Beyond *RUDE* Delta Customer Service

[vhoffman]

[QUOT
You would not be put in first class as that is not the class of service that you purchased. It is not the airline's problem that your son was frightened, they are under no obligation to solve your issues, if they chose to bend over backwards to accomodate you, they could have, but, they did not.
With a multitude of pax on board any aircraft it is incredibly difficult to accomodate everyone's needs. I am sure you were not the only person on that plane that had needs.[/QUOTE]

Oh come on--they are under no obligations to solve your issues--when they had created the issues! Why couldn't they let us in an empty seat in first class if that was the only one available? Better than allowing a frightened child to fly alone, between two other people who were openly hostile towards him! How would you feel if it were your child? Just sit there and listen to him cry the whole flight?

 

[disneyldwjr]

It is too complicated to try to explain they whys and wherefores to you. Children under 5 are never separated from their parents, your point is moot in that respect.
You would not be put in first class as that is not the class of service that you purchased. It is not the airline's problem that your son was frightened, they are under no obligation to solve your issues, if they chose to bend over backwards to accomodate you, they could have, but, they did not.
With a multitude of pax on board any aircraft it is incredibly difficult to accomodate everyone's needs. I am sure you were not the only person on that plane that had needs.

Why is it too complicated to explain? I am certain that there is very little concerning the logistics of scheduling and seat assignments that I, for one, would be incapable of understanding. When I am not given a satisfactory explanation for a situation, I am left to conclude that either the person answering the question hasn't got a clue, or they have a woeful lack of respect for my intelligence. My explanation for the airline problem with not being able to assign seats is that they have relatively unsophisticated algorithms that automatically assign seats, and even less sophisticated people working in the customer service area, some of whom lack basic empathy for their fellow human beings.

I was fortunate in one situation where our family was separated all over the plane that other families were in a similar situation. This was on a flight back from Orlando. We had three window seats, in rows 21 and 22 or so on a plane. There were three seats on one side of the plane, two on the other. The customer service representative was able to switch us around so that the three parties involved were all seated to their satifaction. One was a father and daughter, the other a young couple, and us, a family of three. If the airline really used an algorithm that didn't separate families to assign seats, this wouldn't have happened., because all three parties were separated. The father and daughter was seated next to each other in a three passenger row, the couple in the other two passenger row, and we were three in a row, together. My son was very anxious about the possibility of being separated from us, even though he is eight, very well behaved and an honor student at school. On this particular flight, I had purchased the tickets three months before the seating would even have been assigned, and we were separated, with no empty seats, from the very first day the seats were assigned.

It would seem that, with all things being equal (same fare, etc) that it should be a simple matter for airlines to realize that if I paid for all three tickets with one transaction, we are all in one party. Furthermore, there must be some knowledge of when I purchased my ticket relative to others on the flight. My questions in this reguard were never answered to my satisfaction by the airline representative prior to the flight. It is only a happy coincidence that the situation resolved happily, and lucky for all involved we were assertive enough to request the seat change, which originally was to swap one seat for one of us to sit next to our son.

In the same vein, I have had the unpleasant experience of having the middle seat between to other adults who obviously knew each other, but,neither wanted to sit in the middle seat, and both of whom wanted the arm rests. Talk about a back ache. I had to sit nearly motionless for the entire flight.[/QUOTE]

It is not too complicated to explain to someone that wants to learn. It is too complicated to explain to someone with an entitlement mentality and a mind set in concrete.
I do know what I am talking about, but, really have no desire to teach Airline procedures 101 to anyone. I am not a teacher. It is also not up to me to provide you with a satisfactory explaination of anything. I am not a CSR, have no desire to be one and will never be one.
I have no idea of your level of intelligence and have no need or desire to find out. I am sure the airlines use very sophisticated programs to figure out what the best course of action to maximize the income, lower the expense and deliver a decent bottom line to the stockholders. This is a business, not a charity, the intent is to make money. I am sure the people in the background have a very high level of sophistication and are not given to accusing others of being less than human or stupid if one does not agree with their actions.

The bottom line: watch your reservations. The airlines will not notify you the vast majority of the time. The onus is on you to be watchful of your airline, not the other way around.

 

[disneyldwjr]

I still think it is like getting served a different meal or ordering size 6 and getting a 14. What we get is NOT what we paid for and the airline has no accoutability and that my friends is NOT fair.Maybe if enough of us make enough noise about it someone will start to listen.

Please, build a bridge and get over it already. Life is not fair. Learn to deal with it. And your analogy is really not effective. As I said before, and you assured me you had, read the contract of carriage. If you purchase a ticket you have made a tacit agreement with those terms. Not reading those terms, purchasing a ticket and then yelling not fair is silly at best, it is groundless.

 

[disneyldwjr]

Yes, Im still getting my transportation from point A to point B.

That does not change the fact that it's grossly misleading for Delta to state "Prior to your purchase you'll have the opportunity to select your desired seat from this map" when what they really mean is "If you give us your money this far in advance there is a significant chance your flight number, time, and seats you choose will be completely changed without any notice to you"

True, and if you call WDW you can have the opportunity to select the class of room you want and select if you want building x,y, z, smoking or non smoking, it is still not a guarantee that you will get anything. No bait and switch at all.

 

[disneyldwjr]

[QUOT
You would not be put in first class as that is not the class of service that you purchased. It is not the airline's problem that your son was frightened, they are under no obligation to solve your issues, if they chose to bend over backwards to accomodate you, they could have, but, they did not.
With a multitude of pax on board any aircraft it is incredibly difficult to accomodate everyone's needs. I am sure you were not the only person on that plane that had needs.

Oh come on--they are under no obligations to solve your issues--when they had created the issues! Why couldn't they let us in an empty seat in first class if that was the only one available? Better than allowing a frightened child to fly alone, between two other people who were openly hostile towards him! How would you feel if it were your child? Just sit there and listen to him cry the whole flight?[/QUOTE]
You had seats on the plane, they solved the issues. They did what was required of them. The fact that they did not go the extra mile is unfortunate, but, the fact is they did not.
I believe, you solved the issue with other pax, so this discussion is moot. Your son did not cry the entire flight and all is well. Time to get on with life and let this go.

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

Please, build a bridge and get over it already. Life is not fair. Learn to deal with it.

It is not too complicated to explain to someone that wants to learn. It is too complicated to explain to someone with an entitlement mentality and a mind set in concrete.
I do know what I am talking about, but, really have no desire to teach Airline procedures 101 to anyone. I am not a teacher. It is also not up to me to provide you with a satisfactory explaination of anything. I am not a CSR, have no desire to be one and will never be one.
I have no idea of your level of intelligence and have no need or desire to find out. I am sure the airlines use very sophisticated programs to figure out what the best course of action to maximize the income, lower the expense and deliver a decent bottom line to the stockholders. This is a business, not a charity, the intent is to make money. I am sure the people in the background have a very high level of sophistication and are not given to accusing others of being less than human or stupid if one does not agree with their actions.

The bottom line: watch your reservations. The airlines will not notify you the vast majority of the time. The onus is on you to be watchful of your airline, not the other way around.

 

[CarolA]

I know someone has to sit in the back & am accepting being moved, I'm sad for my twin 3yr olds who will undoubtedly be miserable and possibly sick, for my DH who has DVT's & phlebitis and for who that extra hour on the plane could be fatal , & least of all for myself who simply has a fear of flying. We booked ahead to make our vacation the most enjoyable one it could be for us, and have learned a hard lesson.

What makes me furious is that when we purchased our original seats online, Delta stated "Prior to your purchase you'll have the opportunity to select your desired seat from this map" , then chose our seats & bought our tickets...its the shameless bait & switch, or as one poster responded, "you ask for a filet & get served a chicken thigh"

If an extra hour on the plane could be FATAL WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE PLANE IN THE FIRST PLACE??

Sorry to scream, but that's just a HUGE risk. So either you are overstating the risk or being careless......I can't tell you how many times I have gotten to fly around the southern US while the pilot burns fuel because there is a storm in Orlando, Atlanta etc. I recently spent two hours on the ground at DFW on an active taxi way where you cannot get up and move around..... (And this was on AA not DL. I toured the southern US recently on US Air. The pilot kept telling us the cities we were flying over none of which were that near our destiantion LOL!)

(Also this whole sick three year old thing is a joke, right? I hate to give you this piece of news but it's not really that much bumpier back there and in fact can be smoother depending on the plane configuration)

 

[Lewisc]

some ppl had a bad experience, they mainly come on here to vent, you gave your opinion over and over, and you come off holier than thou once again.

Actually some of the posters in this thread, including the OP, didn't realize that airlines were entitled to, and airlines like Delta frequently, change their schedule and at the same time change seat assignments. Booking early may allow you to initially pick the seats you want but all you're doing is booking a hypothetical schedule which may change several times before your flight.

A typical, full fare, ticket from the NE to Florida is over $750 R/T. That's the kind of fare that would allow airlines to fly half empty planes. Passengers would have a much greater chance of flying the flight the reserved and keep their seat assignments.

Most of us prefer deeply discounted fares and put up with flight changes and even questionable customer service.

Kids that are under 5 sit with at least one parent. Kids that are 8 and 9 ride a school bus without a parent and spend most of the day at school without a parent. Those kids should be prepared to sit a few rows from a parent, if necessary.

 

[adrock1976]

If an extra hour on the plane could be FATAL WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE PLANE IN THE FIRST PLACE??

Sorry to scream, but that's just a HUGE risk. So either you are overstating the risk or being careless......I can't tell you how many times I have gotten to fly around the southern US while the pilot burns fuel because there is a storm in Orlando, Atlanta etc. I recently spent two hours on the ground at DFW on an active taxi way where you cannot get up and move around.....

(Also this whole sick three year old thing is a joke, right? I hate to give you this piece of news but it's not really that much bumpier back there and in fact can be smoother depending on the plane configuration)

My thoughts exactly. If your health is a true issue, you need to pay for a better seat or find another means of transportation...coach is what it is...transportation, not a pleasure cruise.

You neve know what can happen up there...you could be diverted or delayed, many things that are even beyond the carrier's control.

p.s. the back of the plane may be louder, but there is virtually no more turbulance than anywhere else in the plane.

 

[Lewisc]

If an extra hour on the plane could be FATAL WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE PLANE IN THE FIRST PLACE??

Sorry to scream, but that's just a HUGE risk. So either you are overstating the risk or being careless......I can't tell you how many times I have gotten to fly around the southern US while the pilot burns fuel because there is a storm in Orlando, Atlanta etc. I recently spent two hours on the ground at DFW on an active taxi way where you cannot get up and move around..... (And this was on AA not DL. I toured the southern US recently on US Air. The pilot kept telling us the cities we were flying over none of which were that near our destiantion LOL!)

(Also this whole sick three year old thing is a joke, right? I hate to give you this piece of news but it's not really that much bumpier back there and in fact can be smoother depending on the plane configuration)

My guess is the Delta CSR either thought it was a joke or a poor excuse to get the desired seats, hence the barf bag comment.

Of course you're right about the extra hour. AFAIK you don't even have to board when your group is called, they could wait and board at the end of the boarding process.

 

[KATIESMOMMY]

Actually some of the posters in this thread, including the OP, didn't realize that airlines were entitled to, and airlines like Delta frequently, change their schedule and at the same time change seat assignments. Booking early may allow you to initially pick the seats you want but all you're doing is booking a hypothetical schedule which may change several times before your flight.

A typical, full fare, ticket from the NE to Florida is over $750 R/T. That's the kind of fare that would allow airlines to fly half empty planes. Passengers would have a much greater chance of flying the flight the reserved and keep their seat assignments.

Most of us prefer deeply discounted fares and put up with flight changes and even questionable customer service.

Kids that are under 5 sit with at least one parent. Kids that are 8 and 9 ride a school bus without a parent and spend most of the day at school without a parent. Those kids should be prepared to sit a few rows from a parent, if necessary.

As you see, I edited my post. I too am one of those who have little or no knowledge of the airline industry and believe that my children should sit with me in a perfect world, but as we know it is not a perfect world. I just honestly believe that some ppl need to realize that not all of us are business travelers, we dont know the system in and out, and to make snide remarks tellling ppl to get over things and coming off as know it alls trying to make others seem stupid are uncalled for.This is a discussion board and most ppl post to either vent or to ask questions. If people want to come on here to argue and to make themselves seem superior you will see alot of the newbies, like me, who are too intimidated to post. I dont believe this website was made to become a sounding board for those who have little in their life to occupy them so instead they use their time to come on here and tear into people.I honestly believe that the mods should come in here and censor those who want to act this way, its uncalled for. No one should have the right to make others experiences seem "stupid"-come on people, there is a nice way to explain how things work and then there are just assanine attacks on others.
I thank you for responding in a reasonable, not combative way, that is the way I understand the boards are supposed to be used

 

[disneyldwjr]

As you see, I edited my post. I too am one of those who have little or no knowledge of the airline industry and believe that my children should sit with me in a perfect world, but as we know it is not a perfect world. I just honestly believe that some ppl need to realize that not all of us are business travelers, we dont know the system in and out, and to make snide remarks tellling ppl to get over things and coming off as know it alls trying to make others seem stupid are uncalled for.This is a discussion board and most ppl post to either vent or to ask questions. If people want to come on here to argue and to make themselves seem superior you will see alot of the newbies, like me, who are too intimidated to post. I dont believe this website was made to become a sounding board for those who have little in their life to occupy them so instead they use their time to come on here and tear into people.I honestly believe that the mods should come in here and censor those who want to act this way, its uncalled for. No one should have the right to make others experiences seem "stupid"-come on people, there is a nice way to explain how things work and then there are just assanine attacks on others.
I thank you for responding in a reasonable, not combative way, that is the way I understand the boards are supposed to be used

There is a mod posting on this thread. Censorship should never be allowed, opinions should be able to be stated regardless of the percentage of people that do or do not agree with them.
Apparently the mod here did not find any attacks on anyone. No one has torn into anyone. They have stated, firmly albiet, what they thought.
The fact that some may not of liked it does not negate the validity of the opinion.
There are obviously two schools of thought here. One is the lynch mob, hang that CSR with Delta up by her thumbs, and those who wish to hear the entire three sides of the story and prefer to stand up for those who cannot defend themselves.
No one has stated that anyone is stupid or anything else in a negative way.
To state that someone is harping on something way too long and borrowing trouble as it has NOT happened is not demeaning. No one can make you feel anything you don't wish to feel. Those feelings come from within of yourself.

 

[snowwite]

.

Why are you being so mean to other posters? You say you are defending people who cant defend themselves? Who the greedy airlines. Please.Give me a break. People like us get screwed over every day and if someone wants to come here and talk about it and get a little support because believe me we know we habe NO rights w/airlines then why do you begrudge them that? You have made some rather inflammatory comments meant to upset people. I cannot even say here on a family board what I would like to say to you.No, that is not right either. You are just SO NOT WORTH IT !
Maybe Delta has a board. I am sure thay would welcome you with open arms.

 

[momrek06]

Please, build a bridge and get over it already. Life is not fair. Learn to deal with it.

Do you think that statement you made was FAIR?

 

[adrock1976]

Why are you being so mean to other posters? You say you are defending people who cant defend themselves? Who the greedy airlines. Please.Give me a break. People like us get screwed over every day and if someone wants to come here and talk about it and get a little support because believe me we know we habe NO rights w/airlines then why do you begrudge them that?

You also live in a free society, and you have a right not to patronize an airline if you don't like them. What in your opinion makes an airline greedy or not greedy?

 

[goofy4tink]

ENOUGH Already!!! Man, you guys are still at it?? I go to bed, hoping this will die a nice, quiet death, but no.
No, we are not in the censorship business. We are here to try to keep the boards friendly and informative. Even within some of the more snide posts there have been tidbits of information. I do realize that there are going to be arguments where no clear cut answers are going to appear. But, that does not mean that we should not be treating each other politely. If, for whatever reason, you find a particular poster to be offensive, put them on 'ignore', if you find someone has gone over the edge of civility, let a moderator know. Sometimes your perception will be different than someone else's. A moderator may not always agree with you. We try to be fair.

I really think that, for the most part, everyone is playing pretty nicely here. Just be careful with the 'tone' of your posts....don't push. I think that almost everyone here can agree that sometimes the airlines can do a better job with their seating assignments. Yes, it is understandable if a flight is canceled and you have to merge two flights into one. But, if it's just a small time change or a change that really doesn't impact seating, it's hard to understand why they would move seats around. We are never going to win the war with the airlines...not if we want to continue paying discount fares. But, we can still expect decent customer service. And again, I still feel that there are not all that many situations where families are put all over the plane. In most cases, you will find other passengers who are willing to move in order to allow a mom/dad to sit with their child. Are they obligated to? Of course not, but a lot will if they are flying solo.

Please people, try to remain civil here. No one is in full support of any one position. Read the 'contract of carriage' before you book, once you book..continue checking on those flights, every single week. There are no 'sure things' when you are dealing with the airlines today. That's the sad truth. Now....play nicely!!!

 

[OceanAnnie]

Dead. Horse.

 

[bavaria]

To summarize what has already been said in various posts on this thread....

If you have an absolute need for certain seating (ie children over 5 who you need to have seated next to you, medical conditions, etc) you have options.

1) fly an airline like United which charges extra to sit in the Economy+ zone if you are not an elite flyer (cost varies per trip or per year)

1a) fly an airline like SW which doesn't assign seating

2) fly enough times per year that you become an elite (the airline term, not my term) flyer. That may mean taking a few 'mileage runs' to maintain your status, or finding a job that requires a lot of travel, at the expense of other things in your life. (And even then, most airlines only allow the elite member to bring one guest into the elite seating zone)

3) book your trip very short term to avoid schedule changes ie 2 weeks in advance (this doesn't work for most of the leisure travellers here, and doesn't guarantee that seats will still be available for selection)

4) continue to check back for seats which have opened up; arrive at the airport about 3 hrs in advance of your flight; get to the gate early and ask the gate agent

5) find another method of transportation. Since trains and busses also don't guarantee certain seating, I suspect that personal car is the only other option

You can request a seat change but don't expect one. I was once flying out of MCO after a business trip, and the gate agent called me up and asked me to change out of my premium seat to allow a family to sit together. My initial reaction was 'yes', but I immediately realized that this flight I had a broken shoulder, visibly strapped and in a sling, and the new seat would put that arm onto the aisle. As a result, I declined to move. The gate agent told the passenger 'sorry', and that passenger proceeded to scream and berate me. Luckily for her, we were still in the terminal - had she behaved that way on board the aircraft, I doubt that she would have flown that day.

The reason why I relate that story is that even though I had a visible reason for not changing, the passenger felt that her needs were greater than mine. In most cases, you won't be able to see why a passenger won't change seats, and it's not fair to assume that your needs trump their needs.

 

[bavaria]

I honestly believe that the mods should come in here and censor those who want to act this way, its uncalled for. No one should have the right to make others experiences seem "stupid"

I have posted on the Transportation board for years, and rarely post elsewhere. Goofy4Tink's post above mine is why I respect her skills as a moderator - she is able to find a balance and allow a discussion to continue even if all don't agree.

Frankly, this is what often happens here - someone comes and posts a question or a comment; a frequent traveller responds; the OP or someone else comes back and says 'now I feel stupid' and the thread deteriorates.

In fact, I believe that it is the frequent flyers on this thread (none of whom work for an airline) who have received most of the heat, mainly for posting facts. This shooting of the messenger occurs quite frequently here.

And the times that the OP comes back and says 'thank you' for the information is sadly quite rare. We don't post here because our lives our boring; I certainly have much better things to do with my time, but if I can share some knowledge with a poster to make their travels easier, I will do so. But to be called a 'knowitall' and to be flamed for being an 'elite traveller' is just unacceptable when one comes to share knowledge.

 

[DaveO]

What will it take for airlines to wake up. To all the defenders and 'it is your fault for not checking 8X a day your seat' people .... You are correct the letter of the contract does say they only have to get you to point B.

But when will they realize this is WHY THEY ARE BANKRUPT and in Chapter 11. It is customer service. Why has SWA always made a profit .... beacause they have a loyal following due to low fares and great customer service. Why is Jet Blue successfull ... same thing.

Yes the airline will start making profits again but once we hit another down turn in the economy the limited travelers will choose the airlines with good customer service.

That is why I will never fly Delta again in how they treated me during the NE bizzard last year when they extorted money from me to change my flights when they knew the airport would be closed (it was). I paid the extra $800 to delta .... But thankfully the credit card company agreed with me and credited my credit card back. On Southwest or Midwest this would have never happened which is why I will fly them unless I have no choice.