Originally Posted by
GadgetFreak
None of those gifts made me ask that question. However, I was flying LGA-DFW-YVR on AA. The flight to DFW was delayed and I would miss the last flight from DFW-YVR. The gate agent told me to go to the lounge to get rebooked because they could do more there with seating and stuff. I get to the check in at the club and one agent tells me they will work on ticketing and told the other agent something which I didn’t hear. So the first agent hands me the itinerary and the second agent gives me a business card with a phone number on the back. I asked what it was. The agent said it was the cell number of a limo driver that would be waiting when I got outside the door at LGA to take me to JFK. It was paid including the tip. If they weren’t there when I got outside, I should call them on the cellphone.
That was the time I realized I might be flying on AA too much.
Delta has done something similar for me twice, but with a taxi instead of a limo. First time was at CAE. I stopped by the counter to check my bag (I think I was only Gold Medallion at the time) and they asked if I would be interested in giving up my seat because they were oversold on my first leg from CAE-ATL. I said that as long as I got home on calendar day "today", they could do whatever they wanted. They messed around at the computer for a few minutes, and then handed me a new boarding pass (and a handful of drink tickets) and said "we have re-routed you through DTW. You will still get home tonight, and we have put you in First Class for your trouble". I looked at the boarding pass and said "wait a minute, this flight is from CLT....". They said "yes, there is a taxi waiting for you outside, to take you to Charlotte. The ride is fully paid".
So, a 90 minute cab ride into another state, 2 legs of first class, and got home two hours earlier than expected.
Similar thing a couple years later, but form Lincoln, NE (LNK). Had checked my bag and was walking to security when the agent chased me down, gave me my bag back & said that they were seeing some delays in MSP, so she had proactively rerouted me through SLC to make sure that I made it home. But I needed to go outside right away and get in the taxi waiting to take me to Omaha (60 minutes away). Same as before, taxi was prepaid, got moved into first class "for my trouble", and still got home earlier than my original reservation.
With regard to the original post, I think I probably get 2 or 3 handwritten notes from Delta flight attendants and pilots each year. I think it's a nice touch, but I also realize that they probably have at least some direction provided as to who should get one.
I think the nicest thing that (I am aware of) that they have done was about 2 years ago. I declined the meal options because I had recently found out that I have a pretty severe wheat allergy. I didn't think much about the interaction, I just mentioned that I couldn't have any of the options due to my allergy. That flight attendant apparently made some kind of note in their system that was persistent. Since then, on maybe half of my meal-eligible flights, the FA has come to me and said "I see that you are gluten-free, here are the options that might work for you". That really does feel like a personal touch to me. (also, "gluten free" and "wheat allergy" are two completely different things, but at least they tried).