Originally Posted by
indufan
I disagree. They aren't slipping. They are better but they aren't perfect. I routinely get ATL employees that do excellent work and do know rules. I do think Delta Connection gate agents need significant improvement.
How long have you been flying thru ATL as a Medallion on DL? In the last 6 years since I have, I have noticed a marked decline.
ACS agents were stellar across the board. They were the model hub. They always were friendly, went above and beyond, knew the rules and even made exceptions when appropriate, and always thanked us for our Medallion status.
Some of these good employees are still left. But I would say its not 50/50 if you get an ACS agent that knows the rules, let alone goes above and beyond. I can't remember the last time this year - whether checking in at SKY, dropping bags, entering a SkyClub, or boarding a flight in ATL - that I have been thanked for my status. Delta still asks on the surveys if the employee did this, so clearly it is still part of their training and they just aren't performing.
I had an ATL-RDU-PHL flight earlier this year; 35 min connection in RDU, and ATL-RDU was delayed by more than 35 minutes. So clearly I would misconnect. It should have been easy for the SkyClub agent to rebook me ATL-PHL - after 10 minutes she couldn't. She sent me running to the gate and told me to call the DM line en route. Luckily I had an excellent phone agent who had my ticket reissued just as I ran up to the gate. But that was completely unnecessary - why are their agents in their worldwide hub who cannot perform a simple rebooking of a domestic IRROP ticket?! The phone agent commented that whatever the SkyClub agent did convoluted things and made it even MORE challenging for the phone agent to complete my rebooking.
DMs have talked about multiple instances of SHENA and standby lists happening in ATL. Years ago, the mouths kf even regular GAs would drop with these kinds of unacceptable behaviors. Now, it happens often enough where they just shrug it off.
ATL used to be the model hub but, compared to its standard years ago, its just not that anymore. And its sad.