Watch Out!!!

[kenish]

My son (12yo at the time) and I were going on vacation to Washington DC. United cancelled a flight and rebooked us onto separate flights, even though our reservations were linked !! The agent at their call center in India couldn't comprehend what the problem was, and didn't understand the concept of linked reservations. He would not transfer me to a supervisor.

 

I called again and fortunately got a stateside agent. She apologized and immediately fixed the problem.

[surroundedbyboys]

We also had a problem with Delta. They changed our flights- going out of a totally different airport, with a 4 hour layover in the connecting city. When I called, they changed us back to our original flights- after asking why WE changed the flights in the first place! Sounds as though someone is messing around.

[Acemac]

Also, Alaska Airlines is going to start charging for a second bag this summer, can't remember the date.

 

Sorry if this was already posted, I just breezed through the msgs

[milolii]

We were booked on Aloha to Hawaii in April. Aloha said "Aloha" on March 30. Thanks to Cruise critic, I found that out early on March 30. I re-booked on United.

 

Departure day, plane was held up in maintance, then released. We boarded and then the door did not close. We took off and could not get the flaps up, so returned to SFO. We circled while the SFO fire depatment was mobolized to the tarmack as would be coming in a "little fast". Captain did excellent job of landing the plane. Three hours later we are on another plane to Kona.

 

Returning to CA, a Virgin Atlantic plane struck their tow truck and blocked the gate. It took another hour to get off the plane at another gate.

 

United sent us a 20% off coupon. That is a good deal as that same airfare has now tripled. The airlines have to pay their gas bill, too. I guess we all have to take our patience with us.

[B'smeme]

Watch out if you have purchased airline tickets far in advance.....I bought and carefully selected my seats for the flights to Alaska and back in January.

 

Today I get an email saying they have changed my seats. I HAD good seats and now they are the pits. How does Delta explain???? The plane is different. lol It is the exact same configuration if it is a different plane. Now they want to seat us either not together or on the back row. This is unacceptable in my view. We are taking our grandchildren for the first time even flying. I was very nice talking with them but now what do I do?

 

When you call Delta's reservation phone number you are getting someone from overseas that can't really help you with problems. You have to call their corporate office in Atlanta 404-715-2600 and ask for "customer service". My daughter was flying on Delta with my 3 year old granddaughter and she got an e-mail stating they changed their seats and now were not sitting together. When she called reservations they couldn't help her. They told her she could correct it at the airport. My daughter then called corporate office, explained the situation, and told them she didn't want to have to worry about there being a problem at the airport. They were extremely understanding and helpful. At the corporate office they were able to override the computer system and assign my daughter new seats. It doesn't hurt for you to try calling the corporate office. Good luck!

[the2006Junket]

As a Delta verrry frequent flyer, I would share the advice of the OP on making sure the airline has your email address/home phone and cell phone numbers in your profile on Delta.com. Everytime I have a flight time change, I am emailed with the change. Once you have your profile set up on their website you can check your seat assignments anytime and also change your seats. If you can't change to seats you want with your grandkids, definitely keep calling them and telling them that you are traveling with young children and that you must sit together.

 

If it gets to be the day of your flight and you still don't have the seats you want, get to the gate early and speak nicely to the gate agent as soon as they arrive (usually one hour before departure time). It's amazing what they will (usually) do for customers who are polite.

 

Good luck!

 

Lynne

[mdeane]

Thanks so much for the corporate phone number in Atlanta. I was going to look for that on Tue. (probably a holiday tomorrow). Thanks also for the idea on the gate agent. I always try to be very polite and very humble to all of them as I know what it is like to work with the public. I was an emergency dept. nurse so I have been there.

 

I will continue to try to get better seats but if I can't then we will just make the best of it this time. I really feel they do take advantage of us though. I thought by buying early with the best selection I would be fine. lol.

 

I do hope all of you will not have to struggle with problems like this to start your vacation. I have really been lucky before.

[mdeane]

Just an update....I poured my heart out to Delta Corp. with a very nice lady but she had little help as the seats are gone. She did give me a clue as to what to do with the gate agent on arrival at the airport. I have decent seats on all legs but one. I am still working on that. Won't know until day we fly. Just keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for all your suggestions.

[B'smeme]

Just an update....I poured my heart out to Delta Corp. with a very nice lady but she had little help as the seats are gone. She did give me a clue as to what to do with the gate agent on arrival at the airport. I have decent seats on all legs but one. I am still working on that. Won't know until day we fly. Just keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for all your suggestions.

 

I was thinking about you today and was wondering if Delta Corp was able to help you. Good luck on your travels and have a great cruise. Keep us posted on how everything went when you get back from your trip.

[knittingGal]

My son (12yo at the time) and I were going on vacation to Washington DC. United cancelled a flight and rebooked us onto separate flights, even though our reservations were linked !! The agent at their call center in India couldn't comprehend what the problem was, and didn't understand the concept of linked reservations. He would not transfer me to a supervisor.

 

I called again and fortunately got a stateside agent. She apologized and immediately fixed the problem.

 

We had similar experience dealing with their oversea call center as well.bv

[FunForUs]

True, not just Delta. We had a problem with American on all of our flights to South America this year. If I had not been checking the online itinerary regularly, I would not have known that they changed the connecting flights that I booked, putting us on earlier flights which, in my opinion, did not allow sufficient time to make the connection. On the return they had changed us so that we had 1 hour to get to the connection in Dallas/Ft Worth where we had to claim our luggage, go thru customs and go thru security again, plus getting to the domestic gate. That process took us more than 1 hour, so we would not have made the connection. I suspect that the parameters in the computer do not allow for all of the necessary variables, especially today with flight delays, etc.