Need advice on how/where to write Delta about our HORRIBLE flight(LONG)

Ok, I'm back.

As for the man that refused to give up his bags, he didn't understand how on the flight down the FA told him his bags were fine. Now he was being told he would have to check them. They contained oil paint and he did not want the bottles to break and get all over everything in the cargo hold. He said they were worth a lot of money, too. When we were waiting in the rain, there was an attendant tagging bags because they might be too big. She put a tag on our soft sided cooler that holds 18 cans. (FA never looked at our bags) Now, you would have thought she would have done the same thing to his bags. (or maybe she did and he took them off?)

One of the worst parts to the entire incident is that I had to face the mother that had been yelling at me after we landed. I could still run into her at the store. While DH and I were outside smoking while we waited for the bags, she came out with two of her children to get their car. She glared at me while she crossed the unloading zone. (our airport is so small I could streak thru it and not get caught. LOL It only takes 30 seconds to run thru it. I'm not kidding, 30 seconds from the farthest gate to the front doors at a full run) I'm not worried about her doing anything really, because I am reporting this to the airline. She would have to be stupid to do something physical. I'm more worried about her yelling at me in a store and causing a scene in that reguard.

VickiVM said: This is a customer service oriented business and the airline people are supposed to be trained to diffuse these types of situations...especially in this day and age. A change of tone and inflection of the voice would have probably gone a long way in averting an all passenger free for all.

I agree with this completely! This might have kept the woman behind the couple from saying anything to the Red Coat and she would not have been threatened. (or maybe not) It really upset me when the RC said that the man was holding up the plane,when he clearly was not. We were waiting for maintenance to fix the leaky exit door. (which they did not. Every time the rain started up, the door started leaking while we were on the ground) So she blatently lied to the man to try to scare him.

(My mom told me the following story, I'm sorry if I don't have the details correct. It's the moral of the story that I am trying to state...)
It was not too long ago that a gate attendant had their neck snapped because of rude treatment to a customer. It had to do with the safety of the passengers child when the child ran thru the boarding doors onto the ramp and the door was closed behind the child. The mother tried to run after the child but the doors were closed and the gate attendant refused to let the mother thru the doors. The GA physically restrained her from going after her child. The father ended up snapping the GA neck. During the trial, it was brought up about where airport security was during this incident. The had not been called until after it was too late. If that airline's employee would have not taken matters into his own hands and stopped the mother from going after her child, none of it would have happened. (I truely feel sorry for the employees of an airline that makes them be the "bouncers")


What I wish would have happened is that the Red Coat would have informed the man of the rules and told him if he did not give up his bags she would be forced to call security to remove him from the plane. She could have said this in a fairly nice voice and still made her point. If he did not give up his bags then, she could have called security and had him removed. That would have been that. Instead, she came on with an nasty attitude like she was going to be the one to physically remove him. Then threatened physical violence to another passenger for speaking up. (sorry, but the term "thown off the plane" sounds incredibly physical to me)

I just don't get how this man's bags were more of a threat to passenger safety than the child in the exit seat. (and that is the last line of my letter to Mr. Turner)
 
Originally posted by Beverly Lynn

idontknow out of curiosity could you see the bags sticking out that made it catch the FA's attention?
and the first thing an FA is supposed to do when people board an aircraft and they see people sitting in the exit row is walk to them and explain that they may have to perform safety things etc. and then if anyone sitting in that row does not meet the criteria then they must change their seats. The weekly memos passed down to the tkt cntr and gate warning of seating issues is unbelievable. part of the problem is that once on the aircraft people switch and this is how a child sometimes gets in there.

No, I did not see the carryon sticking out from the seat. The man even showed the FA that the carryon did not come past the back of the seat in front of him. He actually took his hand and made a line from the back of the seat to the floor. It isn't that I am defending the man for refusing, I just think the entire situation could have been handled better.

As for the child, The FA walked right past him and didn't say a word. She had not gotten to the "for your safety" speach yet. She was still checking to make sure the bags were alright. But, you would think that instead of waiting for the speach to tell the child's mother that he could not sit there, she would have saved time and told the mother when the FA made the baggage rounds.
 
I have worked in customer service and sales for many years and I would expect to be fired for being rude and yelling at a customer (although some might deserve it). I have been trained that no matter how bad the situation or confrontational the customer always keep a smile on your face and your voice calm and even. If the FA and Red Coat couldn't manage to do that then maybe they are in the wrong business. After all it is their job to SERVICE their customers.
 
close to 60% of complaints are about flt attnd's. and its all in the tone of voice and how they go about handling matters that makes it so much worse than it should be. its getting to the point of where is the customer service anymore? I'm beginning to wonder if it even exists. it sounds like it could have been handled in a better manner than it was. the Rc should have gotten the pilot or actually the FA should have gotten the pilot if it was this big an issue for her. keep us informed of what happens after you get your letter off.
 

I want to thank everyone for their comments. After having a chance to get this off of my chest and reading what you have had to say, I think I can write a better letter. You started out giving me basics on what to write and as the thread grew, more of you hit on other points I should put in the letter. (the one that comes to mind is the seat numbers of people involved) I just wanted to make sure everyone knows how important it is to me to get responses from you. Thanks again!
 
Just keep in mind when writing the letter what response you expect. What do you want from the writing of your letter? A response? An apology? Some kind of comp?

Also, remember that after you write the letter to let it go. Five years from now you won't remember it all, it will just be a footnote to your trip. Ask yourself: what would Mickey do?


Most of us are at a certain age when we remember that airline travel was a luxury. Now we have to remember that it's more like bus travel.

Get the anger out and then proceed. Something good will come out of your experience, this I believe about everything unpleasant that happens to me.
 
In response as to why the man did not want to let the FA take his bags:

My ds was approached by FA flying back from Hawaii. She wanted to store the souvineers up front, where they would be out of the way. Granted they were bulky and needed to go in one of the closets. Well, she didn't mention she was going to store them for her own personnel use. They "disappeared", never to be seen again.
If this man had experienced this, no wonder he was reluctant to part with his belongings.
As far as whether or not the man would have complied w/ the "request" depending on how it was asked--I worked managing the dining room of a restaraunt on midnights. Yep, the drunk shift. Believe me, success is ALL in the tone and and word choice.
The request appears illogical as the bags were okay for the prior segment of the trip. The illogical nature of the request is what bothers me. Were there any explanations given?
(Go figure--illogical actions bother me, but I LOVE going to visit a giant rodent with a dog as a pet AND as a best friend!!! LOL)
 
When she got to the couple, she just said she needed to check the carryons, that they were too big. I saw the couple with the carryons at the gate. He had his slung over his shoulder and they were no wider than his body and he was not a very big man.

If things would have been handled better, I don't think there would have been half of the arguement that there was. Like I said in an earlier post, if they would have been nicer, the FA and the Red Coat could have smiled the entire time even while security was escorting the couple off of the plane if needed. (the couple was not removed from the plane, just their carryons)
 












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