Update: Now Resolved! (Delta Ripoff, PLEASE HELP!)

[Mendel]

I had a miserable travel experience on the way from New York to Miami, we came to the airport sunday night over 90 minutes before the flight, but the lines were so crazy, so by the time we got to the counter they would not take our luggage, and therefore would not let us fly at all, so I needed to fly on Erev Pesach with a connection in atlanta, plus pay a change fee of $150 per person (a total of $600)

I am sending them a letter (I want to copy the BBB & the attorney general in GA) below is a draft:

This happened on March 28th Sunday evening, going into our passover holiday, I had already checked-in online and paid for my luggage, and was told online that there would a special drop off area for it, I arrived to the airport over 90 minutes before my flight, traveling with 3 small children and luggage, not as easy task, so I got in a long line, and cannot describe the chaos going on there, carousels with the languages were all backed up etc., while standing there, and approaching 65 minutes before my flight, I asked a delta agent for help, and was told to go to the first class line, which I did, and was happy that only 3-4 people were ahead of us, but then the worst happened, there was a person up there for over 25 minutes so by the time we got there, it was too late to check-in our luggage, and the agent was "first class nasty" the next flight did have room, but after her wasting another 5 minutes she tells us that it's 59 minutes before that flight, so it's too late to check in luggage as well, in short we had to wait in a ticketing line for another hour (there were many many many likes us) and we had to pay $600 to change our tickets to fly the next day with a connection in Atlanta (as it was noted by our previous nasty agent that we only came into the line an hour before the flight) so we had to go back home and fly on Monday barley making it in time for the passover Seder, arriving very exhausted, the kids and us on a very miserable start for what is supposed to be a Jewish holiday of freedom and a family vacation.

the confirmation number for this flight is ....

I am asking for a full refund of $600, and compensation for this whole ordeal, that terminal was complete chaos, and not run properly, as I did arrive over 90 minutes before my flight.

I'm also disputing the AMEX charge, any other tips or suggestions will be appreciated?

[steve2]

 Good Luck, you probably will get $0.

even as an Elite Ive had the same problem a few times. I was on the Biz check-in line at LAX for over an hr to drop off my 1 bag, by the time I got to the counter it was 38 mins to flight time and the computer shut the flight down, yep wasnt allowed on the flight but got lucky all I had to do is wait another 6 hrs for the next 1, got $0 for Compensation and Rightly so. Same with DL out of JFK

 Unfortunately DL was 100% in its Rights to do as they did. Had you not flown I guess you could have made a case to get your baggage fees back not even sure if you would have.

I dont think Amex will help once they find out you presented yourselves after the 60 min Limit had pasted not important that you were there even 3 hrs before hand. All thats important is you had to have dropped your bags off by 60 mins before and at times it will close withing 65 mins.

I will still pursue all avenues but I wouldnt think youd get $600 back from DL even as vouchers for future travel. BTW most Carriers tell the passengers to be there at least 2 hrs before hand and you admitted to 90 mins
Please get back to us once you have an answer from both DL and Amex as to what they said and did if anything

[SuperFlyer]

Use a spellchecker. Mistakes give a very bad impression.

Instead of saying over 90 minutes early, check the minimum time you need to be in advance, and add another 30+ minutes to it, and state the time.

If you have a child, dramatize a bit, and so on.

You are too repetitive.

I wish you the best off luck.

[Mendel]

yep wasnt allowed on the flight but got lucky all I had to do is wait another 6 hrs for the next 1, got $0 for Compensation and Rightly so. Same with DL out of JFK
 
I will still pursue all avenues but I wouldnt think youd get $600 back from DL even as vouchers for future travel.

Did they charge you $150 change fee per person? did many others miss the same flight as well? did the agent rant anti semitic comments at you?

something like this would never happen on Jetblue, 1) they have a proper bag drop system 2) they take bags closer to the flight 3) they have the option to voluntary check your bags even if late, and you have responsibility to pick them up if they miss the flight.

I had the bad luck to run into a very nasty agent... there was another flight which had space, and was 70 minutes to departure, so she procrastinated as much as possible, and then told me that it's only 59 minutes to departure of that flight as well....  

Another major thing to keep in mind, I read somewhere that Delta is starting to beef up it's customer service shortcomings, and so what may have been acceptable in the past, no longer is...

[Mendel]

Use a spellchecker. Mistakes give a very bad impression.

If you have a child, dramatize a bit, and so on.

1) which spelling mistakes? 2) I was traveling with 3 kids, how would you dramatize that?

[steve2]

Did they charge you $150 change fee per person? did many others miss the same flight as well? did the agent rant anti semitic comments at you?

something like this would never happen on Jetblue, 1) they have a proper bag drop system 2) they take bags closer to the flight 3) they have the option to voluntary check your bags even if late, and you have responsibility to pick them up if they miss the flight.

I had the bad luck to run into a very nasty agent... there was another flight which had space 70 minutes to departure, so she procrastinated as much as possible, and then told me it's only 59 mins to departure of that flight as well...

 you got hit with the $150 since you werent flying on the day you were tkted had there been room on that same day they probably wouldnt have charged you. As I said I was able to fly that same day but had to wait 6 hrs before the next flight to EWR, AA now has but 1 flight to EWR back then they had 3

 But you didnt fly JB so what JB does or doesnt isnt important.

   If the agent was anti or not, I dont know I wasnt there but why do I have the feeling you didnt simply speak in a very calm voice. Ive been in this sit myself and whenever I wasnt in a rush I would fire back , knowing full well that it wasnt going to help my cause but not really caring

I wasnt there but Id say in the vast majority of the cases Both parties have done or said something.So if were a PIA to that agent then she probably did what she had to make sure you wouldnt make a flight that day, was she wrong Yes, but when I NEED to get somewhere I suck it up (and thats extremely hard for me to do!) and try not to raise my voice or say anything that could very well hurt me in the end.

Ive seen my share of the Olam talking down or yelling at these agents , thats the worst thing a person can do. Yes the Goyim do it as well but that doesnt mean we can .Or travel like I do in a baseball cap and not in asuit or at least outward looking like a Religious Jew and when you can spare the time you too can go to the mat with them and they wont under their breathe be knocking the Yidden. If you look the Look then be prepared for having to suck it in alot more times, unless no matter what you can control the level of your voice and what you are saying

Im not saying the DL agent was Right only if you looked like a Rabbi then you better behave and act like they think 1 should, even thou you arent 1

 Again try to get back some or all of your $$ but dont hold your breathe as unless you have witnesses to back your side and that they were there throughout, and having admitted you were but 90 mins present before departure time you were at fault more then Dl was, sorry to tell you.

Ive gotten on Intl flights with showing up 40 mins before the flight and not doing online checkin, mostly due to my Status with that Carrier, and I also tell them if my bags wont make it I prefer not to make it as well, but I speak very gently I agree I messed up and would greatly appreciate any assisatnce they can offer to get me and my bags onto said flight, I cant but help but feel with Pesach being on Mon night you werent so calm at the scene, I dont know if I would have been especially under those same circumstances but getting there 90 mins before hand wasnt that agents fault

[Mendel]

you got hit with the $150 since you werent flying on the day you were tkted had there been room on that same day they probably wouldnt have charged you. As I said I was able to fly that same day but had to wait 6 hrs before the next flight to EWR, AA now has but 1 flight to EWR back then they had 3

 But you didnt fly JB so what JB does or doesnt isnt important.

   If the agent was anti or not, I dont know I wasnt there but why do I have the feeling you didnt simply speak in a very calm voice. Ive been in this sit myself and whenever I wasnt in a rush I would fire back , knowing full well that it wasnt going to help my cause but not really caring

I wasnt there but Id say in the vast majority of the cases Both parties have done or said something.So if were a PIA to that agent then she probably did what she had to make sure you wouldnt make a flight that day, was she wrong Yes, but when I NEED to get somewhere I suck it up (and thats extremely hard for me to do!) and try not to raise my voice or say anything that could very well hurt me in the end.

Ive seen my share of the Olam talking down or yelling at these agents , thats the worst thing a person can do. Yes the Goyim do it as well but that doesnt mean we can .Or travel like I do in a baseball cap and not in asuit or at least outward looking like a Religious Jew and when you can spare the time you too can go to the mat with them and they wont under their breathe be knocking the Yidden. If you look the Look then be prepared for having to suck it in alot more times, unless no matter what you can control the level of your voice and what you are saying

Im not saying the DL agent was Right only if you looked like a Rabbi then you better behave and act like they think 1 should, even thou you arent 1

 Again try to get back some or all of your $$ but dont hold your breathe as unless you have witnesses to back your side and that they were there throughout, and having admitted you were but 90 mins present before departure time you were at fault more then Dl was, sorry to tell you.

Ive gotten on Intl flights with showing up 40 mins before the flight and not doing online checkin, mostly due to my Status with that Carrier, and I also tell them if my bags wont make it I prefer not to make it as well, but I speak very gently I agree I messed up and would greatly appreciate any assisatnce they can offer to get me and my bags onto said flight, I cant but help but feel with Pesach being on Mon night you werent so calm at the scene, I dont know if I would have been especially under those same circumstances but getting there 90 mins before hand wasnt that agents fault

on the spot I was too tired, dumbfounded, upset to even raise my voice, I was more like in tears begging for mercy.

[Dan]

Write the letter, do a chargeback, and hope for the best.

But for the future, 90 minutes is simply not enough for an international itinerary at JFK, especially with a family, and even more so erev pesach.  
2 hours is the absolute minimum in such a situation, 2.5 hours would be playing it safe.  If you tell Delta 90 minutes at JFK for an international itin. they'll likely laugh your letter right into the rectangular file...

[steve2]

on the spot I was too tired, dumbfounded, upset to even raise my voice, I was more like in tears begging for mercy.

 well if its exactly as you say, it seems you got hit with a real dousy of an Agent. I just cant understand why if you didnt do anything why she would push it off to make sure youd miss that last flight.  I simply dont buy the Anti line, no different then if the agent was white and a black passeneger had a problem . Its too easy to throw a Racist or Bigot card, especially when the other person (you in this case) claims they did absolutely nothing wrong and were a perfect gentleman, had it been me and my family I dont think I would have been able to contain myself and most likely would have gotten on their case.

 That said how do you plan to Prove beyond any doubt to DL that their agent is an anti , and thusly the sole reason for you missing both flights. I can see DL saying you brought it on yourself by showing up only 90 mins before a flight while we recommend 2 hrs before, and teh choas even if true wouldnt have affected you had you been there 2 hrs before hand as they suggest.

 Im not telling you not to pursue it but just to expect nothing back from them as they will have a # of legit reasons to back them, while I havent seen 1 to back you that you can prove, and thats true even if i agree that the agentw as an anti, you need to prove it. No different thensaying she was a racist, saying it is 1 thing, proving it is another and w/o the proof I wouldnt expect anything from either DL or Amex, but do try anyway as you have nothing to lose

[steve2]

Write the letter, do a chargeback, and hope for the best.

But for the future, 90 minutes is simply not enough for an international itinerary at JFK, especially with a family, and even more so erev pesach.  
2 hours is the absolute minimum in such a situation, 2.5 hours would be playing it safe.  If you tell Delta 90 minutes at JFK for an international itin. they'll likely laugh your letter right into the rectangular file...

 since when is Florida an Intl flight?

 but even for a domestic flight DL tells you to be there at least 2 hrs before, and you must have given in your bags by 60 mins before, being on the line to do so wont help.Aa was no different

[Dan]

since when is Florida an Intl flight?

 but even for a domestic flight DL tells you to be there at least 2 hrs before, and you must have given in your bags by 60 mins before, being on the line to do so wont help.Aa was no different

I'm obviously losing it just ignore me please 

That'll teach me from posting stupid replies when I've got a fever 

[steve2]

I'm obviously losing it just ignore me please 

That'll teach me from posting stupid replies when I've got a fever 

 Id love to but no way of that a happenin,LoL

 a Refuah Shelama

[Mendel]

Write the letter, do a chargeback, and hope for the best.

But for the future, 90 minutes is simply not enough for an international itinerary at JFK, especially with a family, and even more so erev pesach.  
2 hours is the absolute minimum in such a situation, 2.5 hours would be playing it safe.  If you tell Delta 90 minutes at JFK for an international itin. they'll likely laugh your letter right into the rectangular file...

Is my letter any good? What's the flat-tire rule? Are they allowed to just charge $150 change fee?

I have heard from many that Delta is known for this, (I suspect that my flight was overbooked, and this was done intentional) they kept sending us in different lines, like they wanted us and others to miss that flight...  

(I later spoke to a supervisor on the phone who could not understand the whole thing, since I bought this ticket from a 3rd Party Vendor, the only way of letting me reuse the ticket would be to put in a delay/cancellation on their part, and then there would be no FEE at all, but for some reason he was not even able to verify that I was charged, so he just suggested that I write a letter to corporate)

[steve2]

Is my letter any good? What's the flat-tire rule? Are they allowed to just charge $150 change fee?

I have heard from many that Delta is known for this, (I suspect that my flight was overbooked, and this was done intentional) they kept sending us in different lines, like they wanted us and others to miss that flight...  

(I later spoke to a supervisor on the phone who could not understand the whole thing, since I bought this ticket from a 3rd Party Vendor, the only way of letting me reuse the ticket would be to put in a delay/cancellation on their part, and then there would be no FEE at all, but for some reason he was not even able to verify that I was charged, so he just suggested that I write a letter to corporate)

 the so called flat tire rule doesnt really exist helps for getting another flight that same day, not for a different day and not getting Dinged any Fees

 I dont fly DL any longer , but I personally dont believe any Carrier is so good at knowing which of its flights are over-sold and therefore will play with the passengers in order not to hand out Monopoly Money. They dont give you real $$$ but a voucher off another flight. I dont buy it especially if it was as chaotic as you orginally described it to be.

 dont know what that sup was talking about, as usually a 3rd party tkt has less room for the agents to play with if they want to and its usually Use it or Lose it w/o being able to change dates or flights, but not in All cases.

 Yes the $150 for the last time per tkt is charged when you change the date of your flight, they could have charged even more if the fare basis you purchased wasnt available the next day and hit you with the $150 fee for changing the date of travel PLUS the amount you paid for the flight down compared to whatever the cheapest tkt for the next day cost which is usually a heck of alot more then you probably paid for your tkt

 OT but I know someone who flew NK (Spirit) to NJ and missed their flight they called 1/2 hr after it left FL and were told since they didnt show up and didnt call in their return was cancelled as well. Leaving them to buy a very expensive tkt that same Mon.

Spirit ended up giving them some credit towards the new tkt they had to buy but it was anything but Cheap. I also know people who missed their $9 Spirit fare tkt and it cost them over $400 per person to get on the next flight!

[SuperFlyer]

I'm using now a bb, so I'm not too much bothered but for instance "barely" you spelled "barley".

If you want to get money back you will need to get or create all reasons to it.

You story should be e.g. As I travelled often with 3 kids (try supplying a one world gold as well as star alliance, can be fake, they won't check), just to show that you know the drill at an airport.
If some of your kids are babies, you begged the ady to let you proceed a bit faster, as one had a flooding diaper, and the other one just threw up.
Whatever, just make it sound good, remember, that besides when the lady typed something in her pc, they have no notion to what was said, queues, situations, etc, that is where you play around.
If you want ill forward you an email I've sent to Turkish Airlines, which unfortunately didn't need to be exaggerated... What I heard but didn't believe, is that out of principal, they will never refund you, even where they legally have to...

[Mendel]

I'm using now a bb, so I'm not too much bothered but for instance "barely" you spelled "barley".

no spell checker would pick that up, as they are both English words...

[Mendel]

New Version of letter (re-written by a friend)

cc: Attorney General in GA

cc: The Better Business Bureau

To the President of Delta Airlines,
     
I am writing with a complaint regarding an experience that my family and I had with Delta Airlines flying from New York to Miami, Florida.

      On Sunday evening, March 28th, going into our passover holiday, I had already checked-in online and paid for my luggage. The Delta website stated that there would a special drop off area for luggage. I arrived to the airport over 90 minutes before my flight, traveling with 3 small children and luggage and I got in a long line. The line was chaotic with carousels and luggage all backed up.  My family and I were standing in line and approaching 65 minutes before our flight when I asked a Delta agent for help, and was told to go to the first class line, which I did, and was happy that only 3-4 people were ahead of us.

      Then the worst happened, there was a person dealing with the agent for over 25 minutes. By the time we got to the agent, it was too late to check-in our luggage. The Delta agent was not accommodating and helpful to us. Eventually she told us that the next flight did have room, but after her slowly checking the flights for another 5 minutes, she told us that it was 59 minutes before that flight, and one minute too late to check in luggage as well.

      We had to wait in a ticketing line, with three crying children for another hour (there were many other people who were in the same situation) and we had to pay $600 to change our tickets to fly the next day with a connection in Atlanta, although we had arrived at the airport over 90 minutes before our flight! We were greatly inconvenienced since we we had to go back home and fly on Monday, barely making it in time to Florida for the Passover holiday. 

the confirmation number for this flight is ....

I am asking for a full refund of $600, and compensation for this whole ordeal. We have been loyal customers of Delta in the past and we are sure that Delta will compensate us accordingly.
 

Thank you,

[steve2]

New Version of letter (re-written by a friend)

cc: Attorney General in GA

cc: The Better Business Bureau

To the President of Delta Airlines,
      
I am writing with a complaint regarding an experience that my family and I had with Delta Airlines flying from New York to Miami, Florida.

      On Sunday evening, March 28th, going into our passover holiday, I had already checked-in online and paid for my luggage. The Delta website stated that there would a special drop off area for luggage. I arrived to the airport over 90 minutes before my flight, traveling with 3 small children and luggage and I got in a long line. The line was chaotic with carousels and luggage all backed up.  My family and I were standing in line and approaching 65 minutes before our flight when I asked a Delta agent for help, and was told to go to the first class line, which I did, and was happy that only 3-4 people were ahead of us.

      Then the worst happened, there was a person dealing with the agent for over 25 minutes. By the time we got to the agent, it was too late to check-in our luggage. The Delta agent was not accommodating and helpful to us. Eventually she told us that the next flight did have room, but after her slowly checking the flights for another 5 minutes, she told us that it was 59 minutes before that flight, and one minute too late to check in luggage as well.

      We had to wait in a ticketing line, with three crying children for another hour (there were many other people who were in the same situation) and we had to pay $600 to change our tickets to fly the next day with a connection in Atlanta, although we had arrived at the airport over 90 minutes before our flight! We were greatly inconvenienced since we we had to go back home and fly on Monday, barely making it in time to Florida for the Passover holiday.  

the confirmation number for this flight is ....

I am asking for a full refund of $600, and compensation for this whole ordeal. We have been loyal customers of Delta in the past and we are sure that Delta will compensate us accordingly.
 

Thank you,

 Alot better However I would leave the AG of GA and the BBB out of it for now, after all if DL sees you already contacted them Id think they have no reason to shut you up

Also the part about having been "loyal customers in the past" if you never attained Status with DL drop that line, DL will check and if they see you never really had status and werent "loyal" to them then they just might think you werent telling the truth about the other parts as well, if you had status but it was from before '08 Id also drop that line from the letter. It will take DL 2 secs to look up your acct and past activity with them

 thats my 2 cents

[SuperFlyer]

You were right about the spellcheck not grasping that specific mistake. :-)

This rewritten by a friend, is much better. I still think you should state a time at which you arrived to the airport. (Make it close to 2 hours before the flight).
I don't believe delta can check how many times you flew with them. Tell them that you were so mixed up that you completely forgot to add your flying blue platinum card, but with the attitude of the check in agent for the first class (!) it would not have helped anyways...

[steve2]

I don't believe delta can check how many times you flew with them. Tell them that you were so mixed up that you completely forgot to add your flying blue platinum card, but with the attitude of the check in agent for the first class (!) it would not have helped anyways...

 When I called to request KSML for a free tkt I booked DL and even AA have asked me why I stopped flying them and see no activity (paid flights) from me in a long time. Not every time but they have asked. Im Plat for life with AA and still got asked as once I crossed the 2MM  my paid flights have been far and few ever since. DL gave me status when they took over PNs FFB membership and that was it for them even thou I had several 100,000 miles to burn thou and down to 200,000 to go

 Today when I called CO about my Yom Tov tkt she saw Ive been Plat with them for yrs and thus far in '10 not 1 EQM and asked me why, so Id assume if they want and have the time they can look it up w/o much ado