[tarnoff]

On Monday, July 19, I tried to print my boarding passes before leaving for the airport. On the first leg of my trip, my boarding pass printed, but I no longer had the seat assignment I had selected when I purchased the ticket. On the second leg, the computer message said to see an agent. I tried to call Delta, but they were not taking phone calls.

I arrived at the airport and stood in a line at the main counter with 4 other people. A Delta agent came over to us and told us bruskly that we were standing on the wrong side of the ribbon separating the line. Though it seemed to make no difference on which side of the ribbon we were standing, we moved over anyway. When the same agent returned to behind the counter and appeared to be finished with another passenger, I--being next in line--approached the counter. He looked up and said, "Did I call you?" I said "no." He said, "Get back in line until I call you!" What ever happened to common courtesy? It would have been just as easy for him to say, "Please return to the line and I'll call you in a moment."

At the gate, I showed the the Delta agent my first boarding pass--which had no seat assignment. He said to wait until he called me. He never did. When the announcement was made that all passengers should have boarded, I approached the desk and he gave me my boarding passes. Come on, Delta! Get it together. For $250, I can be treated with a little courtesy and respect.

[jimworcs]

It is the Delta way... the only alternative is to select other carriers. Delta will not change.

[DoctorDave]

I too experience their wrath recently. Departing from Baltimore on a 6:00 AM flight, i had troouble with the kiosk. I approached an agent. Two visibly standing doing nothing, and asked for help. She directed me to a "Special Assistance" line, where I stood for a few minutes only to see her help random customers. I approached her and asked why I was being somewhat ostracized - I dont know when checking in became a special service. She redirected me to queue I was in. Moments later, another agent asked if there were any travelers for my flight. I was the only one and she began to issue my a boarding pass with the following commentary - "I'm only helping you because we need to get the flight off the ground", followed by a commentary on her unanticipated stress levels at that time of the morning.

WTF? I had a problem, I asked for help, I was directed to a "special" queue, I asked for clarification, I was "rescued" by someone not interested in assisting a customer, but instead more concerned with packing customers into the plane. I get the operatinoal aspect of this. Get people on planes and fly them to their destination. That said, treat me like crap and I have no incentive to utilize your services in the future.

[jimworcs]

Delta has a toxic, anti-passenger culture. The complaints are endemic, consistent and spread throughtout their network. The only thing that will change their behaviour is a break up of the monopoly hubs. In the meantime, all you can do is stop using them.

[idahovandals1986]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

Delta has a toxic, anti-passenger culture. The complaints are endemic, consistent and spread throughtout their network. The only thing that will change their behaviour is a break up of the monopoly hubs. In the meantime, all you can do is stop using them.

Wow instead of saying they have one bad employee or the customer is exaggerating their experience you just jump right on the crazy train to nowhere land. The day Delta flies everywhere I will say they have a monopoly but currently there are several airlines who corner different parts of the world. So stop sipping your beer and grow up.

[jimworcs]

Idaho...
Another opportunity to make yourself look stupid and you took it. You have no idea what you are talking about...

[idahovandals1986]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

Idaho...
Another opportunity to make yourself look stupid and you took it. You have no idea what you are talking about...

Here's your chance, please explain how Delta is a monopoly. They are suddenly the only airline anyone can fly?

[The_Judge]

idaho.....Jim has explained his position on this before. Do a search since it seems you've just found this site.

Also, IF you work for an airline, you are required to register that. Find that link yourself too.

[jimworcs]

Here you go Idaho... although I am pretty sure you are not interested in any kind of debate. I havn't translated this into American English, so not sure you will find that acceptable.. but here is my position on a monopoly...

Monopoly power does not mean that there is no competition. However, it does mean that the barriers to entry for any new competitor are such that competition is severly limited. Delta has such a huge position at ATL, to compete effectively any entrant would have to be able to offer the high number of time options, connections, etc that Delta do. The cost of entry to achieve this is so high, and their lock on favourable leases and gates so strong, that this is prohibitive. This is the very meaning of a fortress hub. Therefore, competitive airlines instead compete at the margins.. low costs targeting leisure travellers where timings are less important or point to point competition on heavy routes. There is no substantive competitor to Delta at ATL.

Let us look at another example. In the bilateral agreement between the EU and DOT relating to access to London Heathrow, the stalling point was access by other carriers to LHR slots. The US DOT argued that BA operated a monopoly position at Heathrow which acted as a deterrent to entry for any carrier, as the launch costs and through traffic limited the capacity of other carriers to compete effectively. They required BA to relinquish slots and open the access to any carrier as part of the extension of Open Skies. BA had 41% of the slots at LHR in 2009. As a point of comparison, Delta in 2009 carried 73% of the passengers travelling via ATL.

So, before you respond calling me stupid, ignorant or object to my vernacular lets just be clear. This is not just my definition of monopoly, but one used by the US DOT in relation to market share of airlines at a hub airport. Pretty specific definition before you reach for wikipedia.