[lesley]

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express my extreme displeasure for the service I did (and did not receive) on February 14, 2007.

Due to the weather on February 14, I arrived at JFK at 8am, almost four hours early for Flight 1841 to LAX, set to leave at 11:46am. I called the status line several times between 7am and during my trip to the airport and was told repeatedly the flight was on time. The check-in area was a total zoo, with a line wrapped around the terminal. I was fortunate to have no baggage and after some searching, found the single terminal for self-check in (which did indeed give an option to check bags.) More of those terminals would have gone a long, long way to alleviate the crushing line.

Around 10:30am, the flight had its first plane/terminal change, from Terminal 2, to Terminal 28, in a completely different section of the airport. There was no announcement made, just a semi-periodical scroll on a message board.

After moving to Terminal 28, we were told the flight was now delayed to 12pm, which turned into 12:30, 1pm, 1:30pm, etc. Terminal 28 is located in a forgotten part of JFK, with no food available other than a tired sandwich cart. I'm sure Delta is very proud of having a Discovery Channel store in that area, but as it sat, empty, while the sandwich cooler was raided, perhaps that should have been rethought.

Around 1:30pm, it was determined our new plane had broken bathroom doors and would not be suitable to fly to LAX, necessitating another plane/gate change, this time down to gate 27. Again, there was no announcement made, just a scroll put up on a television screen. The passengers were left to find out for themselves.

In the midst of all this, a woman was permitted to walk her very large, barking, untrained, and uncrated dog around the terminal. It was made clear to everyone that she intended to bring the dog on board and let it roam free. Many people were concerned and did not wish to fly next to a large dog with no crate.

At 2pm, the pilot made an announcement about a mechanical problem with our new plane and we'd have to wait until it was fixed, at least 30 minutes. The only reason I heard it, is because I was standing right next to him at the time. The PA system was so bad; the announcement was inaudible and garbled. When people rushed to the podium for clarification, the pilot returned to the plane, leaving myself and several other passengers to spread the word.

They finally made a boarding announcement at 2:30. However, we were not permitted to board until all the dogs in cargo and the one in the gate area had been walked. I can't even begin to describe how angry and upset many, many passengers, including myself, became after seeing that. It's inexcusable that Delta is placing animals ahead of people on their priority list, especially in a situation like this. It's awful and insulting and possibly one of the worst things that could have happened at that moment.

We finally boarded at 2:45 and that's when this ill-fated trip went from the sublime to the ridiculous.

At 3:15pm, when we were supposed to be pushing back, the jetway broke, refusing to detach from the side of the plane. On the other side, a luggage cart had slid underneath the plane, unable to finish loading bags, and was now stuck in snow. Our plane was now actually physically prevented from moving.

At 4pm, neither problem had been fixed, but we were being repeatedly assured that as soon as they were, we'd taxi out to the runway, get de-iced and be on our way. We were also informed that every other airline had canceled their flights hours ago, a Jetblue plane was currently frozen to the runway and ever better, if we didn't get going before 6pm, the flight attendants would go into illegal overtime and would not be permitted to fly.

At 5:30, with both the jetway and luggage cart situations finally fixed, we tried to push back from the gate. We could not, as both the plane and tug was now also stuck in the snow and unable to move. At this point, passengers were pleading to be let off the plane and for Delta to follow the other airlines and cancel the flight. We were told that should we get off the plane, we'd forfeit our seat and no flights were available until at least Saturday. Additionally, should the plane take off, all the luggage was going to LA no matter what, and wouldn't be returned for at least two business days (as this was Wednesday, the bags would be gone for over five days when returned.) The airline also refused to deliver the missing bags to homes, forcing people to return to JFK to retrieve them.

By 6:10pm, we attempted to push back from the gate once more. We jerked to a stop, because in the time it took for us to start moving, a Lufthansa plane had jumped the de-icing line, and was now in out spot, on the runway, with no de-icing trucks available. We couldn't move until that plane had been towed away and the trucks located.

Which didn't matter because at 6:20, our flight crew went illegal and were no longer permitted to fly.

Another crew was located, but they were also stuck on a plane on the runway, with no gate to taxi to. In order to get to us, the plane was to be towed to a parking lot, and the crew bused in. At this point, the pilots chose to inform us they had 90 more minutes before they too went illegal, and Delta still refused to cancel the flight. We were completely out of options and hope of getting out tonight if we didn't get underway by 8pm, as there were no more flights beyond ours for the night. We were essentially being held hostage by Delta's whims and refusal to end this nightmare at 2pm when it was clear this flight had way too many problems to continue. There's absolutely no excuse for playing with people lives like this.

At 6:30pm, the jetway was brought back down to the plane, and the captain told everyone to get off. However, the gate agents and tower disagreed, and wouldn't permit us to get off. Until a decision could be made, we were to sit on the plane, with the door open, and the weather frigid. We were told that should ANYONE got off the plane, it would become unsecured, and we'd all have to get off, be re-screened and re-boarded.

Perhaps the worst, most insulting part of the evening came next. Although we were banned from leaving the plane, Delta permitted the woman with the dog to go out on the jetway to walk the dog. Despite protestations from the entire plane, the flight and gate crew decided once again, the dog's comfort was more important than any human on board. A woman with a toddler pleaded to get off the plane to get baby food and she was refused. There are no words to describe how horrible this situation had now become and this was the ultimate insult.

It was finally determined that it would be best to let everyone off the plane to get something to eat and use the bathrooms while they figured out this complete catastrophe.

Ordered not to leave the terminal, we sat there and watched the pilots collect their bags and coats and leave the plane. Delta still refused to cancel the flight.

Finally, at 7:30, they admitted defeat, and with no flight crew or pilots, ended the nightmare and canceled the flight. Over 150 people waited on line to try and get home and were being informed that not only were their no flights until at least Friday, Delta wouldn't be providing hotel rooms or transportation or anything, not even a food voucher, for stranded passengers, blaming the entire situation on weather, completely ignoring the multitude of mechanical and customer service failures. I was forced, once again, to wait on line behind a dog, to get my tickets canceled and refunded.

Being delayed due to weather is one thing, but the snow stopped at 12:30pm. Delta had every opportunity to cancel the flight and instead, chose to hold over 150 people in limbo. There was no attempt to plow the runways or make alternate plans or help passengers in any way. Between allowing dogs more comfort than people, and refusing to do anything to help the situation, Delta has sent a clear message to their customers that they simple do not matter, no matter what the situation. Had the flight been canceled earlier in the day, it's entirely possible that at least half of Flight 1841's passengers would have been rebooked for same-day travel, either on other airlines or from LaGuardia or Newark. There were many children on board who are now missing school and sleeping in hotels (or worse, the Delta terminal), because the airline was stubborn. This goes so far beyond wanting to get people to their destination and is now firmly in the corner of refusing to do the right thing.

Due to Delta's complete disregard for their passengers, I've had to forfeit a job in LA. Is Delta going to compensate me for that? Are they going to apologize for placing an animal's priorities over paying customers? People need to know that Delta is only concerned with their bottom line, to the complete and total detriment of their customers (and inflight crew that was also forced to suffer.

Lesley

[ChrisH]

The airlines do not own the airports. Delta has no control over what stores, or food options there are in the terminals. Delta also is not the one who would be in control of plowing runways. You need to contact, and complain to the airport authority, there, about that. It sounds like Delta did a poor job of handling some incidents during this situation, but it also sounds like some things happened that Delta couldn't control, such as the Lufthunsa plane taxiing, and taking Delta's spot in the deicing line, etc.

Airline will only cancel flights, usually as a last resort. Delta felt in this situation like they could still get the flight out, which is why they didn't cancel it from the beginning.

[Jay Jacobus]

If Delta does not own the airport, how can they charge customers with trespassing?

[ChrisH]

How did Delta charge someone with trespassing? If you are in an area that you are not allowed, that is a security issue, and it isn't Delta, but TSA, or the airport police who will deal with that. Delta simply will call them.

Airlines do not own airports. They rent our ramp space. They do not own the terminals, and do not choose which restaurants, etc., are placed in the terminals, nor do they control if the airport plows snow, etc.

[sugarandspicekidz]

Delta does not have control with what stores go in at the airport. As for the dog if it was a large dog out of a crate, then it must have been a service dog. Service dogs are the only large dog allowed inside the plane. All other large dogs have to go into the cargo area in a crate. Small dogs that can fit in a kennel that will fit under the seat can fly for $300 round trip. The reason why they let the dog out is because they wanted to let the dog go to the bathroom. There are no facilities for the dogs. If the dog went to the bathroom in the plane, that would have been another delay. As for the dog going on first again this is because the dog is a service dog and is with someone with a handicap. Service dogs do not have to wear vests or the information shared according to the American Disabilities Act.

In all fairness ther was horrible weather in the month of February and back east the weather extremely bad and safety does come first. I understand that you were inconvenienced for hours....however, you are still here to talk about it which is a good thing. Others were not so lucky in the month of February: Plane crash in Windham Feb. 17 2009, Feb 25, 1009 - At least nine killed as Turkish Airlines plain crases near Amsterdam and on February 13, 50 were killed as a plane hits a house near Buffalo. And on February 8th Twenty-four people, among them seven children, were killed on Sunday after their airplane crashed in a river in Brazil.

So all in all it was a miserable flying time... I hope you will consider yourself among the lucky ones...

[pattis]

All I can say is that for something that happened 2 years ago you sure remember it in extreme detail. You seem still angry about it yet it took 2 years to make a post on this? You ask if Delta will apologize or compensate you? 2 years after the fact? I doubt it. Hopefully you did not wait that long to write them. I have no doubt that alot of this could be true however, I also believe this has been quite embelishes. C' mon 2 years?????

Oh BTW having a discovery store in the terminal has nothing to do with Delta.

[The_Judge]

pattis.........look at the date of the original post. It was just under 2 years ago. Someone decided to resurrect the thread.

[rudybjr]

sounds like this was all due to the weather, even the mishaps with the ground equipment.....sorry no compensation for job lost in LA.

[lonniec3]

Originally Posted by lesley

To Whom It May Concern:

A. Is Delta going to compensate me for that? Are they going to apologize for placing an animal's priorities over paying customers?

Lesley

Hey Lesley,

I absolutely agree with your complaint. You are right. I have my own issue with Delta. Just one question: How would you like to sit in cargo with your bladder bursting for 5 hours. If not for the walking, you could have been smelling thit all the way to L.A.

Lonnie

[mars6423]

i am very sorry about your situation

however people are right, Delta doesnt own the airport and do not decide what store goes where.

I live in the NY area (15mins from EWR and about 20miles from JFK) and the weather was terrible and my cousins flight was cancled in Feb 2007, so weather is a big factor and i am suprised that they didnt cancel the flight but they deemed it safe to fly so they attempted to go ahead with it

The airlines dont decide where a plane goes, they have an alloted amount but essentially its traffic control who decides

And about the Lufthansa "jumping" infront for de-icing, in many situations an international flight will be given priority over domestic flights

And it sounds like tht dog should have been in a crate and not with the passengers (unless it was a seeing eye or special needs dog) but i think you maybe overreacting about giving dogs more "freedom" than humans, it is easy for dogs to get bloodclots and other issues if they are kept in the crate for extended periods, and walking it around giving it a little exercise will help the dogs out alot, so if you owned a dog and it wasnt walked for a long period of time and something happened due to it than you would probably think differently, its a good thing that they allowed the dogs to be walked, and it is true that if passengers leave the plane it is a security issue

i am sorry that you went through that