Originally Posted by
PerroneFord
Ok folks, I need some info here. I am not a FF but do take a couple trips a year.
This past Thu., I had a flight scheduled from my regional airport (TLH) to CMH. First class booking. Flight out of TLH was supposed to be 8:15, wheels down around 9:30 with my connection at 10:20 arriving at CMH at noon. I had a business meeting that afternoon in a town about an hour away and a driver was going to meet me at noon.
At 5:15am, I get an SMS that my initial flight was delayed until 11:47am! I could not get to the airport in time to catch the USAir flight that would have saved me. I got confusing info so I went to the airport ASAP to see what I could do. Delta had auto-rebooked me to arrive at CMH around 7:30pm! I got onto a connecting flight that got me into CMH around 4pm.
No one at TLH gave us any updates, no vouchers were offered. The plane sat at the jetway the entire time we were delayed. No maintenance seemed to being done. The flight left at the designated delay time and the FC attendant was a bit surly though she did apologize for the delay. Upon arriving in ATL, I went to the departure gate to get my boarding pass. I found that I had been bumped from FC to coach. The flight was FULL, with 20 on standby. I was happy to have a seat, but again, no vouchers, no nothing. I went to the Skybar for a drink to calm my nerves as rework my entire afternoon.
I got a survey tonight from Delta about my "satisfaction" with my delayed flight. I was honest. I booked this flight through AmEX Online.
How should I pursue this? I am not of ANY kind of elite level so I am just one of many passengers that experience this every day. But wow was that disappointing. Not even a meal voucher. Fortunately, my access to the lounge did a lot to soothe my nerves on the day.
Thoughts from you FF's are most welcome about how you guys would deal with this. Deal with Delta? Handle it through Amex? What would you push for?
Thanks...
Push for a partial refund on the downgrade if you paid F to start with. That is, if your F booking was "paid F" or miles rather than an op upgrade.
As to the rest, it happens and you did book two itineraries on different carriers, meaning your first and second flights were unrelated and you would not be accomodated all the way through. Stick with one carrier.
Generally, the airline is only responsible to get you to the flight destination airport. If they can get you there that same day, no compensation is due (it's in the contract of carriage that came with your ticket). Meal vouchers/hotel vouchers etc are typically only handed out if the delay will not be resolved until the following day.
The airline is not responsible for the personal plans of passengers, be they lesiure or business. They are responsible for upholding their end of the ticket contract. That means they are not responsible for people missing work, meetings, funerals, parties etc.