What is up with Delta...? (long an un-DW related)

[Pegasus]

here's the story (somewhat unrelated to Disney):

a friend of mine was traveling yesterday, got caught up in the fiasco at the Atlanta aiport. He was originally on a TWA flight (big mistake) but turns out he missed his connecting flight by 10 minutes in ST Louis enroute to Dayton. He was put up at a hotel for the night and told by TWA that they nor any other carrier could get him to Dayton today but they could take him to Cincinnati. This morning he arrives at the airport only to be told by TWA that his flight was cancelled but they would put him on another carrier to Cincinnati, fine no problem. He then goes to the Delta counter, they get snide with him, tells him he doesn't even have a ticket in hand? (he only had what TWA gave him?) They then issue him a ticket to Dayton (keep in mind, his ride (me) is already in route to Cincinnati clueless now. He tells Delta that he was told he could NOT get to Dayton today in any way?? Also, he informs him that his ride is waiting in Cincy and that he wanted to just leave the airport in Cincy. Delta (being the jerks that they are...grrr) says they will not...cannot reissue him a ticket just to Cincy because he originally was to go to Dayton?? (yes, but he was told he could NOT get there keep in mind) So, he says well then I will just exit in Cincy and pick up my luggage later in Dayton. Delta tells him that he cannot LEGALLY separate from his luggage. (slapping my knee here now...) He has been separated from his luggage since 11am the day before at this point!!!!! LOL...

Needless to say they tell him he must go onto Dayton....(due to his luggage??)

Does anyone know what the hell is up with Delta?? My family and I flew with them a few months ago to Disney and it was one disaster after the next? and their customer service is nill and void it would seem with anyone at anywhere...

It would have been cheaper for Delta just to reissue him a ticket and let him get off in Cincy...am I missing something here? Has anyone ever encountered this before?

 

[travelcoupons]

Sorry to say this, but Delta is totally correct (except for the attitude.) TWA gave you mis-information.

1. TWA should have issued you paper tickets to take to Delta. (Which Delta uses to get re-imbursed from TWA {AKA American}

2. If Delta flies to Dayton, and their is room available, and that is what your ticket was originally issued for then that is where they will reticket you for. Any changes to the ticket, should result in a fee.

3. You are obligated to follow the route on your ticket. They do not want baggage on the plane which does not belong to someone on the plane. (Mainly for security reasons.)
FROM THE CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE: "TWA specifically prohibits the practices known as Hidden-City/Point-Beyond Ticketing," the purchase of a fare from a point before the passenger’s actual origin or to a point beyond the passenger’s actual destination.

 

[Chuck S]

I agree the Cincinnatti - Dayton thing was TWAs screw up. They should have checked Delta's schedule, seen there was indeed a flight to Dayton, and issued you a paper ticket that Delta could honor.

 

[flyingcircus]

TWA is the carrier at fault. If you just walk up to an airline counter, no ticket in hand,say you had a ticket on TWA to Dayton, and want to get on a flight to Cincinatti- whadya expect?????
No airline agent can simply put ANYONE on a flight like that. They would lose their job. It does not excuse rudeness. But TWA had the responsibility to get your friend from point A to B, and endorse the tickets properly.

If something like this happens- eg. spending the night in a hotel due to misconnects, don't depend 100% on what the ticket agent has told you. They are dealing with 100's of other misconnects, hotel bookings etc.. Take it into your own hands, and find another flight, and call the airline's res department, and have them rebook you. ALWAYS double check your info.

I know you didn't like the way Delta treated your friend, but they were following the rules. TWA is the carrier he should have a beef with.

 

[seashoreCM]

It makes sense that in case of misconnection the airline should transport the passenger to an alternate airport of the customer's choice if the customer identifies a suitable flight there and the airline can't transport him to the original destination. The airline would then not be responsible for eventually flying the passenger to the original airport.

The passenger does need a properly endorsed ticket.

Ezample: Laguardia instead of Kennedy in NYC. I suppose Cincy and Dayton would qualify.

At least the passenger should ask.

More travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Pegasus]

flyingcircus: FYI...he didn't just walk up to the counter emptyhanded. He gave Delta the paperwork that TWA gave him just minutes before but Delta got smart with him for some unknown reason?


TO END THIS TRAVEL NIGHTMARE...

on Saturday (the day he finally got to Ohio), he lands in Cincinnati awaiting that next flight to Dayton some 2.5 hours later. As it turns out, Delta cancelled all known flights to Dayton for inclement weather (weather was fine (?) as I drove there to get him).

Once again, he goes to the Delta counter, inquires about the fact that he would like to part in Cincinnati if someone could get his luggage. Apparently these folks bent over backwards for him, he got his luggage in a very short time and they were happy to see that he had a ride out of the airport. I have no clue what the heck the deal was with Delta in St Louis but he said they were MOST unprofessional with him all the way around.

You know, sadly enough, I will be one of the first to fly somewhere but after what he has gone through this weekend, car travel is looking better and better all the time.

I hope no one else endures a 24 hour traveling fiasco such as this one...(now lets hope he gets back home...)

 

[CarolA]

You know at any given time you can find people having a bad day. I wonder if the St. Louis Delta people had just had enough with TWA and took it out him. If so, they were wrong to do it, but... I have a team of six people who work for me. They will fly anywhere, anytime as long as it does not involve TWA via St. Louis. In about 10 attempts they had major delays in St. Louis every time. They would rather leave here an hour earlier (ie 6 am!) than fly via St. Louis. I have no idea if it is always that bad or if we just had a really bad run and it does not look like I will ever find out.