NYC1

I was booked on a FLL-EWR with Delta Express yesterday. The flight was scheduled to depart at 3:50 PM. They had equipment problems and had to get another plane. The other plane arrived but also had problems. Finally, a third plane was used and we left at approximately 9:10 PM. We arrived at midnight instead of 6:50 PM. Besides the lost hours, the situation at the airport was chaotic and uncomfortable to say the least. What kind of compensation do seasoned DL flyers believe would be appropriate to request for this?

opus17

Delta sent me a $100 voucher for a delayed flight, but I never asked for it.

shadow

I had a 4 hour mechanical delay in SLC back in the fall. I contacted the SMS line and asked about compensation as a GM. They sent me a $75 voucher with a nice letter.

GG

As Silver Medallions in Dec '99, we were each given a $25 voucher for a 10 hour delay at CVG, after we complained. I guess it was better than nothing. And after 13 months, we finally found a fare that we could actually get the full value of the voucher with.

Family flyer

Years ago, compensation might have been tricky to figure out, but not today. If you had traveled on a BizTravel.com guaranteed airline you would have had all your money refunded after a two-hour delay.

So you should certainly get vouchers for the entire costs of your tickets.

I just came back from two trips - one delayed two hours and one delayed eight. I wrote a letter and received vouchers for the entire cost.

felis

Hum Hum...
Am wondering if the compensation and the way it is given to you does not depend highly on the class and the type of ticket. Iw ould think that they are more carefull if you pay coach full fare or first. Otherwise, you can always cry.

law5

Sometimes you don't have to ask, but if the situation impacted a great number of similarly situated people (GM, SM) then you take the first step. I would assume that DL has signature authority issues and for a CS agent to issue $200 in vouchers to 2 inconvenienced PMs on a flight can be done more quickly that issuing vouches to 2000 delayed passengers.

Having worked customer service for a resort Company, though, don't threaten unless you are a really big fish. The "I will pull my business" and nasty attitudes in the letters don't win friends amongst the administrative folks who you want arguing for you. Be direct, be firm, but try to let the reader feel that it is not personal.

Carolinian

Twice on delayed international flights, I have received skymiles as compensation; 5000
on one occaision and 2000 on another. Each
time I made a point of talking with Delta
personnel immediately at the airport. When
I returned home, I also had $100. vouchers in
the mail each time. I don't know if being a
GM influenced their decision to award miles or not, but I made it a point to mention it.

The vouchers are not very useful to me. They
cannot be used on internet booking or telephone bookings using credit cards. It's
a 5 hour round trip to the nearest Delta office for me, and it is not practical to make that drive merely to use a $100. voucher.

FTraveler

I agree with law5. Never threaten. Whenever I have encountered problems, I have written to them in a very polite manner expressing my dissatisfaction. I never demand compensation. I usually get a nice reply, within a month or so, and depending on the situation sometimes a $100 voucher.

On the other hand, when an employee goes that extra mile or is really helpful, I make sure to take the employee's name and make a note of the date, place, and flight if applicable, and write a nice letter of commendation.

CTANK

Seeing as this was one of those dreaded, bane of my existence DLX flights, economy would be the only option.

mikey1003

Friday 1-5-01 USA TODAY:

When you complain to your airline, satisfaction is not guaranteed USA TODAY readers share their experiences -- and airlines' replies

http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/2...5/2967720s.htm

MarkB

I had a nasty delay on Dec 21 flying from ATL to MCO. The flight was scheduled to leave at 5.50pm, right up until we were boarding the gate agents and the info screens were telling us that the flight would depart more or less on time. The flight backed away from the gate on time then we spent the next 3 hours on the tarmac waiting for the aircraft to be de-iced. A neccessary evil but there was no doubt that we purposelt weren't told about this before we boarded.


Very annoying when people are waiting for you at your destination. If we had been told of the dealy before we boartded we could have at least let them know what was happening. I turned out we had been on the tarmac over 30 minutes before they let people at MCO know there was a delay!


------------------
Mark

craz

My flight to ATL was delayed 45 mins for refueling,waiting for passengers,and finish getting the luggage aboard. As a result landed in ATL 35 mins late,missed my connection.

Yes I was put on the next flight out and got in to LA alittle under 2 hrs after I was suppose to. The prob was 1)was told to RUN to my original flight by the service center at B term.(we landed at B term B-3,with the connection out of the T term)the flight was being held for the connecting pass. Needless to say it wasnt held,what got me was the red coat there told me that the flight had more people than seats by the exact # of people who were connecting from my flight. So they simply put the others on and the 6 of uson to the later flight.

I tried to get compensated it would have cost me $100 to do what they did to me but to no avail.Was told DL wont give a dime aslong as they get you to your destination within 4 hrs. Also since I was on "U" fare forget about anything. Im GM I asked that at least for the inconvience that I be put into 1st(cant eat the food Im on a special diet just wanted the leg room).Was told NO WAY even if all the seats were empty. Never had this by TW or AA. Am I wrong?
Also by getting in so late I missed getting to the surprise family diner that I flying to attend in the 1st place. I know all about leaving more time just couldnt,I could understand if the delay was caused to ATC or the weather,but it was clearly DLs prob and now it seems compensation is based on the $$ amount of your tkt.
Quess its time to switch if this is going to be the way DL plans to conduct its busioness.

A Delta CUSTOMER!

The argument to make to DL is that they didn't hold the connection because they were oversold and instead of paying you denied boarding compensation, just ditched you and rerouted you on the next flight.

If they had held the connection as the promised, you would have been owed denied boarding or bump compensation.

Watchful

I think you can ask nicely for any or all of these things...but I can't see that DL is obligated to provide anything.

If you miss a connection and stay overnight they will often provide free lodging, but even that I understand is simply a gesture of consideration and not at all an obligation. Likewise with the four hour guideline...I am sure that would just be a rule of thumb and nothing more. No obligation that I know of.

How would you like to have been on the second flight and to have it held up so that passengers for whom there is not even an open seat can show up and then try to get a seat through asking for bump volunteers. I guess you would like it if you wanted to get bumped (that does describe me!) but not if you wanted to get to your destination on time.

[This message has been edited by Watchful (edited 08-31-2001).]