indufan

I don't generally try to bash an OP but there are a few points here for now and future consideration. Number 1, seize the situation. I know it isn't always easy.
As at least one other said, what about the "Delta agent meeting this flight?" There is always one. That jetway doesn't move by itself. I suppose they could have ran off but I don't think that is within policy. And there is the ticket counter. You couldn't have been the only one to miss a connection.
OK, that was a mistake on the agents part and a poor choice of words

They CAN and they WILL. As another posted, all aircraft aren't equal on landing but more importantly is just a limited number of planes that can land when volume is reduced. Sure Delta contributes to this with general high volume in ATL. They are SOMEWHAT in control before the plane is in the air but ATC is in control on arriving.
I think that sounds like a brilliant plan. Why was this option not exercised? About 10 seconds after running into problems at this hour, I would have been seeking a hotel on my own, reimbursed or not.

I hear the horror stories of travel and I can share a few of my own. But I wonder how many horror stories I have avoided but just taking control. Granted that has come with a ton of experience. Maybe my first supervisor helped me from the beginning. I got stuck at EWR with no place to go. I called airport hotels and they were all sold out. This was before the days of apps and free airport wi-fi. I called the supervisor and he said to go rent a car and drive until I found a place to stay and I did. Adapt and overcome.

HDQDD

Sounds like DL wasn't as helpful as I'd expect them to be. I think others have given some good advice and I'll throw in my 2 cents.

Personally, I try to be as proactive as I can. As soon as I landed in TLH, I'd of been on the phone getting protected on another flight (even if it wasn't clear yet that I'd misconnect). I also would have asked about accommodations then, because hotels do sometimes sell out in IROPS.

btonkid12345

11a is KAL. Also possible they sent them via NRT given how impossible it is to rebook Korean - especially as a mileage award ticket - on DL stock.

Much easier for DL to send OP ATL or DTW to NRT and on to SIN. If I was OP I would change to ATL-DTW-NRT for the 350 vs ATL-NRT on the old 777.

ATOBTTR

Gunny Highway would be proud. ^

FlyBitcoin

This. Flights from TPA to ATL are not leaving with a full tank of fuel to circle over central Georgia, and grab the next of the limited landing slots. And once that diverted flight is on the ground, it loses priority as long as landing slots remain limited due to weather. And those slots are most likely going to the transcons from SEA, SFO, LAS, LAX, SAN, etc. that left before a weather situation was known.

Looking at DL diversions into ATL last night, the diverted flights were from: TPA, JAX, MYR, ORD, PBI, MLB, RIC, SYR, HOU, SAT, VPS. Still a pretty small percentage of flights were diverted during that two hour window.

MSPeconomist

Often1

Whatever, OP's assertion that somehow the Captain of his flight chose to divert when he could have landed is unsupported and likely unsupportable. It appears as though the aircraft held for ATL for somewhere around 90 minutes before diverting to TLH. Ground time from wheels down to wheels up at TLH was just under 60 minutes and it returned to ATL.

It is inconceiveable that the Captain diverted when he had fuel to hold longer or that he went on a lark to TLH for fun.

willywilkes

No, DL would not be responsible. If booked on separate itineraries it is at your own risk. For the first flight DL is contracted to get you to LAX and any compensation (if any) for delays are for that portion only. For your 2nd flight you didn't uphold your end of the bargain to arrive to the airport in a timely manner and as such you are a no-show, thereby due no compensation or rebooking. DL may be willing to assist with getting you to your final destination but it is not a guarantee.

beachmouse

I will note one concern with 'grab a hotel room'- you really need to do it before the clock goes past midnight Eastern time zone if you want to book by web/app. Because once the day changes, the online option rolls ahead and if it's 12:10am on, say, day 2/5 they will be displaying rooms for check-in on 2/5 at 2:00pm or so and check out on 2/6 and you probably need to actually call the hotel to see if there's a room available for the remainder of the overnight of 2/5, and if it's a bad IRROPS period, you may have to go quite far with the phone calls to find space available.

Often1

I would never book an odd-time use airport hotel via the app. This is a call to the front desk in which you specify the arrival and departure times. By way of example, if OP wants 4:00 AM to 9:00 AM, that is what you ask for. This is a negotiation.

mattya9

But, again, what if it was DL's fault I didn't get to LAX in the first place? I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm just playing devil's advocate and also truly curious.

OPS

indufan

I think some or all of these things may be true before departure. I don't think any of them are true en route. I mean I suppose a Delta dispatcher could suggest certain flights divert but that in itself would have to be coordinated fairly quickly with captain and ATC.

ATOBTTR

Well, they can say it was weather because it likely was. Had it been something else, I doubt you would have diverted to TLH but a closer airport - it's not like your plane had a mechanical diversion. You diverted because your flight no longer had enough fuel to continue holding while waiting for the weather to improve. As noted above, different aircraft and different crew have different ratings for visibility, crosswind limits, etc. This is more likely to impact RJ operations but can still imapct mainline aircraft. The weather could have been going in and out of minimum requirements, permitting some aircraft holding the opportunity to land but not a long enough gap to permit all aircraft holding the opportunity to land before the weather dropped below minimums again. The weather could have impacted spacing requirements. Many possible factors that still could make it "weather alone" even if some aircraft were landing.

You were. It's not your fault, but you were a "no-show" for your ATL-ICN flight because you didn't show up for the flight. Were you on two separate tickets (TPA-ATL and then ATL-ICN-SIN) or was this all one ticket for TPA-ATL-ICN-SIN?

MSPeconomist

TheHorta