I've heard complaints about every airline, but the number of things I've heard about Delta just massively outnumbers everyone else added together. I have never flown Delta and never will, just because I've heard so many bad things about them.
When setting up my travel arrangements for JO's with the USFA, I had a choice between Delta and American. The American flight was more expensive, and the USFA was going to make me pay the difference. I did so GLADLY. I'd rather walk than fly Delta.
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"Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado." - Emiliano Zapata
In the three years I have flown with them (I have a small # of miles accrued), I have not been charged extra for my fencing bag. If you are paying $50 +fare on AirTran, it isn't much of a discount.
Remember that none of us were charged or question on our way To Atlanta, just leaving Atlanta.
yeah delta great customer service as they make you go through security 4 different times without having left a secure area, and don't allow you to go to the bathroom or drink without having to go through security again, or to buy bottled water at the airport and then don't serve you a beverage on the flight. On top of which they are consistently late. Yep great customer service.
And to top it off, I think Delta's inflight magazine doesn't have a crossword puzzle section. Maybe I'm thinking of American. (I like to see if I can finish the puzzle before the plane gets off the ground. I'm about 80% successful.)
Sounds like Heathrow for just about every airline....
-B
No kidding... Last time I flew through Heathrow, we had to pass THE SAME SECURITY CHECKPOINT 3 different times to get from arrival to departure gates...
While we're talking about airlines and exit seats... Last time I was down in Texas (don't remember exactly which airport...), flying Delta, I was initially assigned to the worst possible seat for me (back row, middle seat), so I tried to wrangle a nicer one. The only other seat that was free was in the emergency exit row, but upon seeing my kneebrace (I was wearing my unloader brace as a precautionary measure), the gate attendant replied that she just could not give me emergency seats, no matter how eloquently I explained the purely precautionary nature of this brace, the fact that I had fenced the night before, intended to fence the day after, etc.
She then proceeded to give the seat to the person behind me in line... who turned out to be a little old lady, 70-80 years old... All I could do at this point was utter something like "and this lady is more capable than I to operate the emergency exit?" and walk away...
Definitely trying to avoid Delta since that incident.
Delta's record is 0-3 for me. We got to Denver via Cincy and LAX for last year's JOs, but only after 3 hours of haggling. They did NOT put us up in a hotel, because their partner hotels were full.
Last year's Koblenz trip, I spent 8 hours in their under-construction terminal in JFK. No decent food, and the board said "On Time" for the Rochester flight, even though it was hours after the departure was supposed to happen.
This year, we got booked Delta to Cabries: on the trip back they bounced us from the flight because our connection got delayed (we still made it to the domestic counter 40 minutes before departure), a counter employee at JFK actually threatened the kids, and they tried to not give us hotel rooms. Needless to say, we just rented a car and drove back to Rochester. Good idea, too, because the snowstorm the next day got all the JFK-ROC flights cancelled.
Fortunately, parents were along for the Cabries trip -- and just like that, no more Delta ever!
Huh I don't remember Heathrow being a huge pain the but, but that was back in 2004. Delta/Ecuador rant posted to blog instead of this thread (it's long). But I will only fly Delta if it has the only flights that work with my schedule. I will pay more to avoid them, and given that it's me that's saying something.
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What's the "real" world again? I don't think I can see it from my window
But I will only fly Delta if it has the only flights that work with my schedule. I will pay more to avoid them, and given that it's me that's saying something.
This is pretty much what I'm going to do from now on, only fly Delta if there's nothing else I can do.
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__________________ . "I don't mind being the smartest man in the world. I just wish it wasn't this one." - Ozymandias .
It seems like I'm one of the only people around here who has always had good experiences on Delta. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I've found them to be pretty good all-around.
By comparison, my hatred for United is equal to everyone else's hatred of Delta...
It must have been something happening at the airport because my husband and son left this morning (on Delta) and got the same treatment. The bag was to long, didn't get hassled on the trip out, wieghed to much, etc.
They didn't have to pay, but needless to say we won't be flying Delta into Atlanta anymore.
I have flown Delta to three NACs and one SYC (Boston Logan Airport) this season and have never had a problem with Delta. We have 2 SYCs and JOs next month and then the NAC and a trip to Denmark to fence in March. I am definitely going to call the airline tomorrow and get clarification in writing on this subject.
__________________ " ... or spend fifty years learning to begin to learn to beat your adversary at fencing. After that you can start on mathematics, until it is time to learn to plough.” White, T.H. The Once and Future King (emphasis added)
This is the DOT/FAA consumer complaint online form for problems with service from the airlines. Just throwing that out there for all you happy, satisfied, Airtran customers.
And thanks for the warnings about AirTran. Several times its crossed my mind to fly them, but now I will kill that thought if it ever pops in my head again.
I would like to point out that American Airlines in Dallas nailed me with this last year when I brought my gear with me for a business trip. The lady brought out the paper with the rules, measured my bag, it definitely failed. I got pissed. She got pissed. I realized my mistake, apologized and begged for forbearance. She let me slide but informed me I could expect that fee on any future American Airlines flights. Same 62". I think it is actually true of all airlines. You have to be prepared for it, since it really is the letter of the rules. But usually they say "is this golf gear", I say "no, fencing gear" they shrug and pretend it is golf gear.
My flights on Delta have been no worse than others, and American were the bastards who busted me for the 62". Airlines like other businesses are as good as the individuals there you deal with.
This is the message I received from Delta Airlines this evening:
"Thank you for contacting us.
At the current time, our baggage allowances does not address the issue
of fencing gear under sporting equipment, so, therefore, we are unable
to answer your question other than to tell you if the fencing bag
exceeds size or weight allowance, you would be subject to an excess
baggage charge. I have forwarded this problem to the department
responsible for updating our system with policy changes. Keep checking
our website for any changes to this policy under baggage.(I added bold highlighting)
When you exceed the allowed two pieces of baggage or size/weight
restrictions for each bag, excess fees will be collected at check-in.
Keep in mind that piece, size, and weight excess baggage charges may be
charged independently. For example, if you have three checked bags and
one of them is oversized, both an excess piece and excess size charge
will apply."
Me again. Maybe if enough people express concern regarding this problem with the various airlines they will respond.
__________________ " ... or spend fifty years learning to begin to learn to beat your adversary at fencing. After that you can start on mathematics, until it is time to learn to plough.” White, T.H. The Once and Future King (emphasis added)
I recall that RyanAir was doing something similar to this not long ago wherein they refused to accept fencing bags as sporting gear, or may have not been accepting them at all. The BFA got involved - end of problem. On a side note - Heathrow is not as bad as LAX these days. Immigration at LAX was hilarious; something like five queues for US citizens, and one for everyone else. It took us an hour to get through; I hate to have thought how long it would have taken had there been problems.
Well our local law enforcement would differ with you there. My son was pulled over for his first speeding ticket last summer and when the cop asked if he had an weapons in the car, he sheepishly said no and took his ticket.
He asked me later what he should have said and I conferred with a friend who is with our sheriff's department who told me they are NOT weapons, but it would not hurt to qualify the answer by saying you do have fence and have SPORTING equipment in the car.
Maybe we need to send some of Jacksonville's finest to the Atlanta airport to straighten this out.
Sounds like Heathrow for just about every airline....
-B
Don't get me started on Heathrow... Suffice it to say we will NEVER fly with a connection through Heathrow again after what we went through trying to get back from Germany.
A quick thought just popped into my head: Complaining to the airline is one route but consider also writing to or otherwise contacting the Atlanta airport. The airline makes and enforces (or doesn't) their own rules but when it's done in such a manner that it leaves a negative impression of the airport itself...! I doubt the airport will give you a voucher for the $50 but if enough people let them know about the uneven treatment they received from the airline -- with the negative end being in Atlanta -- they just might lean on the airline a bit. Dunno, might be worth a shot if enough people do it.
yeah delta great customer service as they make you go through security 4 different times without having left a secure area, and don't allow you to go to the bathroom or drink without having to go through security again, or to buy bottled water at the airport and then don't serve you a beverage on the flight. On top of which they are consistently late. Yep great customer service.
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