[danamerrt]

Returning home from Navy graduation, we flew Delta Airlines flt#5599 (2:15pm but it was late),on July 13, 2010 (Tuesday) from Milwaukee, WI with a connection in Atlanta, GA to San Jose, CA.

We boarded Flt 5599 to Atlanta. Due to the weather we were notified that we were circling for our turn to land. However, the pilot announced that we were low on fuel and would have to be diverted to Augusta, GA to refuel. We landed in Augusta, and were allowed inside while the airplane refueled.

However, when we reboarded the plaen we were told that the fuel truck would not refuel until the fire truck showed up. We sat briefly in the plane and waited. Eventually, this was done, and we proceeded for take off towards Atlanta, GA. Once in the air, and with in a short amount of time, we were told that there were too many planes waiting (weather has cleared), that the pilots had too many hours, and we were being returned to Augusta, GA.

Once back in the Augusta Terminal, we watched the pilots and crewmembers walk out of the terminal with their luggage. Delta brought in another plane that would only carry 50 of the 72 passengers, and proceeded to fly them to Atlanta. This process took hours to complete. By this time our 7:15 flight out of Atlanta, GA has been missed and changed to the 10:54pm flight.

It is now 11:30pm, we have not had anything to eat for over 12 hours, and the Delta Representative has consistently been telling the remaining 22 passengers to "wait 15 more minutes, just be patient." Eventually, we were told that we were going to be put up in a hotel at Delta's expense, along with vouchers to get us to/from the airport. My husband and I were given a room at the Georgia Inn (4 total rooms), and there were 7 rooms at the America's Best Value Inn for the remaining passengers.

At 12:30am, we were shuttle to the worst hotel I have ever imagined could exist. First, there was no key for the room. The manager/owner was going to have to let us in every time we needed it. As we walked to our room, there was rat feces along the walkway (we were on the second floor), beer cans and cigarette butts littered through out. The smell of urine, both human and animal, permeated everything. It was absolutely nauseating. This was outside, and to be honest, the inside was the same. The rooms were 90 degrees with the air conditioner running, stains throughout the carpet (huge), and the smell of urine and cigarettes were in the room (it is suppose to be non-smoking).

We called the shuttle to take us back to the airport.

Once back at the airport (now about 3:30am), we were notified that we were not scheduled to leave Augusta, GA until Thursday at 5pm. We ended up finishing Wednesday morning at the airport until I was able to make a reservation at the Fairfield Inn, and get the shuttle.

I did contact Delta during this time, and was told that our flight was coded as an act of nature, and that we had no recourse for the costs we incurred. This would have been believable except that we were told that the pilots were done flying, as well as the other plane was brought in to fly 50 of the passengers out of Augusta to Atlanta. Truth is Delta brought in a smaller plane. This was the worst experience I have ever had in traveling. We should have been home Tuesday night at 9:15 pm, and instead we were home Thursday night at 10pm. Then the drive to our home, put us in at 3:30am.

The cost we incurred because of Delta was high between the additional lost days of work (two days for each), the hotel for Wed night, food, the trauma of the Dirty Delta Inspired Hotel. It was a nightmare. Once home, I emailed Delta and complained, and have complained to Consumer Affairs. Delta hasn't responded. The reality is the trip is over, the money spent, and I don't expect much from Delta. My lesson is I will NEVER fly Dirty Delta again. Definetly gets a thumbs down from me.

[jimworcs]

Delta are appalling. I hope you took pictures of that filthy fleapit Delta expected you to stay in. The have nothing but contempt for their customers and frankly, I can't imagine why anyone would choose to fly with them. It may be worth filing with the DOT.. but they are almost certainly going to blame the weather... you will probably do better to chalk it up to experience and NEVER fly with them again.

[cortney]

they wont do anything due to this being a weather problem. i flew into PHL on july 13 and had to circle for over an hour and missed my connection to munich and to leipzig because of it and had to be rerouted to to frankfurt then leipzig all due to weather (took us over an hour to get rebooked at the usairways counter). i dont see what the DOT can do since it was weather related but you can try