Diamond Service/Support - always disaster or it's just me?
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Look up - On a ✈ DELTA ✈ jet NOW!
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Jag tror det verkliga problemet är att du är frĺn Uppsala. Jag är frĺn Göteborg och har aldrig nĺgra problem med Diamant telefon tjänst.
#18
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Programs: DL DM, Bonvoy LTT, HH Diam, UA Silver, USAF million miler ;)
Posts: 1,596
To answer the title question-not for me, not even close. I always get fantastic service from them. But then, I am usually calling about a missed connection in ATL, not a four hop TATL. I've had a couple of frustrating calls but they were pretty much when there was no solution to the problem (last flight of the day or everything booked) and I just wasn't ready to hear "can't help you." Never had a good suggestion on rerouting turned down, never been charged for an accidental missed flight, never paid a service fee for a rebook due to illness, even for the family, etc. Even had them proactively rebook me just because the connection was going to be close to MCT (but not under). Really it's the main thing I love about DM status--the "travel lubricant."
#19
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
Programs: DL , AC, BA, Hhonors Diamond, IH Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,348
You'll find a lot of "blame the victim" around here. That was definitely a frustrating experience. It sounds to me as if you did just have some really bad luck: a very complicated itinerary, a series of perhaps not-so-great agents, multiplied by DL's hit-and-miss computer system. I'm not Diamond, but others seem to have better luck than you did. (But I wouldn't be mad about their not allowing you to change to the next-day flight without charge--that agent didn't know the whole sad story, and even if she did, it would be hard for her to justify to her boss.)
On the brighter side, how was San Diego once you got there?
#20
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: RDU
Programs: DL DM+(segs)/MM, UA Ag, Hilton DM, Marriott Ti (life Pt), TSA Opt-out Platinum
Posts: 3,221
I've had top notch service from phone agents. RUC/GUC, delays/rebookings, downgrade from middle seat Y+, etc.
However, Twitter @Delta has been beyond terrible the last few months. I get the felling they've outsourced that service. Two weeks ago, my 1st of 2 flights was delayed and I was close to misconnecting. I asked twitter to *protect* me on the later flight in case I missed my scheduled one. They dropped my scheduled one and rebooked me on the second. I had to call to get them to correct it. Just be careful if you do something via @Delta. Any agent who's been around more than a few weeks knows you don't cancel the original flights until it's 100% positive pax cannot make the connection.
Three weeks ago I'm on CDG-RDU and we wait 46 minutes for the first priority bag to hit the claim belt (regular bags started coming out at about 40min after arrival, still way too long). I send @Delta a message to complain and they respond back an hour later with something like: "We see your bag was delivered, thanks for contacting @Delta". Really? Then they send me a satisfaction survey...
Twitter @Delta used to be awesome, now I'm afraid to use them. Actually, come to think of it, things got bad ever since they quit using @deltaassist.
However, Twitter @Delta has been beyond terrible the last few months. I get the felling they've outsourced that service. Two weeks ago, my 1st of 2 flights was delayed and I was close to misconnecting. I asked twitter to *protect* me on the later flight in case I missed my scheduled one. They dropped my scheduled one and rebooked me on the second. I had to call to get them to correct it. Just be careful if you do something via @Delta. Any agent who's been around more than a few weeks knows you don't cancel the original flights until it's 100% positive pax cannot make the connection.
Three weeks ago I'm on CDG-RDU and we wait 46 minutes for the first priority bag to hit the claim belt (regular bags started coming out at about 40min after arrival, still way too long). I send @Delta a message to complain and they respond back an hour later with something like: "We see your bag was delivered, thanks for contacting @Delta". Really? Then they send me a satisfaction survey...
Twitter @Delta used to be awesome, now I'm afraid to use them. Actually, come to think of it, things got bad ever since they quit using @deltaassist.
#21
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: DL DM, AA EXP, various hotel
Posts: 2,227
[QUOTE=gooselee;29849855]Put yourself in the DTW agent's shoes. They see a confirmed passenger who has previously accepted rebooking on the itinerary they are flying, with no IRROPS on the currently booked itinerary, but is asking to change their flight to another day because they are tired. To make that change, the agent likely needs to enter an exception code and explain why an additional accommodation is being made for you, vs. any other passenger asking for a fee-free change.
/QUOTE]
I don't think this is even correct per policy. Once your itin has been disrupted, I'm not aware of any rule that you only get one bite at the rebooking apple. Which makes sense--very often you accept a less than perfect rerouting because there's nothing available on the best reroute, but if something better becomes available, DL would of course rebook you on that. I've done exactly that many times —as I would expect, without a hint of pushback
Think about how the app/website works--you can automatedly rebook yourself after a delay/cancellation as many times as you want for free.
Are you thinking about a travel waiver instead of an actual delay?
/QUOTE]
I don't think this is even correct per policy. Once your itin has been disrupted, I'm not aware of any rule that you only get one bite at the rebooking apple. Which makes sense--very often you accept a less than perfect rerouting because there's nothing available on the best reroute, but if something better becomes available, DL would of course rebook you on that. I've done exactly that many times —as I would expect, without a hint of pushback
Think about how the app/website works--you can automatedly rebook yourself after a delay/cancellation as many times as you want for free.
Are you thinking about a travel waiver instead of an actual delay?
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
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I don't think this is even correct per policy. Once your itin has been disrupted, I'm not aware of any rule that you only get one bite at the rebooking apple. Which makes sense--very often you accept a less than perfect rerouting because there's nothing available on the best reroute, but if something better becomes available, DL would of course rebook you on that. I've done exactly that many times —as I would expect, without a hint of pushback
Think about how the app/website works--you can automatedly rebook yourself after a delay/cancellation as many times as you want for free.
Are you thinking about a travel waiver instead of an actual delay?
Think about how the app/website works--you can automatedly rebook yourself after a delay/cancellation as many times as you want for free.
Are you thinking about a travel waiver instead of an actual delay?
But still, OP was asking for a subsequent change, AND after he had already started traveling on a newly confirmed/accepted itinerary, AND in which all flights were operating normally, AND to a new date of travel. DL agents are often accommodating and flexible when you're trying to get around one rule, but add two or three ambiguous-at-best policies plus and international ticket and partner metal...I don't fault the DTW agent for arriving at the decision he/she did.
#23
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,879
Even as a PM now, I still get great service from most phone agents, though calls take longer to connect (2-5 mins usually) than when I was a DM (no wait at all). This makes sense given what Widgets said.
Also, I had a completely different experience in a very similar scenario as the OP last year. There was a schedule change on a flight I had upgraded with a GUC and my travel agent rebooked me on my original routing but a day later. When I called Delta, they rebooked me on a different routing on my original day of departure and maintained my upgraded J class of service even though the new TATL flight was AF-operated (and I didn’t have a Y/B/M ticket).
Also, I had a completely different experience in a very similar scenario as the OP last year. There was a schedule change on a flight I had upgraded with a GUC and my travel agent rebooked me on my original routing but a day later. When I called Delta, they rebooked me on a different routing on my original day of departure and maintained my upgraded J class of service even though the new TATL flight was AF-operated (and I didn’t have a Y/B/M ticket).
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cape Town, WC
Programs: AF LTP, LH Sen, M Amb
Posts: 400
Thanks everyone for chiming in. Sorry for the long read in the first post. I wanted to provide all the details, not just screaming around how Delta support was terrible with no grounds for that.
Yeah, sure I did. First of all, I'm pleased to hear it's all about me and other Diamond members do get so much better support from Diamond line. It gives me a hope one day I'll be among them .
Still, my message had basically 3 points. Being a Diamond member ticketed in business class facing IRROPS:
1. It's not okay to spend 4 hours on a Diamond line with 5 different agents with no results (and with 1 agents out of 5 actually offering a single option for rebooking when there were multiple easily available) being fed with complete BS - major point
2. Yes, it's not by the books, but I do expect some special treatment from DL when DL is the one who ruined all my travel plans (it's about me asking at DTW to be rebooked on the next morning flight)
3. It's not okay to be waiting any response from Customer Care for 3 weeks
Well... and I don't really get why my itinerary was deemed complicated and so on. Delta is an international airline which operates on hundreds of international markets. I had 006 ticket with clear fare basis to begin with. Then, all above doesn't really matter, coz it was IRROPS, so how comes they were going to rebook me in economy and waitlist with GUC and so on and so on? In case of IRROPS Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, Thai, Aeroflot, British Airways (from what I can recall from my personal experience) just rebooked me on the next available option in the ticketed cabin no matter was it revenue or award ticket. It has never been an issue, even on airlines outside their direct partners. With Delta Diamond line apparently it was an issue - even rebooking on a joint venture partners. That's just nonsense and that's absolutely not okay for a Diamond line to provide such level of support.
Yeah, sure I did. First of all, I'm pleased to hear it's all about me and other Diamond members do get so much better support from Diamond line. It gives me a hope one day I'll be among them .
Still, my message had basically 3 points. Being a Diamond member ticketed in business class facing IRROPS:
1. It's not okay to spend 4 hours on a Diamond line with 5 different agents with no results (and with 1 agents out of 5 actually offering a single option for rebooking when there were multiple easily available) being fed with complete BS - major point
2. Yes, it's not by the books, but I do expect some special treatment from DL when DL is the one who ruined all my travel plans (it's about me asking at DTW to be rebooked on the next morning flight)
3. It's not okay to be waiting any response from Customer Care for 3 weeks
Well... and I don't really get why my itinerary was deemed complicated and so on. Delta is an international airline which operates on hundreds of international markets. I had 006 ticket with clear fare basis to begin with. Then, all above doesn't really matter, coz it was IRROPS, so how comes they were going to rebook me in economy and waitlist with GUC and so on and so on? In case of IRROPS Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, SAS, Thai, Aeroflot, British Airways (from what I can recall from my personal experience) just rebooked me on the next available option in the ticketed cabin no matter was it revenue or award ticket. It has never been an issue, even on airlines outside their direct partners. With Delta Diamond line apparently it was an issue - even rebooking on a joint venture partners. That's just nonsense and that's absolutely not okay for a Diamond line to provide such level of support.
Last edited by urww; Jun 11, 2018 at 4:42 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,040
No, I'm thinking of an actual IRROP delay. The only time I've been offered in the app to change my flights a second (or more) time is when my NEW itinerary also goes IRROP. This happens every so often during WX when lots of flights are delayed. Otherwise, I pick my new flights and the "Find Alternate Flights" button goes away.
But still, OP was asking for a subsequent change, AND after he had already started traveling on a newly confirmed/accepted itinerary, AND in which all flights were operating normally, AND to a new date of travel. DL agents are often accommodating and flexible when you're trying to get around one rule, but add two or three ambiguous-at-best policies plus and international ticket and partner metal...I don't fault the DTW agent for arriving at the decision he/she did.
But still, OP was asking for a subsequent change, AND after he had already started traveling on a newly confirmed/accepted itinerary, AND in which all flights were operating normally, AND to a new date of travel. DL agents are often accommodating and flexible when you're trying to get around one rule, but add two or three ambiguous-at-best policies plus and international ticket and partner metal...I don't fault the DTW agent for arriving at the decision he/she did.
As to OP, I've had great luck with DM agents during IRROPS. Last year was scheduled to fly YYZ-DTW-PVG YYZ-DTW got delayed. I was rerouted YYZ-AMS-PVG. Truly against the rules, but no hassle. You should've had no problems getting on AF/KL/VS as they're JV and thus split revenue for TATL flights regardless of metal flown.
As for DTW/SAN thus is something a DM phone agent should be able to do. There's no only one rebooking rule for IRROPS, unlike for a travel waiver change in advance.
As for GUC, they should've kept you in J. They should've been doing a cabin to cabin rebooking. Instead it sounds like the agents were trying to do a fare class to fare class rebooking.
Last edited by flyerCO; Jun 11, 2018 at 8:30 am
#27
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Join Date: Oct 2011
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It stays there. I've rebooked using the tool to delay a flight three days. First booking to next days flight, then that morning to rebook to the following days flight. If you call in and rebook then the option goes away in most cases. It all depends how the agent processes it and if a ticket reissue is needed.
As to OP, I've had great luck with DM agents during IRROPS. Last year was scheduled to fly YYZ-DTW-PVG YYZ-DTW got delayed. I was rerouted YYZ-AMS-PVG. Truly against the rules, but no hassle. You should've had no problems getting on AF/KL/VS as they're JV and thus split revenue for TATL flights regardless of metal flown.
As for DTW/SAN thus is something a DM phone agent should be able to do. There's no only one rebooking rule for IRROPS, unlike for a travel waiver change in advance.
As to OP, I've had great luck with DM agents during IRROPS. Last year was scheduled to fly YYZ-DTW-PVG YYZ-DTW got delayed. I was rerouted YYZ-AMS-PVG. Truly against the rules, but no hassle. You should've had no problems getting on AF/KL/VS as they're JV and thus split revenue for TATL flights regardless of metal flown.
As for DTW/SAN thus is something a DM phone agent should be able to do. There's no only one rebooking rule for IRROPS, unlike for a travel waiver change in advance.
Between this and getting booked into C+ on partner PE itineraries, I guess I should pack up and move to NK or some thing, huh?
#28
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
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Man, I guess DL hates me too, then. They take away my rebooking button after I confirm my new flight, so long as the new flight is running on time. (Or, sometimes the itin just disappears completely from my DL app, but that's a separate issue).
Between this and getting booked into C+ on partner PE itineraries, I guess I should pack up and move to NK or some thing, huh?
Between this and getting booked into C+ on partner PE itineraries, I guess I should pack up and move to NK or some thing, huh?
As for the other item, there's some differences with PE bookings with VS. Have you tried booking through VS and seeing how it books? It books into W on the DL flight. You are not booked on a VS, but rather DL fare.
#29
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
Man, I guess DL hates me too, then. They take away my rebooking button after I confirm my new flight, so long as the new flight is running on time. (Or, sometimes the itin just disappears completely from my DL app, but that's a separate issue).
Between this and getting booked into C+ on partner PE itineraries, I guess I should pack up and move to NK or some thing, huh?
Between this and getting booked into C+ on partner PE itineraries, I guess I should pack up and move to NK or some thing, huh?
Went onto computer and it still allowed me to "find other flights." Supervisor argued my ticket was non-changeable (it wasn't, and even if it was that wouldn't matter for IRROPs) and so I told her she was wrong, her agent was wrong, and for proof of that to refresh her screen - for once the website did something for me more competently and (relatively) faster than the DM line.
#30
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Somewhere I've Driven To
Programs: HiltonHonors, IHG Hotels, DL Skymiles
Posts: 2,070
Are there even actual live agents involved here (initially)?. The robot does all the work and then it's up to the customer to go through numerous phone calls to resist/ complain/ debate what will work for the them with some random agent (possibly at a vendored overseas call center). What are the chances of that working smoothly (obviously slim to none by this experience). They in turn are also allowing robotic responses to limit them. Seems no one can actually think out of the box and communicate accordingly. Unbelievable. This is not customer service, it is robot-take-it-or-leave-it service.