Another Story About Delta’s Crappy Service
Apr 5, 2005 Uncategorized
I wrote a post earlier discussing the crappy service I got from Delta airlines. I know my friend, the Jogging Blogger (April 4th post), reads my site but she must not have been paying attention because she had a terrible experience with Delta. She should have read the Big Dog and she could have avoided this mess. Only good thing is it validates what I wrote and maybe it will start a movement to get rid of Delta.
Tags: Rants
Delta Means Change
Mar 21, 2005 Uncategorized
In mathematics delta is the change in a variable. In air travel Delta represents change in service, and unfortunately, not for the better. As anyone who reads this knows (and we are now up to four) I travel quite a bit for my job. As a matter of fact most of the people in my office travel. We spend quite a bit of money on air travel in my little division, most of it with Delta airlines.
When I started flying Delta the service seemed pretty good and for the most part there was not a lot of wasted time. Once I made it past the TSA and the line of elderly women being fondled in the name of national security while men between the ages of 18 and 45 of Middle Eastern Descent were walking through, I had a pretty easy time. Boarding was usually pretty well organized and if it were not for the jackasses in first class who waited until last call at the runway zoom zoom bar at the other end of the airport we might have actually left on time.
Things have changed in the last six months and they have not been for the better. I have noticed that more and more flights are delayed and cancelled and that things do not run smoothly at all. Not long ago Delta changed boarding procedures so that people board by zone. The First Class and Elite Frequent Flyers board first and then there is no real rhyme or reason to the rest of the process. People are all over the place, there are not enough overhead spaces and folks have to get up and down more times than a jack-in-the-box to accommodate people who have window seats yet boarded last?
I have become more concerned about the delays and cancellations than anything else. In the past seven weeks I have had my flights changed, cancelled, or delayed four times. This has caused me to be late for several business meetings (despite allowing myself many extra hours to avoid such problems). In addition, I have had to spend the night in the airport because the airline employees could not tell the truth. They do it in subtle ways. The board says the flight is delayed three and a half hours but the agent tells you it is only an hour and a half. They tell you not to worry because your connecting flight is delayed by as much as your originating flight so you will not miss the ride home. This is the same kind of deceit that takes place when you are taxiing out for takeoff and your plane is about tenth in line. You are inching along at a snail’s pace and the pilot will not come on and tell you that you are tenth., No, he waits until you are third and then says “OK folks, we are third for takeoff, flight attendants please prepare the cabin.†They have had enough time to repaint the cabin but he has to tell them to prepare it?
Anyway, I have become concerned because Delta is struggling to remain solvent. They are having financial difficulties and they are trying to remain afloat (or aloft, as it were). After 75 years the mighty Delta could go bankrupt and be out of business by the end of the year. It seems to me that a company that is trying to remain in business would do what ever it takes to keep its customers. Delta seems to have a different philosophy which might explain why it is in trouble. You see, they do not really care if you leave for another airline. If you tell them you are going to find another airline they will wish you well. They do not attempt to rectify their mistakes and poor service. They just wave bye-bye as revenue walks to other airlines.
Last week I was told that my flight was going to be delayed but that there would be a connection in Atlanta. When I arrived in Atlanta there was no flight and I had to wait six hours in the airport to get a flight home. The agent asked me “You didn’t actually expect that flight to be here did you?†Well, gee. Just because the person in Chicago told me it would be kind of made me think so. “Here is an itinerary, see a gate agent in the morning.†If the folks at Delta had been honest, I could have stayed in Chicago one more night and flown out in the morning. If they had any business sense I would have been offered a hotel in Atlanta and I could have taken a later flight in the morning. They did none of this because they do not care.
I wrote an email to Delta and explained the problem that I had. I told them that I understood that the delay was caused by bad weather but that the agents could have handled it better. I also told them that my recently delayed or cancelled flights were due to them not having a flight crew, a flight crew being late, and mechanical issues with an aircraft. I told them that my time is worth money and that I rely on them to make sure I am successful by getting me to my destinations on time. I also told them that my clients fly on Southwest and do not seem to have these problems and that they have been trying to get me to switch to their carrier. I told them I wanted to be compensated for my time and that I felt 25,000 qualifying miles and a 6 month membership to their Crown Room was reasonable (I don’t drink but it would give me a place to stretch out during the ever increasing delays). They denied my request but as a matter of good faith sent me a $175 voucher good for use on items they sell like Crown Room Memberships and airline tickets. So now it is really great. I have a coupon so I can get discounted bad service. I can’t wait to hear this one from them. “Well sir, you get what you pay for, ha,ha.â€
I have been talking to co-workers and we are all considering switching airlines to an organization that would welcome the possibility of millions of dollars in business in exchange for good service. The good thing is that several we have talked to will let us transfer our elite flying status to their elite status. This is the one thing that keeps people from switching in the first place. I urge all of you out there to consider airlines other than Delta when you fly. If their service is slipping this badly I hate to think what else might be slipping as well. I have to say that I was hoping they were going through a bad spell but they seem to be pretty consistent and their refusal to make things right with me only shows their contempt for the people who pay their salaries.
Good luck Delta. You are going to need it. As for me, I am actively working toward flying in another company’s planes before long. I hated to make a long rant but figured you might want to know what is going on. Consider this a public service for those of you who do not fly that much. Delta, it is time for change
Tags: Rants
The Me Mentality of America
Feb 7, 2005 Uncategorized
Regular readers, and I know who the three of you are, know that I travel quite a bit for my job. I am always on an airplane going somewhere. I am fortunate enough that I get upgraded to First Class where I can enjoy a larger seat and some leg room. The trouble is, the jackasses who fly on planes think they are the only people who are in the aircraft on any particular day.
Each time I fly it is a struggle for mental health because I have to deal with these kinds of dunderheads. You know the types. You have the dip sticks who talk on a cell phone the entire time they are allowed to do so. They are walking down the isle with a phone shoved in their ear juggeling their bags and then stopping at their assigned seat to continue the conversation. They do not get out of the isle because they can not handle their baggage and the phone at the same time so the rest of the plane has to wait for these numb nuts to finish talking to aunt Marge about her cookie ingredients. I have news for you people. You are not that flipping important. You are not so important that you have to hold up entire plane to have a phone conversation. You are annoying. No one wants to listen to your conversation. And those of you who have those gadgets sticking out of your ears, those hands free things. you know, the things that make you look like a communications officer from the Enterprise. You should concentrate on traveling and not on walking around having loud conversations. You look like a psychotic person hearing voices and responding. They should make a rule. Any one who uses a cell phone in such a fashion has to fly with the luggage.
Speaking of luggage. How about the jerks who carry their whole set of American Tourister luggage on the plane? These are the asses who have a carry on and a computer bag, and a bag of something they bought for their mother. These are the ones who hog up the isle with all their luggage and then complain when they can not find a space for it. (They are usually on a cell phone). These are the ones who put ALL their luggage in the over head bins, despite the request for people with more than one item to place the smaller under the seat in front of them. The rules do not apply to them and they do not care about anyone else. The poor schmucks who only have a computer bag and don’t get on first have to sit with their knees in their chins because there is no overhaed space. And God help anyone when Mr. all the luggage in the world gets on and the bins are full. This ass will try to move things. Walk through the cabin looking for open space and then, in the ultimate act of me only, ask “Whose is this? Would you mind putting it under your seat so I can put my bag up top [and sit comfortably while you struggle to breathe]”. I always answer the same way. I tell the person “I would mind. I have two words for you, CHECK IT. You see sir (or madam) I check my luggage so I can put my samll computer bag in the overhead bin, not so some jackass like you can impose upon me.” I don’t make a lot of friends on airplanes. I have some advice for these jackasses. You are not so damned important that you can not check your luggage. You can check it and then everyone will have room. In the event you think you are too important to check your luggage then suffer when there is no room. When I do not sit in First Class I try to get an exit row seat. I watch to see who has all the luggage when they come on board. These people might miss the slide during an emergency egress.
This is the reason I have trouble with people in general. We have become a society where young men do not get up and offer a lady a seat. We have become a society where men do not hold the doors any more. We are in a society where the me mentality causes people to be selfish and not think about the others around them. As long as I get my space, screw you. This is what I hear when they board the plane. I believe that a mannered person ensures that he does not take more than that to which he is entitled. I believe that a gentleman acts like such and never forgets that you learned manners from your mother and how you act is a direct reflection on her.
Unfortunately, from what I’ve seen, there are some pretty sorry mothers out there.
This rant brought to you courtesy of the nim rods traveling from Baltimore to Birmingham on Delta today.
Tags: Rants