Delta Airline vent

[kymom99]

Thanks everyone for listening to my frustrations

 

[sam_gordon]

I told him after this, he can do anything. Now we have to hope he gets back Thursday so he can work Friday.

He said he got off the plane in LaGuardia and saw his next flight was delayed 4 hours. He was walking past another gate and heard them paging people saying it was their last call. The flight was leaving for cvg. So he went to the desk and asked if he could get on that flight. I’m proud of how he handled himself through all this.

Extremely smart on his part. I've done that a time or two. Once, I went to the counter while the flight was boarding and the agent said there was no room on the plane. I hung around because I had three hours until my scheduled flight. Everyone was on board and they paged for a specific passenger. I asked if he didn't show up, could I get on. At that point, they added me as a standby. The guy showed up and I thought I was out of luck. Next thing I know the GA says "we can get you on." I ended up being the last one to board and there were six empty seats that I counted.

Another time, I got to the gate (of an earlier flight) while they were making the final boarding call. I asked for a seat and was told they couldn't add me because it was less than 10 minutes from departure. I still don't really understand that logic, assume it either had something to do with the computer or the GA just didn't want to go through the hassle.

 

[jimmymc]

I flew home to Detroit last night, and there was a long line at the Delta customer service desk. Something must have happened across the country.

 

[georgina]

This year it seems like all airlines have had issues. Certainly weather has been bad. We've run into equipment and personnel issues also.

We usually have good luck with DS flying out of Seattle on Alaska, he is supposed to meet us in Milwaukee Wednesday and they sent him an offer to switch to either Tuesday or Thursday for a measly $35 credit. We are flying in Wednesday, picking up a rental car and driving 2.5 hours north, so if he gets bumped it will mean another 5 hours of driving back to get him.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Flying has been a nightmare this year. It's not just one airline; it's all of them. I do notice that in terms of US airlines United and Delta are having the most frequent meltdowns (amount of delays/cancelations).

I don't fly a lot these days so I'm nervous for my Southwest flight next month. I'm expecting at least something to go wrong and if it doesn't, it's a miracle.

 

[kymom99]

This year it seems like all airlines have had issues. Certainly weather has been bad. We've run into equipment and personnel issues also.

We usually have good luck with DS flying out of Seattle on Alaska, he is supposed to meet us in Milwaukee Wednesday and they sent him an offer to switch to either Tuesday or Thursday for a measly $35 credit. We are flying in Wednesday, picking up a rental car and driving 2.5 hours north, so if he gets bumped it will mean another 5 hours of driving back to get him.

My son said a flight to Atlanta from Albany was overbooked while he was waiting for his flight. They got up to offering $1000.

 

[CynBeth]

Glad your son made his flight! It's been a miserable summer of delays. I haven't flown anywhere since May, but my pet sitting business has been more challenging to staff with many of our customers having their flights delayed or cancelled. Just had another one on Saturday....customers were booked on United on a full flight back to Newark. Nope, they just cancelled it....didn't have a flight crew. My customer has to scramble to find a flight....ended up flying out of Rome the next day. So they had to get back up to Rome, get a room for the night....lots of extra expense.

We were on a Med cruise recently. We flew on United to Barcelona and left an hour and a half late from Newark due to an issue with the plane. Coming back to Newark from Rome there was an airport strike so a few days in advance our plane was cancelled. Luckily we knew of this possibility before we left so had added days at the kennel. We were supposed to fly out on a Saturday and could not find another nonstop until Tuesday but all they had left was business class so had to pay a lot extra. We were also fortunate our hotel could still keep us but had to change rooms for a few of the days which was a different level so was more expensive.

 

[fly girl]

Another time, I got to the gate (of an earlier flight) while they were making the final boarding call. I asked for a seat and was told they couldn't add me because it was less than 10 minutes from departure. I still don't really understand that logic, assume it either had something to do with the computer or the GA just didn't want to go through the hassle.

Agents will print the final paperwork for pilots and flight attendants right before the 10 minute mark. For the pilots that includes passenger counts and weight of the aircraft. They close out the flight when they print that paperwork, just what you expected with the computer. Technically, they could add by telling the pilots to +1 to the counts, but nowadays isn't like early 2000's. There is enormous pressure put on the agents to have their flight leave on time. If they take a delay it is a big deal and answering to higher ups isn't fun.

I flew home to Detroit last night, and there was a long line at the Delta customer service desk. Something must have happened across the country.

One word: ATLANTA. Atlanta is Delta's home base. When home base has issues (yesterday, weather), it trickles throughout the system quickly.

Flying has been a nightmare this year. It's not just one airline; it's all of them. I do notice that in terms of US airlines United and Delta are having the most frequent meltdowns (amount of delays/cancelations).

I don't fly a lot these days so I'm nervous for my Southwest flight next month. I'm expecting at least something to go wrong and if it doesn't, it's a miracle.

United and Delta have very large hubs in NYC area. That has been the epicenter this summer of all the delays with weather.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Agents will print the final paperwork for pilots and flight attendants right before the 10 minute mark. For the pilots that includes passenger counts and weight of the aircraft. They close out the flight when they print that paperwork, just what you expected with the computer. Technically, they could add by telling the pilots to +1 to the counts, but nowadays isn't like early 2000's. There is enormous pressure put on the agents to have their flight leave on time. If they take a delay it is a big deal and answering to higher ups isn't fun.



One word: ATLANTA. Atlanta is Delta's home base. When home base has issues (yesterday, weather), it trickles throughout the system quickly.




United and Delta have very large hubs in NYC area. That has been the epicenter this summer of all the delays with weather.

Even outside of weather, I notice that those two airlines are delaying or canceling flights more often due to mechanical issues. The weather today on the east coast today 100% doesn't help.

 

[fly girl]

Even outside of weather, I notice that those two airlines are delaying or canceling flights more often due to mechanical issues. The weather today on the east coast today 100% doesn't help.

Where did you hear there was an increase with mechanical issues? That is the first I am hearing of any increase of mechanicals, esp with Delta.

 

[GAN]

As the saying goes …they’d rather have you down here wishing you were up there, than up there wishing you were down here

 

[john7994]

Atlanta had serious weather again this evening - as did much of the east coast through to New York - 1,000s of flights delayed and cancelled. Significant power outages etc ...

 

[sam_gordon]

Agents will print the final paperwork for pilots and flight attendants right before the 10 minute mark. For the pilots that includes passenger counts and weight of the aircraft. They close out the flight when they print that paperwork, just what you expected with the computer. Technically, they could add by telling the pilots to +1 to the counts, but nowadays isn't like early 2000's. There is enormous pressure put on the agents to have their flight leave on time. If they take a delay it is a big deal and answering to higher ups isn't fun.

That is what I was thinking regarding "the computer". BUT, I know they were paging for passengers (it was a mess that night). So how does it change the count/weight if "Passenger A" doesn't show, and "Passenger B" (me) gets on in his place? Not trying to be argumentative, just trying to understand.

 

[fly girl]

That is what I was thinking regarding "the computer". BUT, I know they were paging for passengers (it was a mess that night). So how does it change the count/weight if "Passenger A" doesn't show, and "Passenger B" (me) gets on in his place? Not trying to be argumentative, just trying to understand.

If the agent already closed the flight on the computer, they cannot add to it. And if you weren't already in it as a standby they would have to go in and add your name.

 

[sam_gordon]

If the agent already closed the flight on the computer, they cannot add to it. And if you weren't already in it as a standby they would have to go in and add your name.

So yea, stupid computer program.

 

[john7994]

So yea, stupid computer program.

Careful, they will be in charge soon enough, and they have long memories

 

[fly girl]

Careful, they will be in charge soon enough, and they have long memories

Trust me on this one, I don't know one employee with any US airline who says the computer systems are top notch and ground breaking. If you ever fly Delta, listen for the sound of the old dot matrix printer. Yes!! They still use them. The ones with the holes on the side of the printer paper.

Want another good laugh, that is what employees on standby travel call the "sound of not getting on." You hear that as a non revenue and you haven't been paged or saw your name on the cleared list, you know it's over. The sound of the printer means the flight is closed out.

 

[john7994]

Trust me on this one, I don't know one employee with any US airline who says the computer systems are top notch and ground breaking. If you ever fly Delta, listen for the sound of the old dot matrix printer. Yes!! They still use them. The ones with the holes on the side.

Lol - more on the theme of the robots are coming for us ...
I fly Delta exclusively for business - I do the dot matrix dance for the gate agents when waiting to board - it makes a few of them smile from time to time.

 

[DLgal]

Atlanta had serious weather again this evening - as did much of the east coast through to New York - 1,000s of flights delayed and cancelled. Significant power outages etc ...

It seems like some of these airlines should consider moving their hubs away from these locations prone to such constant severe weather.

 

[john7994]

It seems like some of these airlines should consider moving their hubs away from these locations prone to such constant severe weather.

The weather is the weather in the Southeast, especially in the spring, summer and hurricane season - not sure where else they can go tbh ... for the most part ... I have more difficulty out of EWR (Newark) when there is a drizzle tbh ...