[DoctorDave]

I sympathize with those of you experiencing delays and poor customer service. I just returned from a quick trip from Baltimore to New Orleans and back and personally experienced poor customer service, multiple delays and condescending comments from Delta staff.

Short story - Departed New Orleans on 7/22 at 8:30 AM for a trip to Baltimore with a stop in Atlanta. Connection from Atlanta should have departed at 1:05, arriving in Baltimore at 2:45. Trip to Atlanta with no consequences. There begins the travel travesty.

Gate changed in Atlanta several times as did the ultimate departure time. Finally boarded at 3:15 PM. Arguably a delay that you take in stride. That said, the entire Terminal B was a madhouse, with Delta cancelling and changing gates for multiple flights with alarming frequency and either unwillling or unable to communicat the root cause of the delays. Note that there was not a cloud or weather event on teh East Coast today.

Upon arriving in Baltimore two and a half hours late, we were informed that the gate was occupied and that we would have to wait for the current plane to depart prior to approaching. 30+ minutes later we arrive at a gate to find at least five gates empty surrounding us. Is this airline only capable of managing a single gate at one of their hubs? We were ultiamtely told that safety was Delta's primary concernt and that their delays were based on the need to keep us safe. BS!

I know this is not the worst experience that airline travelers have had with Delta of late and I appreciate the opportunity to vent. That said, I will do whatever I can to avoid another trip on this third rate carrier.

Communications, competency, and accountability. All lacking across the Delta enterprise today.