[stumblein1]

Delta sucks, I will never book another flight with them since they canceled MANY flights on me, last minute claiming "mechanical problems" forcing me to scramble at the last second to find a new way to my destination or wait hours in the airport for another flight. They NEVER contacted to tell me the flights were canceled.

One time I had to rent a car and drive 4 hours to another airport & buy a last min ticket on another airline so I could get to an important meeting.

I am not buying the "mechanical problems" excuse anymore, either Delta's planes are so old and crappy they constantly break, or more likely the flights weren't full enough and they didn't want to lose money. JERKS!!

[zuzi]

It is becoming obvious that Delta is not allowing passengers on their flights for bogus reasons in order to save money. I arrived at JFK for a night flight to Phoenix 45 minutes early which I booked from my home in Tokyo...a long flight. They told me that I was three minutes late to check in my bag!?!? I said "Ok..i'll ditch the bag" at which point "Joe" at the Delta counter said "you can't get on the flight (which was obviously over sold) but, for 100.00$ we will put you on the early flight tomorrow morning"!? I was blown away.
When I told him that my Mom who has Parkinson's is taking the bus from Flagstaff to Phoenix to meet me there, he laughed and said "it's not my problem lady"...Delta = Rude & Cruel & Unusual punishment! I think that their merger with Northwest may hurt that airline as well.

[neal]

zuzi, im not getting this. please tell me if im reading it wrong. but you checked in 43 min. before your departure time?? and if you ditch the bag, where are you going to keep it?? most carriers say you need to be checked in 1 hour prior to departure and at the gate 30min before departure and on the plane 10-15 min. before departure. sounds to me you were in the wrong.

[zuzi]

It looks like I was in the wrong because I ended up not getting on my booked flight, being charged 100.00$ and having my Mom stay at a Hotel until the following morning. Perhaps a " gee Mrs.Mori were sorry about your dilema" or "we understand your inconvenience"...any kind words at all at that point would have been welcomed... I have been traveling all over the world for the last 30 some odd years. Granted this is the first (and last) time I have ever flown with Delta so, maybe I have just been spoiled by all of the other airlines because nothing even remotely close to this as ever happened to me in the past. Live and Learn ;-)

[Silent Bob]

I'm just a bit curious and this goes out to the whole board, but how does getting an apology help things? you've missed your flight, the plane is gone, and you gotta pay more money on top of what you spent, so if the airline says "hey i'm sorry" does that really make things better? *curious*

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

Bob:

To the customer, an apology, depending on the circumstances, may, indeed, mean little. However, for the airline it can mean a lot. Jet Blue is a recent example.

The Jet Blue board of directors may have canned Dave Neelman for his meaculpa in the case of their 2007 Valentines Day meltdown. However, I think today, that same board will--privately--admit it helped their airline a lot. People still have respect for people who, as Neelman did, will own-up to their shortcomings provided a credibile plan is laid-out to mitigate or eliminate future occurances. To this day, Jet Blue is one of the few domestic carriers who have incorporated their customer service plan into their contract of carriage.

By contrast, American Air's December, 2006 mass tarmac strandings yielded little more than a "sorry for the inconvenience." Their customer service plan continues to be separate from their contract of carriage. Indeed, in a subsequent tarmac delay, a flight attendant was very quick to point that out.

American Air, as is the case with other carriers, may have "hostage" customers in some markets. But do those customers hold their nose when they buy an American ticket??

[stumblein1]

An apology is polite and can be comforting, but the person apologizing usually isn't the person that canceled my flight. I would feel better if the company apologized for their actions.

[zuzi]

[quote=Silent Bob;2189]I'm just a bit curious and this goes out to the whole board, but how does getting an apology help things..?
Good question Bob.... an apology would probably not be enough to ever fly Delta again, but it helps to remind us of the very basics in humanity, MANNERS! Like when your 8 year old farts on a bus you want him to say "excuse me" (even though the damage has been done) because it's a basic courtesy....

[Corbel]

when i was a customer service agent, i would apologize to the customer, whether it was weather delay or mechanical, and they still yelled and screamed like a 3 year old child. after hurricane charlie came through the orlando area, they closed the sanford airport, took the airport 2 hours to decide this, a man came up to me and asked if they would be refunded, i appologized and said no, due to this being a weather delay he came back and screamed and yelled, we rescheduled the flight for the next day, when he brought that attitude back that day, he didn't make his flight. sometimes an apology doesn't work

[zuzi]

yes, but ya see there is probably one main difference between the man (where the apology didn't work) and myself...that being I'm not a jerk. Technical delay's occur...no problem for me. Planes arrive late...no problem for me...planes take off late...no problem..but when you have a boarding pass in your hand and you can't get on your flight because they won't take a bag for being 3 minutes late and then are forced to sleep over night at the airport and then get charged for it..and nobody seems to feel bad about it or sorry...? I don't know, that had to be the straw that broke the camels back. B.T.W. people that don't appreciate or even care to hear an apology..well, then it becomes their problem but at least you can sleep at night knowing you did the right thing.

[Silent Bob]

I guess I am trying to see the two sides, one from Corbel side and the other from a passenger side. Me personally, if the apology is not heartfelt it becomes meaningless. The airline folk that i deal with will usually apologize for my inconvenience, with little more they can do and I know it. But there in lies the question: what does an apology mean? I like your example zuzi of the little boy and the passing gas, but that's something that's forgiveable and some people will say its cute even, but with your plight you were dealt a blow on many levels, to your pride and your wallet, you had to sleep in an airport (which hey i've done too many times to count), but there in lies my original question: seeing as you had to shell out more money, and sleep uncomfortably, would the airline apologizing really make you feel better? My point is an apology is just words to me, good manners? Sure, but it doesn't change anything, the situation will still be the same, i would honestly say "hey keep that apology, it doesn't put me in a warm bed, food in my stomach, or keep me on my original flight". To me its just words. But if it makes a person feel better, i can't argue it.

[zuzi]

Well..ya know Bob, I live in Japan and the Japanese are truly famous for putting 100% into their jobs no matter how menial the work. I know that when they look at me and say " were sorry about your situation" that it may not be from the heart, but they have pride in representing their company & are grateful to have a job. Thus they go the extra yard to ensure that people are left feeling "ok" regardless of their dilema and without being condensending. It ensures that the quality of their work stays at a level that will keep the machine in motion. The machine that puts food on their table. Work ethic " morals" if you will...something we are sadly losing in America.

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

Zuzi:

I think you have pointed-out why airlines, based OUTSIDE North America, are becoming the preferred method for travel to/from the USA.

The last time I can remember a Japanese-style apology, coming from a US airline executive was, almost ten years ago, when, after a summer of bad-weather delays and cancellations, the head of United Airlines apologized in a TV commercial.

The attitude, toward customer service and "product quality," currently held by the six "legacy" airlines is the same reason why, during the seventies, Toyota moved ahead of the US-based auto manufacturers in sales.

Japan Air, All-Nippon/ANA, and Lufthansa German Air, I'm sure, are every bit as strict when it comes to passenger conduct in-flight, and security in general. However, these carriers understand customer service need not take a "back seat" to these issues. Furthermore, when mass shortcomings, in customer service, happen, the chief executives of these carriers do NOT relegate an apology to their press departments.

[zuzi]

Things do indeed happen for a reason and it made me realize how just one single, insignificant employee can have such a serious impact on the impression left on a customer or passenger (in this case).... in contrast to my JFK nightmare Delta experience, the Delta curb side check in gentleman at Sky Harbor in Phoenix was genuine, upbeat, polite and when he said "Mam, I have to charge you for the golf bag set as a second piece of luggage" I was not only happy to pay the extra, but I tipped him generously. Why? his attitude was infectious and it set the mood for the long trek home.

[flygrl]

the thing is... ive worked in customer service before and after a while, everyone's sob stories, valid or not, really dont make the situation any more dire or important. "i need to get on my flight because xyz happened and i HAVE to get home". everyone thinks their problem is most important but the system as a whole is much bigger and more complex than the needs, problems or wants of one or two people. sometimes an apology just incites more anger from a customer anyhow!

[zuzi]

Hey, I totally get that flygrl...
I have seen close minded angry people　in

[zuzi]

Hey, I really do get that flygrl and I have seen angry and unreasonable people in action where no matter what you say it doesn't help.. Not to mention that when your dealing with this day in & day out it MUST take it's toll & it probably get's difficult to genuinely have a natural affection for strangers anymore. However, concerning my experience at JFK... nothing in the course of days and going through many channels and people could remedy the problem and I think that the people I dealt with knew I wasn't a jerk. Seriously, with the exception of the SkyCap in Phoenix, it was just Delta = bad JuJu for me all across the board. I think it was when they capped it off by charging me a hundred bucks that nipped it in the butt... The principle..Things happen for a reason so I needed to learn something from this. It is smooth sailing and Jet Blue for us this summer, Thanks! ;-)