Consumerist
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traveling
Never Pack Your Jewelry In Checked Baggage
This past February, a Delta customer had her expensive heirloom jewelry stolen from her checked bag on a trip from Rochester through Atlanta to Las Vegas:
More »My suitcase had been opened, my jewelry bag unzipped, and my fine jewelry (gold, diamonds, sapphires) had been hand picked out of the jewelry bag and the inexpensive jewelry (plastic, glass, metal) left strewn across my belongings inside my suitcase.
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panic
Delta Is Going To Flip Out If You Wear A Neck Brace In The Emergency Exit Aisle
Ned wears a neck brace when he flies, not because he's injured or disabled, but because he prefers it to one of those floofy neck pillows. This didn't sit well with a Delta flight attendant who was intent on keeping disabled-looking folks out of the emergency exit aisle. The attendant wouldn't leave Ned alone, even after Ned demonstrated his range of mobility and explained that the brace was from a minor car accident thirty-three years ago. Ned managed to hold onto his seat after a chat with the senior flight attendant, but the original flight attendant later came back, "got in [Ned's] face – literally, just inches away" and complained that Ned had "bucked his authority." More » -
travel
Big Airlines Cramming Even More Seats Into Coach
If you're looking for the most legroom, look to the low fare carriers because the big airlines are cramming more and more seats into coach, says the WSJ. More » -
delta
Delta: Not Receiving Any Additional Goods Or Services From Us Is "Free!"
Here's a little something that sums up the state of air travel in our nation. Reader Drew was checking in to his Delta flight yesterday when he noticed that not checking any bags was described as "free." More » -
travel
Delta Can't Be Bothered To Sell The Obese Two Adjoining Seats
Evan's on the large side and wants to buy two adjoining seats, but Delta doesn't seem to care whether or not he inconveniences other passengers. The airline won't assign two seats to the same passenger name, and if he buys a second seat under a different name, it won't necessarily adjoin the first. Delta also warned that "they will give [his] second seat away if they need it, even if [he] paid for it." One agent thought he had a solution, but it was going to cost Evan $200 more than Delta's online fares. More » -
delta
The CEO Of Delta Reveals His Secrets
Richard Anderson, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, was interviewed by the New York Times and shared his tips on hiring (ask about their family life), running meetings (no Blackberries!), and dealing with customers: "I find myself, more and more, writing hand-written notes to people," he says. "I must write a half a dozen a day." These are apology notes, we're guessing. More » -
delta
Delta To Blind Woman: Can You Sit Somewhere Else? This Flight Attendant Doesn't Like Dogs
Natalie is pretty angry. Lately whenever her mother, who is blind, has to travel, she seems to run into trouble. As Natalie puts it, as far as airline regulations go a guide dog is equivalent to a wheelchair, and the appropriate accommodations should be made without hassle. It's too bad on her last flight, Natalie's mother had to sit in the bulkhead next to a Delta employee with a fear of dogs. More » -
call centers
Delta, Everybody Else, Officially Fed Up With Foreign Call Centers
Delta Air Lines is the latest company to "repatriate" call center jobs previously outsourced to India. It's not just that the economy is down and fewer people are flying, but more specifically that absolutely everybody hates dealing with foreign call centers.
As Delta chief Richard Anderson succinctly put it: "Customer acceptance of call-center representatives in other countries was low, and our customers are not shy about letting us have that feedback." More »
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delta
Traveler Arrested For Bathroom Emergency On Delta Flight
Is there a worse place to have sudden diarrhea than on an airplane? Well, yes, and that would be on a water slide, but let's stay with the airplane for a bit. Joao Correa was on a Delta Airlines flight from Honduras to Atlanta last week when something bad happened down below, and he had to immediately use the bathroom. Unfortunately, there was a drink cart blocking his way and the flight attendants wouldn't let him by. More » -
identification
Delta Isn't Sure Whether Or Not You Can Fly Without ID
A Delta customer service representative assured Grace that her sister would be able to fly, even though she had just lost her wallet containing her identifications. Of course, when Grace's sister arrived the next morning at the airport, Delta's counter agents refused to let her anywhere near the gate until she produced a photo ID. After two hours on the phone, Grace's parents tracked down an old learner's permit and drove 20 miles to fax a copy to the airport. Now Grace wants to know why Delta's customer service agents weren't familiar with Delta's policies, and what, if anything Delta can do to compensate her for the wasted time. More » -
reservations
US Airways And Delta Duel Over The Phone For Most Incompetent Airline Ever Award
Want a great example of the broken state of airline customer service in this country? Try a four-way conference call between yourself, Amex Travel, US Airways, and Delta. You'll see firsthand how CSRs from the two airlines can play the "it's not our responsibility" so well that even a devoted Amex Travel rep can't get them to solve your problem. More » -
apologies
Polite Complaint Letter To Delta Earns Passenger 5,000 Extra Miles
A glitch in Delta's website bumped Jesse's return date up by a month, which sort of interfered with his travel plans when he showed up at the airport to check in. Here's the complaint letter he sent to Delta, and their response. More » -
bad consumer
Some Advice: Please Do Not Open The Emergency Exit And Walk On The Wing Of The Aircraft
Here's a little advice for all you impatient people out there. We know its really annoying when you're towards the middle of the plane and have to wait for all the stupid, slow people in front of you to pick up their crap and get off the plane — but don't think that you can just open the emergency exit and walk around on the wing of the plane. More » -
travel
Delta Helps You Escape Chicago Before The Winter Storm Of Doom
There's a nasty winter storm coming to Chicagoland — a mix of rain, sleet and snow that might result in 12" of accumulation. Jennifer was scheduled to fly right in the middle of it. More » -
airline fees
Delta To Add $15 First Checked Bag Fee
The AP says that the new mergeriffic Delta will be adding a $15 fee for the first checked bag and $25 for the second checked bag when traveling domestically, which is consistent with Northwest's existing policies. More » -
fuel surcharge
Should An Infant With No Seat Have To Pay A $320 Fuel Surcharge?
Here's an interesting situation. When babies fly domestically, they fly for free — but international flights require a ticket and, apparently, a huge fuel surcharge.
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mergers and acquisitions
Northwest Airlines And Delta Merge, Finally
The Northwest Airlines/Delta merger is finally done, says the Chicago Tribune. The new airline will be called Delta and will be run by Delta CEO Richard Anderson. With 75,000 employees and $34 billion in revenue, it will be the US's largest carrier. More » -
delta
Does Delta Pipe-In Rainsounds Midflight?
During the Delta airline flight I rode yesterday, I could swear that in the middle of it they started piping in the sound of a rainstorm. It sounded like one of those Amazon rain forest soundmakers, you know, the ones where it's a piece of tree limb and you turn it upside down and the beads inside make a pleasant rain sound. Then again, I was sitting pretty far in the back, so maybe it was just the sound of the head emptying. Unfortunately I don't suffer from synaesthesia and my auditory faculties don't interfere with my olfactory ones.
delta
New York, 8:03 PM
Sun Jul 5
6 posts in the last 24 hours
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