Delta Airlines out of Dulles--where to direct a complaint?

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Hello!

My hubby just had his flight cancelled--actually takeoff aborted b/c of a reading that the pilot didn't like when they went to full throttle. While we are upset his flight was ended before it got off of the ground--we are grateful that they didn't end up crashed somewhere.

They get hubby on a flight into Orlando (instead of Melbourne)--direct--on United. He had 25 minutes to get from Point A to Point B and with the silly moon rovers they use as transportation between terminals--he didn't make it to the flight on time. He needed to be there by 12:15--and got there at 12:17 for a 12:25 flight. United's response was--we don't even let our own passengers on when they are late.

He goes back to Delta--who offered nothing but an apology---and then a flight with stop in Atlanta to Orlando (still not Melbourne).

Why in the world would they book him on something that he didn't have time to get to?

And when he got this most recent flight--they gave him the wrong gate number and he ended up in the wrong location.

Do they dig from the bottom of the barrel for there ticket counter workers? They seem very inept in this one airport (had a problem with a cancelled flight last week as well. The gate agent for some reason didn't know how to rebook his flight. ). He's a whatever medallion color skymiles member--and though Delta ain't the best out there...he's not had this much trouble with the employees before.

 

[CarolA]

Gool Luck.

In DLs defense at MOST airports this was doable. This is just a nightmare of an airport. He needs to call the Medallion number on his card to start the complaint. Try www.flyertalk.com However, in the current envirornment at DL I would expect nothing..

 

[seashoreCM]

If they had not taken a chance with your husband giving him the flight with only 25 minutes to catch they might have instead given him the flights with the stop in atlanta from the git go.

They still owe him the full trip to Melbourne with no collection of additional fare or fees or, if the trip was so badly delayed so as to be futile, a complete refund if your husband chose to go home immediately upon discovering that.

Now supposing your husband hand picked the flight he wanted as a replacement rather than let the airline choose, the airline must give him that flight if there are seats available.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[bicker]

Keep in mind that airlines pay their staff as little as they can. This is in direct response to our desire to pay the lowest possible fares. I've found that if you pay more (first-class, airline club membership, even full Y-fare), the airlines compensate you for paying more with access to more and better customer service staff.
Some related notes about this:

If a passenger accepts a reroute, then the airline is not obligated beyond that, with regard to not getting the passenger to their original destination.

Airlines will refund the unused portion of a ticket, subject to conditions, if a passenger demands it, if the airline is unable to accommodate the passenger within a certain time-frame of their original reservation (four hours with Delta, these days). However, within that time-frame, granting refunds are at the discretion of the airline.

Airlines will generally reserve passing off a passenger to another carrier as a last resort (and then only the major airlines, minus Southwest, will offer that), and will insist on offering, as is their right, the passenger options on their own airline first. Delta, specifically, says that they get to determine, at their sole discretion, whether to offer to accommodate a passenger on another airline. That's not something that a passenger can require Delta to do (anymore).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

He's resolved himself to no longer using Dulles airport.

They offered the flight with no indication that he hadn't enough time to get over there. That is just stupid regardless of what there rules are.

"sorry we inconvenienced you---here--take this flight instead"

buwahahahahahaha


Any who--no biggie. No more dulles for him.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

. That's not something that a passenger can require Delta to do (anymore).

He didn't ask for it nor require it. That is where they re-booked him.

 

[bicker]

Yup, understood. I was just being clear about what the parameters are, for other folks who may be reading the thread.