Recently, I took a flight on Delta Airlines originating from Dulles. When my wife and I checked in, I told the Delta agent that I wanted my frequent flyer miles credited to my Alaska Air Mileage Partner Account. I knew that Delta and Alaska Air were partners, b/c I checked it when I booked the flight.
The agent, in a super nice way, informed me that Alaska was not a Sky Miles Partner, pointed to the sign behind here with some airlines that were partners. She said that “our partners change frequently, Alaska may have been a partner in the past but those are our only partners now (and referred me again to the sign behind her).”
Two other times during the conversation, I suggested that Alaska was a Delta partner, and she said they weren’t (in an incredibly friendly way).
So, she signed me up for a new Delta Sky Miles frequent flyer mile plan. This took a good 10 minutes.
We get on the plane and I look at the In-Flight Magazine and sure enough, it is plastered with evidence that the two were partners, like I suggested to that agent.
When I get off in Atlanta to make a connection, I inquire at the ticket counter, and that Delta Agent says, sure Alaska Air is our partner and you could have credited your Alaska mileage plan with this international flight. The agent said, if the other agent would have just looked at the screen than she would have seen it. It’s right here. So I ask her to credit the rest of my trip to Alaska and she says she can’t. Apparently, once a trip is started you can’t change who the mileage gets credited to. That is, until afterward when I can fax a bunch of crap into this special number. Time wasted to this point = 25 minutes of my time and Delta’s.
So we give up and do some shopping in the terminal. My wife asks me why we don’t ask somebody else at another Delta counter and see what they say. That agent says, sure you can change it now. I’ll do it for you. And it takes her at least 10 minutes of button pushing, but she says it worked. I wont’ truly know until I get home. Heck - she may have messed everything up and deducted miles from my Alaska account.
All in all, i probably waited for 45 minutes and took 30 minutes of Delta agents’ time for this. If the original agent would have just looked at her stupid screen none of this would have happened.
The moral of the story is that, if you’re in customer service and a customer tells you in a polite and seemingly informed way that they know something about your company - three times, you might want to at least check and verify who is right.
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Delta needs to screen crappy stewardess for prejudicial and personal issues when dealing a racially diverse population. I am a 67 year old African American who should not have to buy an expensive plane ticket to be segregated against as I was on Flight 936 from Atlanta to Connecticut on July 19, 2007 at 6 p.m. A 40-50 year old blond, sandy haired stewardess complained to the captain about my Jamaican husband who was abusing her. He is mixed French, looks white and was waiting his turn to use the restroom. He said nothing to her. What is wrong with that woman? If she is afraid of people of color or does not like them, she should not be working for an already troubled airline industry.
Andrea Bryan on July 23rd, 2007 at 12:43 pm | Link
Delta airlines indeed sucks! I had my share of problem with them;
I flew Delta from San Juan via Atlanta to N.Y. Laguadia on the 27th Oct. at 4.10pm flight. When I reach home I found all my clothings soak so wet it has water dripping from it. Looks like they did not protect my luggage when it was raining heavily in San Juan. Not only that while waiting to get on my flight. I saw Delta baggage handler throwing luggages in the bin like garbage bags. Beside I shared a bag with my traveling companion. It was 64 Kilos and they ask us to pay $55 for extra baggage. I argued we could have 2 bags at 50 kilos and weight 100 kilos without paying. They don’t barge so I transfered some items into my hand luggage and have that checked in too. In the end the 2 bags weights 86 Kilos more then before but I don’t have to pay a cent. What a stupid rule. Meanwhile I had video the baggage handler throwing bags, that and will put it up at UTUBE as soon as I am ready. I will never recommend or fly this airline again.
Ong on October 28th, 2007 at 8:43 pm | Link
Back in August of 2007, I was in Seattle for a flight back to New York. It was Delta flight 1893. We were getting our luggage checked, and the first bag that was weighed was about 20 pounds overweight. Fine. We figured we could repack into the four other bags that we had, but no. The agent checked the other four bags, then told us the one bag was overweight. She couldn’t have told us that sooner BEFORE the other four bags were checked? Needless to say, I had to carry 20 pounds of stuff with my hands in addition to the carry-on luggage I had AND my grandpa’s carry-on luggage. Not an enticing prospect.
Kevin on November 8th, 2008 at 5:16 pm | Link
Delta has clueless customer service agents. A friend and I just returned from a trip where we missed our connecting flight because the agent at the desk told us that we had a least 10 minutes to use the rest room before boarding. Great, we come out 5 minutes later and the the plane is boarded and sealed. We begged to get on, but no way because now we are told that we must be on board 15 minutes prior to departure. Thanks alot Delta….we got to re-book but at a $50 charge per person. Nice way to collect a few more dollars Delta!!! Their Corporate Customer service center apologized to me this morning but would not refund our money. However, they will allow my friend to make a claim for her damaged luggage.
Karen on November 17th, 2008 at 9:58 am | Link
Recently I was notified of the imminent cancellation of 47,000 miles from Delta Skymiles. Two days before the deadline i looked to find something I could do or buy to meet their activity requirements. I ended up buying flowers from Teleflora even though I really didn’t want them. You can imagine how pissed I was to have paid so much for over-priced flowers and STILL lose the 47,000 miles! It seems that there was delay in posting the credit (no delay posting on my credit card) and they said essentially sorry but we don’t make exceptions….exceptions???? I am responsible for their book keeping delays???
I have sent all the necessary documentation to Delta both by email (about 1 week turn around), by mail and by phone.
I was told by one agent that I can get the miles back by going to the website and buying them (either they think I am incredibly stupid or they just like to piss you off). I will find out the monetary value of the miles and file in Small Claims Court to recover if all else fails, but then I want the cash to take to another airline.
Barry Fitzgerald on June 29th, 2009 at 11:01 pm | Link
I spent the morning dealing with Delta SkyMiles becuase I earned silver Medallion but for some reason my account was not updated. One agent was extremely rude and treated me like I was an idiot. She refused to share her name, the next agent (when I called back) told me I don’t have the status becuase its only updated once per year so I have to wait until next year?!? The last agent I spoke with was nice and said I should have the status, she does not know why it was not updated but that she could do nothing. Meanwhile, I have been flying these guys back and forth on international flights, they told me I could not upgrade on those, tonight I fly domestic, they can not help me there either??? I should have just continued to use AirTran..
Leor on July 12th, 2009 at 8:16 am | Link
The following is a letter that I have sent Delta via email as well as the good ole traditional physical letter….
I would like to address what I’ve seeen as a deterioration of service with Delta Airlines over the last year. There have been many instances of this that I care not bring up until now. I have been requesting missing mileage for a flight taken back on September 19th and I absolutely requested said mileage WITHIN the 30 days alloted by Delta. I received a reply stating that the “miles HAVE BEEN posted to my account and will reflect on my account within 24 hours” - and that was on October 4th. After 15 DAYS - I contacted Delta AGAIN to request miles that SHOULD HAVE POSTED (I emphasize “should have” because that was YOUR response to my ORIGINAL request) WITHIN 24 hours of my original request (October 4th) which NEVER posted. Guess what Delta’s response was to that SECOND attempt ? It was that you were “behind” and that I should allow 5-6 days to have this worked on….what no one seems to recognize is that YOU ALREADY stated that miles HAVE BEEN POSTED and SHOULD REFLECT WITHIN 24 HOURS and that was again, back on October 4th. I have taken exactly 16 segments SINCE June of this year (that’s 16 segments in 5 months) and I have experienced misinformation up to and including a flight where I was SUPPOSED to travel with my pet as checked baggage that ended up being a DISASTER. I was even issued a $100.00 travel credit for that experience and I thought that my bad “run” with Delta was done…..but alas, I’m STILL dealing with this issue. Can a HUMAN there verify my flight information and get this resolved as I have many more flights to be taken and this has definitely caused me to rethink who the carrier will be for those flights ! Here’s the kicker though….After being a Delta EMPLOYEE for 12.5 YEARS and excelling at every position I served (including 8 years in Reservations as not only a Skymiles Service Agent, but also for 4 years as an International Partners Awards Desk and as an International Sales agent) I reapplied AFTER accepting a severance package and I get an email back saying I didn’t meet the BASIC criteria for a frontline Domestic Res Agent ? ? ? ? I won’t even have to mention approximately 72 letters of commendation of my service from satisfied passengers (Feather In Your Cap awards) with my time in RESERVATIONS so it’s safe to say that I know a “fair amount” of about how the Skymiles desk operates as well as Delta’s expectation of service - and I HAVE NOT SEEN IT. I’m not sure why the service has gone downhill but I’m glad it wasn’t this way DURING my 12.5 years of service with Delta. Can someone that still knows a bit about good service get this worked on ? This is my 3rd attempt after being MOST patient so I think it’s about time Delta get back to being the Delta I knew and enjoyed working for - for over 12 years and get my flights posted ? I’ll usually end any “request” correspondence with a “thank you” but this has been everything but a thankful experience - I’m seriously at a point of ending my correspondence (as far as Delta is concerned) with ” A PASSENGER HOPEFULLY WISHING AND WAITING THAT THIS WILL BE A FAVORABLE EXPERIENCE HANDLED IN WHAT SHOULD BE A NORMAL AMOUNT OF TIME - BUT EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT’S A BIG HOPE” with my signature….
DeMitt Rutledge
p.s. I can attach the entire email thread regarding this issue if need be.
Yep - that’s it….I do realize that my complaint isn’t as serious as others but it further reinforces there is a serious problem with Delta and that it has to be addressed…..
DeMitt Rutledge on October 23rd, 2009 at 10:56 am | Link
I have worked as a customer relations sup at a major airlines. I have learned passengers dont tell the whole story (in most cases). I was once told by a woman that the attendants and gate agents were rude. They split her and her daughter up when they had asigned seats. She even said that one agent even grabbed her. I went into the record and read the notes from agents and security. The woman got into a fist fight with her daughter and had to be pulled apart. They let them fly but they could not sit next to each other.
Others allways try “I was denied boarding!!!” I will then check the record and see they tried to check in 5 minutes before here flight—-HELLO!! you were late.
So when you read these forums try to read between the lines.
There are truthfull customers out there and for them I will do anything in my power to correct a wrong.
Cindy on June 15th, 2010 at 11:07 pm | Link