Wow, I wasn't expecting such a huge response. Thanks so much everyone for your thoughts, I really appreciate it! ^

What I've taken from this thread and my own experiences is that US-based airlines are generally mediocre, and Delta is no exception. Maybe what happened to me and my fellow passengers could happen on many large airlines, although perhaps it's less surprising when flying with Delta. The "least bad" comment is too true.

Guess I can't go wrong avoiding Delta. It's not like I have 500,000 Skymiles to burn. I'll just use up the little bit I have (if they let me!) and move on. Life's too short.

Thanks again, everyone, for your valuable input!