 hours to Newark just so I don't have a layover. I'm crossing my fingers for this weekend. I also am driving just about anywhere within 1,600 miles - so far it's actually far less stressful, and a hotel or two on the way just lets me either build or use HH points. I know airplanes are safer, but I just don't need the aggravation or added cost.