Request for resolution from a loyal traveller
 

All, very sorry for the long post. Feel free to deem this one "too long to bother". (and please, no general "Delta sucks" commentary)

I'm looking for advice to get satisfactory resolution on this. After writing to Delta CEO Richard Anderson, requesting a phone call and acceptable resolution to the issue below. I've gotten an email (they refuse to call for some reason) from someone on his team, but what she offered is not what I would consider "acceptable resolution" and what she DID agree to do has not happened.

Summary:

• One of the options for the 100K threshold for 2009 was Gifting Silver Status to a Friend
• Noting that the same award for the 2010 levels had the fine-print qualifier "If you are gifting Silver Status to a friend that has already achieved Silver, their status will be increased by 1 level to a maximum of Gold Medallion", I spoke to two different PM agents who conferred with each of their supervisors and said "Yes, this will apply for 2009 threshold also"
• I gifted "Silver" status to a friend who took an extra (mileage run) flight to become silver so my gift could make her Gold
• I called after 4 wks (of expected 4-6 wks) to find out what was going on, and another agent spoke to several people over the course of about 30 mins and confirmed "Yes, it took me a while to find the person to confirm, but it is being processed and your friend should receive an email in a couple of days"
• Friend (also elite on United) buys Delta ticket over United ticket based on this assurrance
• Friend calls Delta ~late Feb (4-5 wks after my "confirmation" that it would be complete in next few days) and is told that this was never requested and oh, by the way it's not valid anyway
• I get very annoyed message from friend
• I am out of country at this point so email via delta.com instead of calling
• Response I get is "sorry you got bad info. you can't gift gold. oh, by the way, you also don't get an alternate choice"
• I forwarded this response as well as a couple of other examples of misinformation (i.e. I was told by PM desk in late feb that AS reciprocal upgrades would still be available Mar 1, and I purchased ticket accordingly) to CEO Richard Anderson:
  As a (currently) loyal Diamond Skymiles member, I would appreciate you to ensure that my situation below is resolved reasonably. I request a phone call from someone on your team who can discuss this matter with me.
• Got (email) response from his person (signed Coordinator--Skymiles Program) that said "sorry you got wrong info. I'll make sure you can make a differnent choice for that threshold award. still can't gift Gold. This will be available by March 31. I will follow up with you to make sure this has happened"
• So far, no follow up, no new choice available AND her "resolution" is pretty lame in my opinion.

I was very diligent in validating my choice before I made it. It was logical to me that the info I was getting was correct, given that this was in print for the same award for 2010 from Delta. Delta has not offered:

- any apology or acknowledgement or PHONE CALL as requested (or miles or anything)
- acknowledgement that they changed the 2010 rules retroactively
- executed on the promised follow-up (yet, maybe she still will) or even the inferior resolution they offered
- response to my final email a week ago.

Any suggestions?

Not to doubt you, but do you have any proof of the qualifier? I seem to remember reading the FAQs that this will not increase their level if they flew to achieve Silver later.

Hastily worded response
 

Seems like the reply to your inquiry was hastily written and didn't answer your questions or clearly describe what they were going to do. This has become standard practice in so many companies - you carefully compose and email only to find that the respondent didn't read it carefully or can't write meaningful english.

The FAQs seemed clear to me that for the 2010 selections that there is no bump even if the "gifted" crosses a threshold. As a DM, you could gift gold to this person and if you got the Platinum 2009 gift selection back, you'd be even, right?

I'm not a big fan of CS going back on their promises. Worse, there are often solutions to problems that are cost neutral to companies yet CS agents either aren't smart enough to figure them out or creative enough to get them done.

Good luck.

Somewhere I have a printout though I can't seem to locate it at the moment; I hadn't even considered that the 2010 rules would be changed.

The FAQ now explicitly says the exact opposite of the original text clarified by footnote to the 2009 silver gift award.

check with elliott.org
 

Go to elliott.org and check it out -- chris elliott is an AMAZING travel correspondent who is able to help many different people in different situations. he actually has a list on his website of Delta important contacts:

http://www.elliott.org/help/delta-air-lines/

good luck and I hope this helps...

This is horribly poor customer service. It sounds like you did everything by the book. My suggestions:
1. Send written correspondence again, return receipt requested, to Richard Andersen's office (I hate to say it, but don't expect a return phone call - at best expect a snail-mail response). You might also try sending the correspondence in some form of odd-size/shaped packaging. Maybe a box or something. Something that will stick out and be somewhat inconvenient.
2. There is also a fax number that you can find on here. I'd fax copies of the correspondence to that fax number

In your correspondence, be very clear about what you're looking for Delta to do to resolve the problem, but don't try "making threats" such as "I'll begin flying Pan Am if you don't do this". I suspect that making threats will just put them into a defensive posture and they'll be less likely to try to take action for you.

My own personal belief is that Delta should, as a gesture of goodwill, bite the bullet and make your friend GM, even if it turns out that you were given incorrect information multiple times. It's a one-off exception and would help alleviate a bad relationship with a SkyMiles member that they theoretically should value.

Please let us know what response you get.

I think a phone call from the CEO is a bit over the top; a written letter might come, but don't hold your breath on the letter from the CEO. As others have reiterated where in writing does it stipulate one will receive the bump...

Good luck to the OP. It's sad to continue to see more and more of this runaround from DL. They are supposed to have a system in place to better resolve customer conflicts, and escalate them as needed.

Chris Elliott is one of the biggest jokes when it comes to "travel writers" he has a significant distaste for elite travelers. He's a blatant and absolutely annoying "populist".

+1 Every once in a while he comes up with something worthwhile, but for the most part he is a waste of digital ink. Read the latest garbage about mistake fares??

+ 1 and his airline contact info is out of date.

Just to follow up on the resolution of this for those who requested I do so:

Even though I was unable to find my printout of the original version of the FAQ, Kevin from Delta researched it for me and sent me the original and "revised" versions and ultimately honored my original choice.

It was a big hassle and I almost thought I had dreamed it up, AND I still think it was quite shady of Delta to make this change to the published rules. However, I appreciate Kevin following through to find the original wording. (which happens to be almost exactly as I quoted it based on memory)

The July 2009 FAQ version:
For gifting Medallion status, if the recipient is already a Silver or Gold Medallion member, will they receive the next tier level? How long is the status valid?
If the recipient is a Silver Medallion member and you are a Diamond Medallion member, you may choose to make the recipient a Gold Medallion member. However, status will not be extended or combined to reach a level higher than Gold for those being gifted with status. The Platinum or Diamond member’s current tier expiration date at the time of gifting status will be the expiration date assigned to the gifted status. If a Platinum or Diamond re-qualifies for status, they will be able to select new benefits and may choose to gift status to the same person. Gifted status will not automatically be renewed upon Platinum or Diamond requalification.
Current FAQ - March 1, 2010 FAQ version:
If my recipient for gifting status is already a Medallion member, will my gift automatically bump him or her to a higher status?
No. If your recipient already has the status you are attempting to gift (i.e. Silver status for a Platinum Choice Benefit and Gold status for Diamond Choice Benefit), s/he will not be bumped to a higher status. Therefore, you should select a different recipient or Choice Benefit.

It's great that you got it resolved. I have heard great things about Kevin P. helping folk out. It's great to have a goto guy that can cut through some of the red tape to resolve things correctly.

DL has seemed to be schizophrenic of late with their changes. Take their recent changes to close in fees. No fees. Fees. No fees. Fees. What's so hard about communicating with your elites, and giving advance notice to changes. How many DL surprises have come out in the last couple of years? No advance notice at all.

I too am glad that it got resolved. Glad that you kept on it.

Well, he gets resolutions for people, like it or not. So he might have a disdain for elite travelers. Who cares? I guess some elites still have that DYKWIA attitude (might checking this thread give any hints? :D ). Most FT'ers don't like him because he is far more successful in the travel industry than most of us ever dream to be.