Our Delta experience 10/10 and 10/14

[SSSneezy]

Really stunk! We had many factors that combined to make our trip to MCO and our trip back home stressful but the Delta employees we encountered just made it worse. We had some weather delays and some unruly, loud, obnoxious seat mates but by far the worst part was the uncooperative attitude of the Delta employees. My husband and I and two sons were spit up 2 and 2 which was okay because the kids are old enough to sit by themselves but the gate agents were unhelpful and rude to the boys who are both a little shy in these situations. One gate agent told me that I had to consolidate my carryons because my purse put me over the limit. Each child had one carryon as did my husband which actually put us three under the limit as a whole but she insisted that someone else carry one of my bags onto the plane. The flight attendants were either unable to deal with the unruly, loud and obnoxious or just didn't care. They had security meet one man at the gate and interrogate him as we all walked up the gateway. The planes were dirty and probably the most cramped I have ever been on.

I am going to write a letter to Delta but I am almost afraid they are going to offer me an incentive to fly with them again. I don't want to. EVER.

I do believe venting is good for the soul, I feel much better now. Thanks.

 

[chucknrita]

Wow, where did you fly from? We usually fly Continental but Delta had lower rates for December so that's what we booked. Anyone have any good things to say about Delta?

 

[Muffy]

Sorry you had a abad experience with delta. We always fly delta and have not had anything bad happen. I think you should write them!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

I love Delta. Of course, I have NEVER encountered what the OP has. The weather you cannot help, the FA's can only go so far with obnoxious passengers, they cannot eject them. Obviously they could not control them because if they could have they would not have had security at the other end.
I am sad to hear the plane was dirty, cramped, well that seems to be the way of air travel these days.
The gate attendants have to follow the rules, silly as it may seem, they have to restrict what you bring on board. If not, someone without family with them will try the same thing. You know "monkey see, monkey do". Or......they may be "shopped" and loose their job.

but the gate agents were unhelpful and rude to the boys who are both a little shy in these situations.

Not sure what happened here, but, no excuse for rude.

Personally, I love Delta and have been flying with them for years, in fact, they are my number one pick behind SWA.

 

[DaisyDebbie]

I agree about being cramped on Delta. Last time I flew them to MCO I had all my garbage in front of me for so long that I decided to throw it out myself. Found the flight attendants sitting all the way in the back reading the paper. When I told them I wanted to throw the stuff in my hand away. They told me to throw it in the galley. Then went back to reading their paper. Not much smiliing the whole trip either.

 

[peg2001]

SSSneezy,

So sorry you had such trouble on your Delta flights. Once some time has passes, you may want to try them again, if their rates and schedules suit your needs. I wouldn't write them off completely based on one bad experience.

When the weather gets bad, schedules get delayed, passengers get uphappy, snippy, and oftentimes, downright rude to the airline employees. The employees are so used to this that they probably get unhappy, snippy, and rude themselves as soon as the weather starts turning bad.

Go ahead and write a letter to Delta, provide as much detail as you can concerning who was rude or unhelpful and ASK for something in compensation, of course only if you would consider flying Delta again. I asked for, and received, an upgrade coupon when I complained about a rude flight attendent.

I hope your future flights (on any airline) are a vast improvement.

Peggy

 

[Tess]

We fly Delta, and it's partner airlines, from Toledo to MCO with stops in Atlanta or Cincinnati. We've also flown Delta from Detroit without a connecting. We have had really great experiences. The only negative I recall is this year while connecting in Atlanta on our return. A gate agent with attitude to spare. . .while she annoyed me intensely and seemed to be on some sort of power trip--it didn't sour the many good experiences I've had with Delta.

 

[bpesch]

I hate to admit it, but I have to agree with the negative things said about Delta. In the past year or so, I have flown with them several times, and it seems like the service overall has really dropped in quality. I just got through writing a letter to the corporate office giving them my two cents worth on the state of Delta in general. It's really a shame, I used to use them all the time, but lately, I try to avoid Delta whenever possible.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I love Delta, but if you feel there were problems with the flight staff, then I would write a professional letter. I had problems with contract employees when a flight was cancelled (not true Delta employees, this was an international flight originating in another country, and Delta sometimes uses contract employees). While I know that the mechanical was beyong Delta's control, and believe me I did not want to be flying over the Atlantic with an iffy aircraft, the situation was not handled properly and resulted in an additional overnight stay.

Delta has excellent customer service. Please let it know of your experience. I received a wonderful, non-form letter back and two vouchers for $250 each (remember this was an international flight and these weren't even TRUE Delta employees). Of all the airlines I have traveled on, Delta has a loyal customer out of me now.

 

[SSSneezy]

Well, my brain has kind of cleared up today and I kind of wish I had just kept my opinions to myself. But since I shot my keyboard off...

We have flown Delta quite often before and I don't recall anything bad before and I don't recall anything really good either. The thing that upset me the most was the gate agents and the flight attendant's attitudes. It was that "I'm so bored and your bothering me" or "I'm the one in control and I'm the one who is going to tell you what to do, how to do it, when to do it", etc.

Flying these days is stessful enough with all the extra security and the extra fears. I would think that if the airlines want my money they would make sure that their employees did everything they could to make the experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Maybe venting isn't so good for the soul.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

SSSneezy
Venting is very good for the soul, and I didn't read anything here that would suggest you made an error venting here.
I think most of us were very supportive of you in your bad flight.

I'm the one in control and I'm the one who is going to tell you what to do, how to do it, when to do it", etc.

The unfortunate thing is, they are in control in the sky, but, they don't have to have an attitude to go with the job.
I am sorry you had a bad time, but, I am more sorry you read the helpful folks here the wrong way. They were merely pointing out that not all Delta flights are bad.

 

[SSSneezy]

Gail, I didn't take offense to anything said here. I meant that the more constructive thing for me to do would have been to write Delta directly and not rant here.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

SSSneezy,
Nah, sometimes it is better to rant first. At least for me. I tend to make more sense afterwards.