[shikha dalmia]

I am a journalist and frequently fly all over the world. I have had my share of rude -- very rude -- flight attendants, crappy meals and delayed flights etc. etc. But I have never experienced the level of callousness and disregard for customer welfare that Delta demonstrated in February when I was trying to get back home to Detroit , where I live, from Bombay via New York.

My connecting flight on Feb 14, Wed, got cancelled because of the big snow storm. I was forced to stay overnight in New York without any help or reimbursement from Delta to find me a hotel or pay for it. "We are not responsible for weather-related delays," every Delta agent chanted.

But when I got to the Delta terminal in JFK the next day, there was total chaos. I have never encountered anything like this even in a Third World country. There were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people crammed into various lines -- to check-in, get through security or, like me, rebook cancelled flights from the day before. My line had at least 500 people with two Delta agents on the counter. I waitied in line for hours while my husbad in Detroit tried to get someone on the phone. Finally, when I got through to a Delta agent I was told that they could not rebook me on any Delta flight till Saturday -- three days after my arrival in New York! Nor could they book me on any other airline, I was told, because there computer system had broken down.

Left with no option, with great difficulty and afraid I was going to be stranded in NY for three days without any help from Delta, I found a Continental flight out of New Ark and flew out that evening on my own dime. I wrote to Delta a few days later requesting to be reimbursed for my expenses which, not counting my Wed hotel stay of about $200, add up to $636.40. I provided all the receipts. More than a month later, I got a letter for a Michael Barzey at Customer Care effecitvely telling me to take a hike.

I called him yesterday and continued to take zero responsibility for what happened on grounds that it was related to weather or field conditions that Delta has no control over. I pointed out to him that, if that was the case, how did Northwest fly two of its three scheduled flights from JFK to Detroit Metro (NW 898, 894) that same day? They also flew six out of seven scheduled flights from Newark to Detroit Metro (NW 659, 653, 657, 651, 655, 649) and eight out of nine flights to Detroit from La Guardia (NW 211, 1595, 539, 337, 531, 543, 527, 537, 529). Similarly, Continental flew all six of their scheduled flights from Newark to Detroit (CO 2066, 2820, 3052, 877, 2396, 2744). Even American Airlines, which, like Delta, uses regional jets – Embraer RJ 140s that seat about 50 – in its La Guardia to Detroit runs flew four of its five scheduled flights (Am 4869, 4854, 4880, 4832). All in all, other airlines flew out 26 flights in the same weather/field conditions that Delta couldn't. Delta's failure after Wednesday had nothing to do with the weahter and everything to do with its own ineptitude.

I left a message for a Jenna Laughlin at Corporate Communications yesterday after being dissed by Barzey. She ignored my call. I tried again this morning and was told that she can't talk to me all day because she is tied up in meetings!!

I would urge Delta to stop stonewalling, send me my full reimbursement and demonstrate that it does give a hoot about its customers and its responsibilities toward them. When it sold me the ticket, it had promised to fly me back to Detroit -- not New York. Leaving me stranded in New York for so many days without taking any responsibility most likely violates its contractual obligations and most definitely every priniciple of good business conduct.

If I don't hear back soon, I plan to file an Online Compalint with the federal DOT and all take this up with FAA. The latter doesn't help resolve customer complains, but does invite them to track the level of care an airline is providing its customers.


Shikha Dalmia

[dragonfire6.delta.com]

Good because the FAA needs to take action in JFK, it is a mess during the summer, I wish you luck.

Delta did nothing wrong, every airline was screwed that weekend. And yes I am sure people got like 4/5 flight off but what you fail to mention is the fact that what do you do with the 1/5 flight. Those people have to go somewhere and that was who was clogging up the lines. HaHA

[ChrisH]

The Delta agents were/ are correct. Delta, is not, nor is any airline, responsible for delays, or cancellations, due to weather. The decision to cancel a flight because of the weather, may not be the same decision every airline makes, but I assure you, if you look back, you will see that Delta operated other flights that day, along with the other airlines you mentioned, but unfortunately, cancelled yours. NorthWest, Continental, and American most likely cancelled flights that day, as well.

Reporting this to the DOT, or the FAA will not achieve you any luck with this matter. The FAA is the one who implements grounds stops, during weather, which can lead to cancellations. The FAA is the one that makes all of the regulations regarding what kind of weather airplanes, and pilots can fly in. When the FAA looks back on this day, they will only side with Delta, and their decision to cancel the flight.

In a situation where weather exists, each airline can make a judgement call on whether to operate the flight in those conditions. If they do not feel it is safe, they will delay, or cancel, if the FAA, itself, doesn't force them to delay, or cancel, by implementing ground stops.

[positivespace]

Well stated ChrisH! I only wish that people could understand the concept that is behind weather delays! The airline usually has no decision on a weather based cancellation. The FAA makes most of these decisions. Trust me the Delta employee does not want a flight to cancel, they do not cancel flights just for "fun". Why can't people just understand that JFK is a congested airport and weather slows down the entire operation in and out, which in turn cancels and delyas alot of flights. Just think of it this way, if the is icy roads on the highway traffic slows down to try to prevent an accident, which is exactly what the FAA does in weather situations at airports, they cancel flights to open up the "roadway" to avoid accidents just as if you were to travel on these icy roads, you may decide to stay home for safety. I just want to pass this information on to people, so they do not get so upset due to a weather delay or cancellation.