[Chrissy]

I purchased two round trip tickets from Toronto, Ontario (YYZ) to Georgetown, Guyana (GEO) with a stopover at New York (JFK). The purchase was made through a Delta Telephone Agent over the phone for my mother and I. From Toronto, we were to leave at 4:00 p.m. on Dec.1st to JFK and then board another Delta flight to Guyana and depart at 1:10 a.m. on Dec. 2nd.

Here is what happened on December 1st. When attempting to check-in at 2:30 p.m. at YYZ, the check-in clerk asked for the Visa card used to purchase the plane tickets. I did not have that Visa card as we were not told by Delta staff at the time of booking that this was required at check-in (nor is it stated on their web site). The check-in clerk advised us that she would have her supervisor see us in order for us to check in. We waited until 3:30 p.m. for the supervisor who did not show up. When we approached counter staff again to find out the whereabouts of their supervisor, our questions were not answered with the exception of telling us that we missed the required check in time, and therefore would not be allowed to board the flight to JFK even if the supervisor came.

We were then advised the next flight to JFK was scheduled for the following morning. This was not an option as we could have missed our connection flight to GEO. Had that supervisor shown up promptly the whole ensuing fiasco could have been avoided.

At this point, I took a taxi home at 4:00 p.m. to retrieve my Visa card and to book another flight going to JFK (with American Airlines) to catch my connection flight to Guyana (GEO).

After taking another taxi back to the airport and checking in at 5 p.m. with American Airlines, we were told by Delta staff that our connecting Delta flight to GEO was cancelled as we missed our original flight to JFK, and would therefore have to pay a fee to rebook the connection flight. Since our flight was leaving shortly, I did not dispute the fee and provided my Visa card to the Delta check-in staff to process the charges while the American Airlines flight waited on us.

After half an hour, we were still at the Delta check-in counter waiting on the fees to be processed by Delta. As a result, the American Airlines flight could no longer wait for us seeing that we had already missed their required check-in time, and our reservation with their flight was cancelled. American Airlines graciously voided our Visa charge seeing our situation. At this point, the supervisor finally came (6 p.m.) and booked us with a Continental Airlines flight going to Newark (EWR). This flight happened to have been delayed a few hours, and this was the only reason we were able to make it to New York to catch our connecting flight to GEO.

Upon arrival at Newark Airport at 9:44 p.m., we claimed our baggage and took the hour-long ride by taxi to John F. Kennedy Airport where our connection flight to Georgetown, Guyana (GEO) was departing from at 1:10 a.m. (check in time was 11:10 p.m.)--which we barely made it in time for.

This entire situation could have been avoided had our issue been simply dealt with right away instead of being told to wait for a supervisor who did not show up until it was too late. My mother and I are both deeply disappointed with how we were treated by Delta staff. Needless to say, the cost of purchasing extra plane tickets and taking taxis while trying to catch out flight to GEO is ridiculous, and the amount of stress caused by that whole fiasco should never be placed on any passenger. Below are all the extra costs I faced because of Delta staff:

1. Taxi to go home and retrieve Visa card to purchase another flight - $60
2. Delta’s flight cancellation charges – $608.10
3. Continental Airlines flight to EWR – $469.82
4. Extra baggage charge from Continental Airlines since their baggage allowance was less than Delta – $40
5. Taxi to John F. Kennedy Airport from Newark Airport – $120



I am currently attempting to get Delta to reimburse me for these extra charges, and I only can hope they improve the training of their check-in staff.

[jimworcs]

If it is true that you were not told that you needed your Visa Card and it is not on their website, then this is disgraceful and I recommend that you consider filing a claim in the smalls claims court and reporting this to the Department of Transport.

[Suga00]

I'm not sure why you weren't told at booking that the card would be required, but it is stated on the website that the card may have to be shown at check-in. The best advise I could give you or anyone traveling internationally is always carry the card with you or if someone else is purchasing the ticket please have them go to the nearest airport/ticket office to have the card verified. Without verification many airlines computer systems will NOT allow the agent to check you in. Also with the high rate of fraud happening its a hassle but it is the best way to keep people from using fake card numbers to travel, and trust me it does happen almost daily that a person is caught for fraudulent card use. I'm not sure if delta will reimburse you for your expenses since you weren't told over the phone, but here is what it says on their website:

Credit Card Presentation

To safeguard against credit card fraud, the purchaser may have to show us the credit card along with a valid photo ID. The time varies based on the billing address of the credit card or the country of travel. If the purchaser is not traveling, they can show us their credit card and ID at an airport ticket counter or another ticket office location, whichever is most convenient.
http://www.delta.com/planning_reserv...ions/index.jsp

[Samiam]

Originally Posted by Suga00

I'm not sure why you weren't told at booking that the card would be required, but it is stated on the website that the card may have to be shown at check-in. The best advise I could give you or anyone traveling internationally is always carry the card with you or if someone else is purchasing the ticket please have them go to the nearest airport/ticket office to have the card verified. Without verification many airlines computer systems will NOT allow the agent to check you in. Also with the high rate of fraud happening its a hassle but it is the best way to keep people from using fake card numbers to travel, and trust me it does happen almost daily that a person is caught for fraudulent card use. I'm not sure if delta will reimburse you for your expenses since you weren't told over the phone, but here is what it says on their website:

Credit Card Presentation

To safeguard against credit card fraud, the purchaser may have to show us the credit card along with a valid photo ID. The time varies based on the billing address of the credit card or the country of travel. If the purchaser is not traveling, they can show us their credit card and ID at an airport ticket counter or another ticket office location, whichever is most convenient.
http://www.delta.com/planning_reserv...ions/index.jsp

I would hope that if Delta does not allow a prearranged ticket flier to fly b/c of concerns that it was a stolen card, that they did not approve, they will not charge the card holder. If it was a stolen card it would equal no charge. Instead they stopped the legal ticket holder from flying.

I am a therapist now & previousely worked as a retail manager, I understand checking credit cards. I have seen a lot of scamming in my day & I thank people when they ask for my credit card. (whether at the airport, the gas station, or the grocery store). However, I would have been completely surprised & disappointed at the airport, as many relatives/friends buy tickets for each other.

Ouch, sorry

[jimworcs]

So what difference does it make?

The major failings here remain with the airline. Firstly, if the ticket was purchased over the phone, Delta should have told them over the phone to bring the card. Having the notice on their website is no use to anyone. There are many people who still do not have access to the web. The further problem is the way Delta dealt with this customer at the airport. There was no sense of urgency to assist this customer and the attitude of the staff towards them is consistent with many other messages on this site. Disgraceful.

[stella]

Dear Delta, I want to report Catherine W (welter?) at MSP airport check-in counter! And the rest of your incompetent staff who worked Friday morning Sept. 24th and are incompetent in u.s. visa rules for entrance to Kosovo. (by the way, Catherin W. (welter?) was not helpful at all to my colleague (on a flight from MSP-JFK-IST….and then a connecting flight on Turkish airlines sept. 25th to prishtina..which she missed because of DELTA and its insistence after ONE HOUR of negotiations to check her in—but only put her bag to IST which she had to claim and then she missed her flight!!!!!!
Once again you have proved your absolute rude customer service and incompetence! On May 31, I had to buy a ticket out of pristina, Kosovo (prn) within 90 days because delta said I needed a visa to enter Kosovo. Kosovo does not HAVE visas…and so does not require them from ANYONE from ANYWHERE in the world. You have completely mis-read all state department documents..what is it your staff cannot comprehend?????? I went through hell…bought a RT ticket within a 90 day period and promptly cancelled it upon arrival in 24 hours. THEN you apologized to me, and credited my acct. 10,000 miles as some silly form of compensation.
Now, my colleague flying on miles to Istanbul..was REFUSED boarding for this same FALSE reason. How can Kosovo provide a visa when it does not have GLOBAL recognition and does not HAVE visas. The most Americans need is a local ID card from the prishtina police department…and ONLY if we stay longer than 90 days. Other than that, NO papers, visas or anything is required.
Now my colleague was finally given approval to board to Istanbul. There, she will likely miss her connecting flight on Turkish airlines due to the fact she has to collect her luggage delta would ONLY check thru to Istanbul, and then check in at Turkish airlines for her flight to prishtina.
YOUR staff could not, in msp, even find Kosovo on a MAP! Or find the airport code of PRN and yet the u.s. has an embassy here! And as an American citizen who lives and works in Kosovo on a government mission and who flies on Delta often…I am ready to post this widely on the internet and avoid delta when ever possible in the future. You have made this mistake about Kosovo before, and you are completely inept by claiming some state. Dept. rule. The bottom line is that your staff are incompetent in allowing international travelers to fly to Kosovo..which the U.S. supports greatly by the way, diplomatically…and you have caused great stress to me and my colleague now only wishing to board, rightfully, her flights to Kosovo…where NO visa is required or even available!!!!! Kosovo does not ISSUE visas..period! or require them of anyone. I just had a colleague fly from Kyrgyzstan here with NO trouble…no need for visas. I called the ministry of interior to double check and they laughed and said, “we don’t require visas for anyone…everyone is welcome to come to Kosovo.” What do you NOT get about this????????
What are you going to do about this????? My u.s. colleagues who live and work here and who fly other airlines laugh at this repeated story because no other u.s. carrier does this..it seems to be a DELTA problem…and I seem to be the only person I know experiencing this!!!!!!!!!!!
Further, the inconsistency between my may 31st troubles…because delta said I was not on a return ticket in 90 days..so I bought a ticket just to please delta, and then cancelled when I landed in Kosovo!!!!! Now my colleague, who is here only 10 days was denied completely for NO reason! Which is it, 90 days or NOT? And even regardless you are mistaken on this rule.
I want compensation!!!!!! I used 90,000 miles for my colleague’s ticket to Istanbul. I want significant compensation for having to buy a later departure ticket on Turkish airlines..since she now missed her connecting flight in Istanbul to prishtina because of DELTA’s mistake. I also want compensation for the extensive time on the phone long distance to delta customer service, and to my colleague who was being denied boarding. ALSO, she repeatedly asked for her passport and was not given it for a LONG time and she, as an American Citizen, cannot have her passport withheld from her by an airline when she asks for it.
check my skymiles acct. you will see you credited me miles for your mistake made on may 31st! when will DELTA learn..and stop violating your passengers’ rights to board flights to Kosovo??????
.ExternalClass .ecxhmmessage P{padding:0px;}.ExternalClass body.ecxhmmessage{font-size:10pt;font-family:Tahoma;}please read this link..NO VISA is required for KOSOVO!!!!! update your website..this is a persistent problem with delta airlines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p...y_requirements


ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens need a passport to enter Kosovo. No visa is required, but visitors might need documentation stating the purpose of their visit. Generally, visitors entering Kosovo are permitted to stay for up to 90 days. Persons who wish to stay beyond 90 days will need to register with the Directorate for Migration and Foreigners located in the Main Police Headquarters in Pristina. If you intend to work, study, or remain longer than 90 days in Kosovo, you should contact the Directorate for Migration and Foreigners prior to your arrival in Kosovo to obtain information about newly introducted requirements for visitors in these categories. The telephone numbers are (381) 38-5080-1224; (381) 38-5080-1422; (381) 38-5080-1296; Fax is (381) 38-5080-1419 and by email. ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS: U.S. citizens need a passport to enter Kosovo. No visa is required, but visitors might need documentation stating the purpose of their visit. Generally, visitors entering Kosovo are permitted to stay for up to 90 days. Persons who wish to stay beyond 90 days will need to register with the Directorate for Migration and Foreigners located in the Main Police Headquarters in Pristina. If you intend to work, study, or remain longer than 90 days in Kosovo, you should contact the Directorate for Migration and Foreigners prior to your arrival in Kosovo to obtain information about newly introducted requirements for visitors in these categories. The telephone numbers are (381) 38-5080-1224; (381) 38-5080-1422; (381) 38-5080-1296; Fax is (381) 38-5080-1419 and by email.

[The_Judge]

Delta has once again blown it. The only defense I can give the employee is that the airline does not in any way, shape or form give any training whatsoever on visa requirements or to read such a visa in a passport. In this case, it's clear (I looked it up on another source also) that no visa is needed and should have been very easy to understand for the agent so it appears she failed in your case too.

As far as complaining for your friend...that should be left for him/her to do.

[jimworcs]

Delta are utterly unbelieveable. It is NEVER advisable to fly Delta, particularly for international travel. They are simply appalling and their staff are looking for excuses to deny travel and keep your money. So, your first big mistake is to use Delta at all.

Kosovo is not recognised as an independent country by most of the world and it does NOT issue visas. It does not even have it's own Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as it's uncertain legal status, as an integral part of Serbia, but independently administered under UN supervision, means it has no legal authority to issue visas. However, it is unreasonable to expect that the average Delta employee would know this. However, if Delta sell tickets to a destination, it is incumbant upon them to know the rules and status requirements for that area. It is, as always, a DELTA FAIL. Why does anyone use them?

[The_Judge]

Jim....I'm gonna chastise them more than you are here. You almost seem to be taking their side here by saying, "it is unreasonable to expect that the average Delta employee would know this."

They are required to check documents to the final destination and any transfer points for what may be needed to get there. They have tools that takes seconds to use for this. TIMATIC is one of these tools. All the agent has to do is plug in where the passenger is going, what passport is being used and any transfer points. This will tell the agent what is needed to enter the country of destination and if any visas are needed for said destination and any transfer points along the way.

Delta failed miserably.

[jimworcs]

Troy,
I think we are making the same point.. the individual might not know, but Delta need to make the information available to their staff if they want to see tickets to a destination.