Delta Gate Agent Problem
I purchased reservations for my daughter and I to DCA from Ft Lauderade before the hurricane hit. As I saw the hurricane progressing I requested the reservation be changed to MCO Orlando which seemed more likely to have flights still leaving. We drove to Orlando and upon arrival called Delta to check on flight status. We were told the flight had just been cancelled due to the airport closing on a few hours. As we had a connecting in Atlanta to a flight to DCA we called customer service and asked them to keep that reservation open as we would drive to Atlanta. The appointment we had was very important. They agreed and send us tickets showing a CU upgrade to first class, we were at ease at that point.
We arrive at MCO and the flight was delayed. While waiting my daughter noticed our seats had been given away about an hour before the flight, she noticed that on the upgrade board. When we got there we were listed but suddenly disappeared. I told her that must be a mistake because we have printed tickets given to us by the agent in the Atlanta airport 4 hours prior.
When we started to board the gate agent would not take our tickets. She said we had no seats because we did not make the flight from Orlando, We explained we called Delta and told them we were driving to the Atlanta airport and they gave us new tickets, She told us the person answering the phone did not know what they are talking about . She said"I don't care if you are flying American, United or Delta, the "system" doesn't work that way. If you don't make your original connections you lose your seats," I explained again I called and the agent understood and my tickets were issued in Atlanta. She said to stand aside and I might be able to find you a seat. I suggested she forget the first class seat Delta gave me and just give me back my original seats in economy and she rudely said they are gone, I told you that you will be lucky if you get any seat."
Eventually she got us middle seats in economy but was not happy about it. I asked her to give me my original tickets and she was not happy about that either.
Later I found she gave our first class seats away on her own accord.
I have over 500000 miles on Delta and I don't understand how their "system" works. Apparently it is at the whim of gate agents. I am very disappointed in Delta and will avoid them in the future. At present I would advise everyone to believe nothing an agent tells them over the phone, only the gate agent knows "the system"