Delta Service Rant
I sent this to the DL complaint line, but felt compelled to share it with our FlyerTalk community.
> Starting with flight 1401 in SEA. As is now customary, Delta GAs did not clear FC upgrades until after announcing premium boarding. I'm not sure how this is acceptable, but it happens with regular frequency lately.
> The FA on the first flight was nice, but didn't manage to check on the first class passengers for over an hour. No water, nothing.
> As the computer predicted two hours before our flight even departed SEA, we land around 9:28p in DTW. DL1398 departs at 9:43p. We finally arrive at the gate and the door is open around 9:37 or 9:38. There's a Porsche on the tarmac and a greeter inside the jet bridge but she isn't waiting to help me.
> I briskly proceed from A4 to A23. They've already closed the door. Apparently enough of us arrive that they feel compelled to open it again (perhaps some quick which way will cost more calculations - there is no connection in DCA at 11p, so it seems silly not to delay the plane another 5 minutes for the sake of 5 to 10 passengers). They've given away my seat in 1D to a FA (I assume deadheading) but somehow manage to get it back (I tell her it's my seat once I board). Gate agents put a bag tag on my bag because they say all the bins are full. I even asked the FAs as I board and they say the same thing so I leave it in the jet bridge. After grabbing a two items from my laptop bag, I go to stow it as I'm in the first row. I check the bins and there's plenty of room to fit not only my laptop bag but also my roll aboard and other bags as well. To my dismay someone already took my bag to the belly of the plane.
DL knew our plane was coming in late and that there were several passengers who could make the flight with a minimum delay (most or all actually arrived at the departure gate before scheduled departure time). FAs blatantly lied to my face about space in the overhead bins or were just clueless. Perhaps both.
Delta you should be ashamed. All of this is unacceptable. Having experienced many flight delays intentionally waiting for other pax with all doors open, you have gone above and beyond to infuriate your "best" customers who pay the $15,000 minimum in tickets every year and fly relentlessly around the world.