[Dr. Marc Tedoff]

On June 5, 2009 I traveled to New York from Las Vegas with my 6 year old daughter and my 17 month old son who has a medical condition (i.e., congenital hypothyroidism). I confirmed this flight with Delta 3 times before my departure and I made sure that I had enough time to get to the airport. Unfortunately, I encountered heavy traffic on the way to the airport due to construction. When we arrived at the Delta curbside check-in the Delta representative asked for my driver’s license, which I produced, and inquired whether or not I had luggage to check in. I replied that I had no luggage to check-in. This gentleman advised me to go inside the terminal and check –in at the counter. I followed his instructions.

We lined up at the first line. The three representatives at the counter were busy assisting other customers. When I noticed that the third representative was almost finished assisting the customer, I moved to that lane. We talked for a few minutes and I was advised to check-in at a kiosk. As I walked away from the counter I could not understand why I was not checked in by the representative. I was worried that my time was running out to make my flight in time! I asked a Delta representative on the floor for assistance. This representative asked for my confirmation number. I gave it to her verbally (DIIONV) and she entered that code into the machine because I was busy attending to my 6 children. This representative advised me to go back to the counter. I went back to the representative at the counter who had earlier advised me to go to the kiosk at which time she informed me that I was late. The name of this representative was Kim Codd. She told me that I would have to pay an additional $400.00 to the plane I was already scheduled to fly on. Offered me an alternative; she said I could wait until later in the afternoon and I might get a seat on a midnight flight for an additional $50.00 but there was no guarantee.

Although I wanted to cry I maintained my composure because. I called my husband and explained my situation. My husband was very upset. I was upset too. I was begging Kim Codd to please accommodate us. I looked at the clock it was almost 3:20 PM; the flight was scheduled to depart at 3:45. My husband called me again and asked me if I was being offered a seat on the plane I was originally scheduled to board for an additional $400.00 or if it was an alternate flight that was also scheduled to leave at 3:45 PM that was being offered. I did not know so I asked Kim Codd if she could speak with my husband. My husband repeatedly asked Kim Codd if the additional $400.00 was for seats on the originally scheduled flight or for a different flight. She refused to answer the question directly and instead repeated that it was for a 3:45 flight. No matter how my husband phrased the question she persisted in not answering and seemed to revel in my husband’s growing frustration. After speaking to my husband for 1-2 minutes she handed me back the phone and announced that I was already too late to make the 3:45 flight to New York. This was a real exercise in customer disservice.

Ultimately, I gave my Amex card and told her to please make sure that I will be on that 11:25 PM flight. Kim Codd ran my credit card and advised me to come back at 5:25 PM to check in. At 5:20 PM I saw an agent at the counter. This agent was aware of my circumstances because she was setting next to Kim Codd during the episode described above. This agent assisted me for about 45 minutes as I stood in front of her at the counter with my two children. During this wait I heard her talking to herself, she said something to the effect of, ‘Oh! I’m not cancelling the return flight!’ When I heard her talking about cancellation, I reminded her to please not to cancel my return flight because my husband was scheduled to fly home with us on American Airlines on June 12, 2009.

I noticed that she picked up the phone and was on the phone for a long time. People were coming and she advised them to go to the next agent because she understood that the task of rebooking my flight would consume a lot of time. My daughter was becoming bored and I had to push the stroller back and forth so that my baby would be entertained. Finally after 45 minutes she was done. We walked about the airport and, bought some snacks, drinks, and looked for the boarding area. We stayed and waited until our flight boarded at 11: 25PM. I was very (emotionally and physically) exhausted after having spent over 9 hours of being insulted, price gouged, and wandering around the airport with carry-on baggage and two young children in tow. At 10:30PM. I saw my daughter talking and laughing by herself. I was shocked and scared! I asked her, “What’s going on?” she started to cry and asked me what time will we be on the plane. My son also started to cry and I could see that both of them were exhausted too.
Finally, the time to board the 11:25 PM flight came. Ironically, there was an announcement that there would be a delay in boarding because the plane had to be cleaned. I understand that I was fined $400.00 because I was 10 minutes late in arriving at check-in (after getting the run around from several Delta staff). Then we had to wait 15 minutes while the plane was cleaned and another 15 minutes to further prepare for departure. VERY UNFAIR!

As this was happening my husband called Delta airlines from New York to try and understand what was happening. In the course of doing so he spoke with a Delta representative who identified herself as Mrs. Wilson. My husband identified himself as Dr. Tedoff, yet Mrs. Wilson persisted in addressing him as Mr. Tedoff. After having done so three times my husband attempted to correct Mrs. Wilson to which she replied that she had no evidence that my husband was a doctor and thus refused to address him as such. Of course using this same logic, she also had no evidence that the person she was speaking to was Tedoff, yet she continued to address him as Tedoff. Clearly this is an example of a Delta employee purposefully antagonizing my husband. When my husband asked Mrs. Wilson for a way to identify her (e.g., an office she worked out of or an operator code) she refused to provide that information. Is this Delta Airlines customer service protocol?

On June 11, 2009 my husband went online to confirm our return flights. My husband noticed that his flight was confirmed but the flight for my two children and myself was cancelled. Another nightmare! American Airlines confirmation code LWWQHF. I called up Delta Airlines and spoke to Brent (OJ) from Tampa Florida. He assured me that the flight was confirmed. We were confused because online it was stated cancelled. We were on the phone the entire morning up to 2:30PM trying to solve this problem. My husband spoke to American Airlines but they couldn’t do anything because it was Delta Airlines who had made the changes to the original itinerary.

After having paid an additional $400.00 to fly 8 hours after my scheduled departure; and having been denied a seat on my original flight (which was offered back to me for an additional $400.00; an offer which was subsequently rescinded because a Delta employee maliciously ran out the clock by refusing to answer a simply stated question with a clear and concise answer) Delta Airlines cancelled my return flight. It was almost 3:00PM we’re still on the phone trying to fix this problem. Nancy Steinson (Partner Award) in Salt Lake City offered the following solution. She provided free return flight for my children and I on Delta Airlines. Of course this was an inconvenience because when we planned this trip several months earlier we planned to return from New York to Las Vegas together on the same flight. As it turned out Delta and American are in different terminals at JFK and our family was split up early during the travel. Further compounding the situation was that I was not originally seated with my six year old daughter on the return flight and had to ask twice for the seats to be changed so we could sit together. This experience caused my children and myself mental anguish.

This trip was made into a disaster by Delta staff. First, a malicious employee (i.e., Kim Codd) offered to allow me on my 3:45 PM flight only if I paid a $400.00 rebooking fee (ransom) claiming that I was 10 minutes late for check-in. When asked for clarification she was purposefully ambiguous causing greater confusion and ultimately causing me to miss my 3:45 flight. While rebooking my flight Delta staff cancelled my return flight. In order to correct for this Delta gave my children and I free tickets to return home each with a value of $300.00 ($600.00 total). The ultimate results: (a) my family and I are very dissatisfied for having been used as fodder for other people’s amusement; and in my husband’s case for being personally insulted (i.e., Mrs. Wilson), (b) we have lost $400.00 (i.e., rebooking fee), (c) Delta lost $600.00 (i.e., free tickets on a flight from New York to Las Vegas for my daughter and myself.), (d) in the future we will do everything we can to avoid flying with Delta. Fact: I arrived before the plane (i.e., 3:45PM) even boarded and was refused my seat unless I paid an additional $400.00 (price gouge); this rebooking resulted in a mistake (i.e., cancelling the return flight) that also cost Delta airlines $600.00. This was a lose-lose situation. The only people who benefited were Kim Codd and Mrs. Wilson who gained enjoyment from our distress.

[PHXFlyer]

I have read this missive several times now and I'm still quite lost. What happened to four of your children?

Originally Posted by Dr. Marc Tedoff

On June 5, 2009 I traveled to New York from Las Vegas with my 6 year old daughter and my 17 month old son who has a medical condition (i.e., congenital hypothyroidism).

Originally Posted by Dr. Marc Tedoff

This representative asked for my confirmation number. I gave it to her verbally (DIIONV) and she entered that code into the machine because I was busy attending to my 6 children.

Originally Posted by Dr. Marc Tedoff

This agent assisted me for about 45 minutes as I stood in front of her at the counter with my two children.

So you had two children, then six, then two again. And just why was your son's medical condition relevant to the whole situation?

I'm also very skeptical about your whole story. If you were indeed on time to check in why were you sent inside from the curb by the skycaps? They should have been able to check you in if you were not beyond the deadline to do so. Another reason I'm thinking you're not telling the whole story is you claim the ticket agent wanted to charge you to get you on the flight for which you had confirmed reservations? Why would they do this?

I hope this novella you wrote isn't what you sent to Delta. It is way too verbose and hardly makes any sense whatsoever.