Delta often leaves baggage behind
 

I am a loyal Delta customer and a Platinum Medallion member. I enjoy flying Delta however the manner in which my bags have been treated leaves me disappointed and in search of solutions for better service. My bags have been delayed and not loaded on planes on several occasions and I have been informed "due to weight and balance limitations". I understand and accept this rationale especially on Delta Connection flights. However, are platinum medallion bags not given priority over other luggage that is loaded on their planes? On each occasion, I was the only one on the flight who was left at the baggage claim waiting on bags that never arrived. Coincidentally, I was the only one who boarded the plane during the Medallion loading period. Perhaps this elite status is a curse :) Is there a protocol that Delta baggage staff follow when ascertaining which bags are loaded and which are held back for a future flight? Both of my bags have a Platinum Medallion baggage tag - this of course seems rather meaningless. This has happened to me now twice within 10 days and I'm not sure what I should do with my baggage on future travel. I emailed Delta the first time and they were kind enough to reply with a generic "delayed/lost baggage regret" letter. I have now emailed again in the hopes that someone in their Customer Service Department will respond to my specific questions and a remedy for Medallion members when checking their luggage. Anyone else have any ideas or similar experiences???

Try flying another airline... Delta have gone deaf to customers.

I don't fly Delta often, but would be not be happy to have my non-Medallion status bag left off because it wasn't Medallion and make me more likely not to use them again in future

Talk about frustration
 

When I worked for AA and was responsible for getting the flight out, sometimes things seemed within control. I would type in the number of bags, number of passengers and voila, the flight is good to go. Then as I confirm my authorization that things are good, their is a change. Suddenly, my flight is overweight. The weight and balance computer is fickle, or perhaps the dispatcher changed the fuel order at the last second for safety. Who knows.... Used to be, we were able to "manually" calculate the flight ahead of time to know exactly how much fuel, how many passengers, and number of bags to take. That changed to an "automatic" system which I hated and made my job much harder.

When the flight is suddenly overweight, something has to go. I have removed passengers (but that creates even more problems if the passenger is not able to make their destination). And then their is the question of who do I remove? We are supposed to remove those with the cheapest tickets or the ones who checked in last. But going by the book just adds minutes to the delay.

I found that bags are best to remove. I hate to admit it too. Usually the heaviest bags were first then the ones that were easiest to grab. It took too much time to dig and find specific bags and the timing of the delay with connecting passengers was very important to me.

My advice: pack light. Or avoid checking a bag if possible. Write the DOT. File a formal complaint. Airlines need to be managed better and as long as people are buying tickets with these airlines, the airlines will continue with the dismal service.

I actually think this is a safety problem that highlights holes in airline security. The idea that they can't track a bag means that a lot of things could get shipped that shouldn't

It is not a hole in the sercurity. All bags are checked by TSA before they even enter the system. Therefore, while the bags get left behind, placed on a flight to Tibet, lost and flying random aircraft for the reminder of time, ect., it has already cleared security and has been deemed "safe".

While I still don't understand why carriers don't scan and track their bags like FedEX, DHL, and the other do. I don't buy the airlines position of "the cost of the system".

You might be right about how the bags have cleared security but in my humble experience incompetence breeds incompetence.

While the cost of the system itself might not be an issue, the added time to scan bags at each point along the way is. If every bag was scanned as it was loaded on the aircraft turnaround times (the time at which the aircraft arrives at a gate until it pushes back for the next flight) could easily double. Southwest has remained profitable for many reasons, one of which is one of the shortest turn times in the industry.

it sounds like expecting to bring baggage on a trip is a thing of the past. I've heard more stories than I ever expected to hear. Not just in this forum.

Not loading or delivering baggage as promised
 

On a direct flight from SLC to FAT, Delta decides not to load my suitcase on the plane, but does load my skiis and boot bag. What do you think I needed more??? Next time give me a choice if you are going to purposely leave my bags behind!!! Then do not promise a next day delivery when it will be 2 days or the location I request, when it will be the location you want to deliver the bags. You decide after 8pm to deliver the bags to my work instead of my home that I had requested. When I ask for the simple refund of $40 you say NO. Now I know why I and many others have decided to stop traveling. You ruin what would have been a great vacation and I would have done again! NOW I will never fly with Delta again, too Risky!!!