[bettse]

1 - establish a policy to page customers (maybe they are in security) - hey Delta - the other airlines do this!

2 - hire better people for Customer Service for their phone line and give them counseling if they can't control their snide remarks to innocent passengers

3 - have a policy to assist passengers when a flight is missed regardless o whose fault it is. Other airlines don't offer to put you on the next flight for a hefty fee (as happened to me), they do it for free. Also, how about standby - other airlines do this.

4 - establish a policy whereby internet and counter prices are the same.

5 - don't let the airplane leave the gate 10 minutes before the flight when there are checked in passengers that aren't on board.

6 - take is seriously when dissatisfied customers tell you that they won't ever fly your airline again - even with vouchers.

[DL1]

1 - establish a policy to page customers (maybe they are in security) - hey Delta - the other airlines do this!

This is a standard practice for all airlines, if the lack of it caused you an inconvenience then tell an agent, or preferably a supervisor if available but during a reasonable time (don't stop traffic at the gate during boarding) even if that happens to be at the end of your journey. these types of things are covered in briefings.

2 - hire better people for Customer Service for their phone line and give them counseling if they can't control their snide remarks to innocent passengers

Unfortunatly this is cost saving measure. It may seem like you pay a lot for tickets, but in all honesty the prices haven't changed in 20 years, and inflation certainly has. Until the industry can recover it mostly won't be possible to afford US wages for the numbers of call centers airline call volume requires.

3 - have a policy to assist passengers when a flight is missed regardless o whose fault it is. Other airlines don't offer to put you on the next flight for a hefty fee (as happened to me), they do it for free. Also, how about standby - other airlines do this.

Some airlines may not charge you, but instead place you on the standby list, in most cases get on a later flight isn't a problem given that, but on a busy day you could find yourself stuck in a city all day. What Delta does is confirm you for the next available flight. It not only assures you that you'll get on, but it will probably remind you that next time you fly that you should probably give yourself a little more time.

4 - establish a policy whereby internet and counter prices are the same.

The internet helps Delta to reduce the amount of traffic at the front-line ticketing office (aka the ticket counter) and therefore allows them to expedite the process of checking in traveling customers. The cheaper fairs are there to encourage customers to use that method. The only result of making both the same would be for the online fairs to be the same as the others, and the cost saving to the customers would be gone. Delta is making strides to improve the online experience, including making vouchers issued after March of this year useable online for those cheaper fairs.

5 - don't let the airplane leave the gate 10 minutes before the flight when there are checked in passengers that aren't on board.

At 10 minutes prior to departure the boarding process is supposed to be done. At the time of departure the aircraft should be pushed back from the gate. This is time needed for final paper work to be run and reviewed by the flight crew. That's why the policy states that the passenger needs to be at the gate at least 15 minutes prior to departure.

6 - take is seriously when dissatisfied customers tell you that they won't ever fly your airline again - even with vouchers.

Airlines take matters with customers seriously, but by the same token there is a limit to what can be done. They understand that the customer is upset when they are inconvenienced, but an upset customer often won't be satisfied, regardless of measures taken. Delta hopes customers understand the volitile situation the industry is in as a whole, and can see how Delta is working to improve operations, and quality of service

[taken by delta]

1) Don't overbook flights, when you know you can't handle the overflow.

2)Don't leave paying customes in a hotel for 12 hours, because you can't manage the Pilots and flight scheduals.

3) get your airport staff some couseling, as 50% of the ones we delt with on our flights were rude, mean spirited people who should find a job doing something else other than working with the public, as it is apparent they want to be doing somethig else.

4) When you have made an error that costs the consumer money, Don't blow them off.

5) We are paying customers, treat us as such. we pay for a service, and from what i've seen you shold reimburse customers for losses that you create.

[DL1]

Originally Posted by taken by delta

1) Don't overbook flights, when you know you can't handle the overflow.

Aircraft only run on an across the board average of 85% capacity at best. Without overbooking they could run at as much as 7% less. At the end of the day all airlines are for profit companies, which is why all airlines have overbooking policies. In most cases it works out, but not all. The best thing the passenger can do is be vigilant, plan seating in advance and check in early.

2)Don't leave paying customes in a hotel for 12 hours, because you can't manage the Pilots and flight scheduals.

Flight hours for crews are mandated by the government (FAA). For your safety they are not able to fly the aircraft if they "time out" every effort is made to ensure crews can complete their shift, but not everything can be accounted for, as can be said for any aspect of life.

3) get your airport staff some couseling, as 50% of the ones we delt with on our flights were rude, mean spirited people who should find a job doing something else other than working with the public, as it is apparent they want to be doing somethig else.

The best thing you can do is write a letter. They're read I can assure and passed on to proper management. The job isn't for everyone, and not everyone has the best day every day, can be said for any profession regardless of field.

4) When you have made an error that costs the consumer money, Don't blow them off.

Flying isn't a precision art, it has to be subject to all the flaws of a system, from weather to mechanical issues. When your car breaks down does the manufacturer pay you for lost time? My only advice would be to plan ahead, "Be Prepared" for you Boy Scouts out there. If a flight doesn't go ever it's only for your safety. It doesn't benefit the airline in any way to get you stuck somewhere.

5) We are paying customers, treat us as such. we pay for a service, and from what i've seen you shold reimburse customers for losses that you create.

If you had a bad experience from a customer service perspective then you are correct you should have been treated better, but that doesn't include service withheld for your safety. Keeping you safe is customer service, and blaming it on the will of the airline is not the proper approach. Our only goal is to get passengers to their destinations as quickly and safely as possible. Is it always fast, or pleasent? No... The same can be said of many things.

[DK8]

Well I'm going to be in a minority of one here - but I recently flew to NY on Delta - and both ways I managed to grab a bulkhead seat in coach - the price was very reasonable - and compared to trendier airlines like BA and Virgin the seat felt distinctly wider and less uncomfortable... rare for me not to want the head of the CEO on a pike for the quality of international flights in coach - but Delta more or less passed the audition - yes the food and inhouse was dire... but compared to a lousy cramped seat - that's smaller beer

[deltavictim]

With my recent problem, Delta has basically told me that my word (and my sisters and brother-in -law who witnessed the incident, counts for nothing. They will only take into account the notes placed on my file by the employee. The employee I am complaining about who has in addition to all the stressed and financial hardship he caused me, put lies in the file about the incident to cover himself. Delta has come back to me and said I should have spoken to his manager, but he refused very sternly to get a manager when I asked. I spent 10 minutes at the counter asking for a manager and trying to resolve the dispute to no avail. What more would Delta have liked me to have done? I had know choice but to leave the counter unsatisfied. If they sincerely believe that the only way to resolve a dispute at the airport when you are asked to pay a charge incorrectly is to speak to the manager then how can they hold customers responsible when they are refused this right repeatedly? I've looked in other forums, I'm not the only one this has happened to.

[Silent Bob]

DV, you should have started a new article rather than tack onto an old one. But you also need more details as to what "exactly" happened.

[PHXFlyer]

Originally Posted by Silent Bob

DV, you should have started a new article rather than tack onto an old one. But you also need more details as to what "exactly" happened.

I'm assuming "DV" is referring to this post.

[cOLUMBO]

THE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT DELTA NOW PROVIDES IS A DISGRACE TO THE PRE BANKRUPT DELTA. I HAD A 29 YEAR CAREER WITH DELTA AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE WE PROVIDED WAS AMONG THE TOPS IN THE INDUSTRY. WE DID WHATEVER WE COULD DO TO SATISFY THE CUSTOMER TO ASSURE THAT HE WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE FLYING DELTA. THE NEW POLICY OF CHARGING $50.00 TO STANDBY FOR AN EARLIER FLIGHT THAT HAS A OPEN SEAT ON IT IS TOTAL NON PASSENGER SERVICE. DELTA NEEDS TO GET BACK TO REAL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SATISFYING THE CUSTOMERS NEEDS INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GET EVERY NICKLE THEY CAN FROM THEM. TREAT THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS AND NOT CASH COWS AND THEY WILL RETURN AND THEY ALONE WILLL RETURN YOU INTO A PROFITABLE ENTITY.

[cortney]

i just flew delta. they dont charge $50 to fly stand by. they charge you $50 for a confirmed seat on the next flight. at least thats what it was for me on the kiosk

[jimworcs]

Yeah, and they are supremely hypocritical. If you arrive early at the airport and ask to go standby for an earlier seat, then it costs the customer $50. They however routinely overbook seats. This is effectively selling to goods twice... it is outrageous and should be banned.

[cOLUMBO]

Originally Posted by cortney

i just flew delta. they dont charge $50 to fly stand by. they charge you $50 for a confirmed seat on the next flight. at least thats what it was for me on the kiosk

Which means there were open seats on it and you would have made it standby. They do charge you $50.00 to fly standby. Check it out.

[PHXFlyer]

Southwest doesn't allow standby at all unless you pay up to the full "walk-up" fare for the flight. That can easily be hundreds of dollars depending on how early you bough the ticket and the route. I don't see people on this board complaining about that. Yet Delta charges $50 for the convenience of same day flight changes and suddenly it's an evil anti-customer thing. Get over it people. If you wanted to fly earlier or later than why didn't you buy a ticket for the earlier/later flight to begin with? I'm guessing it's because that earlier or later flight was more expensive! Also Delta waives the $50 same-day change fee for it's Platinum SkyMiles members so if you want to have the flexibility of free same-day flight changes I suggest you glue your ass in an airline seat for 75,000 miles! Happy Flying.

[cOLUMBO]

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer

Southwest doesn't allow standby at all unless you pay up to the full "walk-up" fare for the flight. That can easily be hundreds of dollars depending on how early you bough the ticket and the route. I don't see people on this board complaining about that. Yet Delta charges $50 for the convenience of same day flight changes and suddenly it's an evil anti-customer thing. Get over it people. If you wanted to fly earlier or later than why didn't you buy a ticket for the earlier/later flight to begin with? I'm guessing it's because that earlier or later flight was more expensive! Also Delta waives the $50 same-day change fee for it's Platinum SkyMiles members so if you want to have the flexibility of free same-day flight changes I suggest you glue your ass in an airline seat for 75,000 miles! Happy Flying.

Convvenience is called Customer Service and I think it takes more than 75,000 Miles to become a Platinum Sky Miles member and remember SW ia PROFITABLE AIRLINE with Happy Bags.

[jimworcs]

How can Delta improve?

1. Break up all the monolith airlines into smaller, more competitive units, following the example of Ma Bell into Baby Bells.
2. Prevent any airline from having more than 35% of the take off and landing slots at any airport
3. Allow foreign ownership of domestic airlines where a bi-lateral reciprocal agreement is in place (eg. if US airlines can buy EU airlines without restriction, then EU airlines should be allowed to buy or own US airlines)
4. Take away the anti-trust protection enshired in the De-regulation Act.
5. Make US airlines subject to the same consumer regulations other US companies must abide by, with enforcement at the state level.
6. Pass a passenger rights bill which incorporates minimum standards, such as passenger rights to disembark when held on the tarmac for more than 2 hours; protection for minors when in the care of the airlines; minimum levels of support when schedules are disrupted and passengers are stranded.

The usual cacophony of complaints that this will raise costs will be used to justify not doing this. Costs will rise, but no where near what is suggested and will apply to all airlines. There would be a dramatic improvement in standards when normal market competition applies.

Last, limit executive bonuses on a similar basis to that being applied to financial institutions until such time as all of these reforms have been implemented. Currently, executives are reaping huge rewards on the back of market and monopoly abuse.

[PHXFlyer]

Originally Posted by cOLUMBO

Convvenience is called Customer Service and I think it takes more than 75,000 Miles to become a Platinum Sky Miles member

No, it's 75K. Why don't you check your facts before posting.

Originally Posted by cOLUMBO

and remember SW ia PROFITABLE AIRLINE with Happy Bags.

What planet have you been vacationing on? Again, CHECK YOUR FACTS. In the last 5 quarters Southwest has only reported a profit in one of them.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

PHXFlyer wrote (on 11-12-09):

In the last 5 quarters Southwest has only reported a profit in one of them.

In your own words "check your facts." I don't have the figures for the 3rd quarter of 2008. However, in the last FOUR quarters, Southwest posted a loss in only ONE quarter (2nd quarter, 2009.) Furthermore, Southwest has posted a net profit for the last three years (2006 - 2008.) Please identify another US-based airline which equals or exceeds this pattern and please provide link(s) in support of your original statement. Finally, Southwest has never filed for bankruptcy.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=LUV

[PHXFlyer]

Originally Posted by Butch Cassidy Slept Here

PHXFlyer wrote (on 11-12-09):

In the last 5 quarters Southwest has only reported a profit in one of them.

In your own words "check your facts." I don't have the figures for the 3rd quarter of 2008. However, in the last FOUR quarters, Southwest posted a loss in only ONE quarter (2nd quarter, 2009.) Furthermore, Southwest has posted a net profit for the last three years (2006 - 2008.) Please identify another US-based airline which equals or exceeds this pattern and please provide link(s) in support of your original statement. Finally, Southwest has never filed for bankruptcy.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=LUV

Southwest Airlines NET profit/losses for the last 5 fiscal quarters:

3rd Q 2008 - $16 Mil. NET LOSS
4th Q 2008 - $56 Mil. NET LOSS
1st Q 2009 - $91 Mil. NET LOSS
2nd Q 2009 - $54 Mil. NET PROFIT
3rd Q 2009 - $16 Mil. NET LOSS

My statement was correct.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

Phx, I provided a source for my information. You did not. Obviously, your figures are at odds with mine. In the absence of citing a source how are we to assume your figures are not fabricated?

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

OK, Phx, I did the work you should have done and was able to find sources supporting your claim. I don't know why the posting of a link is such a big deal??

Anyway, so what's your point? Are you, actually, suggesting Southwest's profitability record is COMPARABLE to its competitors?? I don't think so. But I suppose you, and other unnamed individuals, on this board feel otherwise.

[Silent Bob]

First Quarter 2009 - Loss - http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wa...In.1st.Quarter

Second Quarter 2009 - profit - http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009...econd-quarter/

Third Quarter 2009 - Loss - http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sou...lts-2009-10-15

Fourth Quarter 2008 - Loss -http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/business/23air.html

Google is your friend, puff.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

Silent Bob wrote:

Google is your friend, puff.

Bob, why do you feel continuing the name-calling is a good thing to do? When people were calling you Bob The Drunk you may have, rightly, become offended, and even hit the report button. You are part of the 66% of this board who's posts tend to be airline-supportive, more often than not. Do you feel you can get-away with this because the others, in said 66%, will defend you?

SB, or any other "66-percenter," please, by all means, feel free to hit the report button. I will be interested to see how the moderator does, or does not, justify your kind of behavior.

[jimworcs]

Not really sure what the relevance of the profitability of SWA has on Delta. Delta has consisitently lost money, filed bankruptcy and robbed staff, customers and supplies whilst ensuring their executives remain highly renumerated.

SWA has consistently been profitable, generated a good return for its investors has never filed bankruptcy and enjoys stellar relations with its staff team.

The current environment is exceptional and the fact that airlines like SWA are also losing money doesn't really illustrate any point, other than the state of the economy. Very few airlines are making money right now... even the sainted Singapore Airlines are losing money! Yes, mars, it's true!

[Silent Bob]

Bob, why do you feel continuing the name-calling is a good thing to do? When people were calling you Bob The Drunk you may have, rightly, become offended, and even hit the report button.

Actually puff, the only person I hit the report button on was Sinbad, simply because his name calling was getting outrageous, not towards myself but others to the point where it was becoming offensive. Bob the drunk is one thing, calling people dog vomit, well that's just plain mean.

Jim, I don't see the relevance of SW's profitibility either, but puff asked for links that Phx didn't give, so I gave him links.

[PHXFlyer]

I didn't feel I needed to provide links since it is PUBLIC INFORMATION that any elementary school student with an internet connection and Google should have been able to figure out.