[mars6423]

My friend and I were travelling to chicago via atlanta with a long (8hour) stop over because the hazards of flying delta and going into atlanta on any airline so we wanted a good amount of time so we wouldnt have to rush.

Since we didnt have time to leave the airport we decided to just hang out in a lounge and had the front desk inform us 2.5hours before our flight to new orleans so we could check in for that segment, the delta desk was pretty close so we thought we would be fine

Both of us tried to check in using the machines but nothin worked so we waited n talked in line and everything was going very slowly, as we get near the front a delta employee states that flight # passengers will need to go to the front of the line so that they will not miss their flight, yet that would have meant that my flight as well as others who's flight was scheduled to depart before them would be even closer to missing the flight

so we talk to a delta representative as they are walking by and they said that everything will be fine and nothing to worry about since time was getting near to the cutoff.....at the desk we meet this extremely rude agent who said that she will not check us in due to the cut off and she doesnt think she could do it in time (5mins to cutoff) and as the same rep that we talked to before walked past us we told her that he said it would be fine and we would have no problems.....than he points out that we never talked to him and he wouldn't say such a thing (which got some puzzled looks from the people behind us)

so they refused to let us check in but put us on the next flight to chicago in the back row next to the lav, even though there were many empty seats upfront and wouldnt let us use points to upgrade saying first that we didnt have enough which was rediculous and compeletly untrue and than changed their excuse to no seats available

when we arrived our bags were "left behind accidentally" in atlanta and they tried to tell us that the bags were oddly-shaped and that they would have to charge for that.......lucky enough we asked the agent next to her and she said that those suitcases are regular and are fine

delta continued to lie n make excuses out of thin air

[PHXFlyer]

Maybe I'm missing something here. When you said:

Originally Posted by mars6423

Since we didnt have time to leave the airport we decided to just hang out in a lounge and had the front desk inform us 2.5hours before our flight to new orleans so we could check in for that segment, the delta desk was pretty close so we thought we would be fine.

were you in a Delta SkyClub or just a lounge in the airport? Was it before or behind security?

If it was a Delta SkyClub the agent at the desk should have been able to check you in for your connecting flight. If not, then you could have obtained a boarding pass from any of the several Delta customer service desks located in the gate areas. There was no need to exit the secure/sterile area just to check in for your flight to Chicago.

My other question is why didn't you check in online before you even got to ATL? Although Delta did drop the ball by not checking you in even though you still had 5 minutes until the cutoff time you had plenty of other options.

[jimworcs]

Now you know Mars... but you can't say you weren't warned. Go back and re-read some of the posts which earned you the "airline sympathizer" tag and ask yourself if you doubt the word of the posters quite so much. If I were to adopt your normal approach I would simply say "you were late".. it was your fault for not checking in in time!!

[The_Judge]

I guess it's only me but this is confusing. Mars said he was going to Chicago via Atlanta with an 8 hour layover. He then mentions he stayed in the airport because they didn't have time to leave. I'll leave that one alone only to say that 8 hours, for me, would be plenty of time to go out and come back.

Then the destination of New Orleans is mentioned. "had the front desk inform us 2.5hours before our flight to new orleans so we could check in for that segment"

My only question is at whatever city you started in, why didn't you receive a boarding pass on the continuation from Atlanta to whatever city it was you were going to? And even if you didn't get a seat, you would have been on a confirmed list the gate agent would have seen and seated you from.

I'm lost but that's nothing new.

[mars6423]

judge, i made the mistake the flight that was going to new orleans was the flight that was asked to go to the front of the line for check in.......we didnt get a boarding pass for the other segment was because we booked it as a seperate booking as a refundable ticket and the ticket agent was in training and was taking along time so we decided to just get the boarding pass once we picked up our bags in atlanta and check in at the desk as we were not in a area where we could get to a laptop or computer for a few days so we had to check in at the airport (i dont like/haven't attempted to check in on my iphone) and by the time we picked up our bags and got a bite to eat it wasn't worth going out and rushing back

jim....i was in line for 2hours and would have easily made it in time if they could read their own schedule and see that they asked for passengers to go to the front of the line for a flight that was scheduled to leave after others who were waiting than i would have easily made the flight....and we attempted to use the machines but was informed to go wait in line.....so its not like i showed up 5mins before cutoff and expected to make the flight

phx..im not sure if it was a sky loungue or a different lounge, i got in with my amex card before security

[justme]

Originally Posted by mars

we didnt get a boarding pass for the other segment was because we booked it as a seperate booking as a refundable ticket and the ticket agent was in training and was taking along time so we decided to just get the boarding pass once we picked up our bags in atlanta and check in at the desk as we were not in a area where we could get to a laptop or computer for a few days so we had to check in at the airport (i dont like/haven't attempted to check in on my iphone) and by the time we picked up our bags and got a bite to eat it wasn't worth going out and rushing back

I'm confused. Why did you book two different listings, with one segment non-refundable(assuming) and one refundable? Even if the ticket agent was in training (which is totally believable since we're still hiring) someone would be training them who would know how to check you in for both flights. Second, there was nothing difficult for the trainee to do. It was two bookings for the same person, 2 people, 2 bookings each, equals 4 check-ins. If they can check you in for the first two, the second two shouldn't be too hard. Third, the fact that you had to leave security and then check back in was your doing. You booked two separate tickets, presumably to save a few bucks, and now you have to take the extra steps, and assume the extra risk, because of your choice to do so. Fourth, I work in ATL and fly in/out probably a hundred times a year. 8 hours is enough time to check-in, get to your gate, leave security, and do it all twice more.

Originally Posted by mars

jim....i was in line for 2hours and would have easily made it in time if they could read their own schedule and see that they asked for passengers to go to the front of the line for a flight that was scheduled to leave after others who were waiting than i would have easily made the flight....and we attempted to use the machines but was informed to go wait in line.....so its not like i showed up 5mins before cutoff and expected to make the flight

So you're saying the ticket counter agents should know everyones destinations before you check in? If the line was really 2 hours long, which I doubt, there were LOTS of people in that line. How are they supposed to know which flight you're on before you're checked in?

Originally Posted by mars

phx..im not sure if it was a sky loungue or a different lounge, i got in with my amex card before security

It was not a Delta Sky Club (formerly Crown Room Clubs), the only Clubs in ATL are all past security.

[PHXFlyer]

I'm confused too, justme.

There are no "clubs" or "lounges" that I know of prior to the security checkpoint @ATL. I'm not sure which "lounge" they accessed with their AMEX card but all of the SkyClubs @ATL admit AMEX (Platinum and above) cardholders and up to two guests with a same-day Delta ticket.

If they indeed had 8 hours between flights why didn't they check in when they first arrived rather than wait until closer to departure time? That way they could have relaxed and enjoyed themselves in a SkyClub beyond the TSA checkpoint.

[jimworcs]

There is a delicious irony to your problem Mars... just out of interest.. who do you think wrote this?

The employee should have and could have been more helpfull but its your responsibility to get to the check in desk ontime

The shoe is now on the other foot and you seem to have a completely different perspective.

The details of your journey are pretty confusing...but the bottom line appears to me that you were at ATL for 8 hours. You joined a queue which was 2.5 hrs long, about 2 hrs before your journey. You had plenty of time.. surely your own advice applies?

Lets be honest. Delta are a nightmare. You knew this. They filed bankruptcy and robbed their employees of their benefits and used the cover of bankruptcy to walk away from the contractual obligations to them. Their employees hear every travellers sob story every day. They are weary, fed up of not being able to provide any solutions and are cynical and bitter. The result is every day people experience on Delta what you experience. Perhaps you will be a little more sympathetic to posters on here in future.