DL Should Not Partner with MU
Aug 24, 2019, 11:12 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Budapest
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 178
DL Should Not Partner with MU
This weekend I had an inexcusably terrible experience transferring in PVG and switching from DL to MU. It was so poor, I would like to contact someone at both Delta and Skyteam to tell them them that how China Eastern tarnishes their products; I do not believe that this airline should be a part of SkyTeam or that Delta should partner with them.
My experience was so bad that in the future, I will book on another alliance, even without status, as opposed to repeat transferring in PVG and flying MU once again. That is not empty hyperbole or exaggeration, that is truly how terrible our experience was in every single way.
I would like to write both Delta and Skyteam NOT to request compensation (don’t really need additional miles to be honest) but to alert them to what happened. However, if I just use the generic “contact us” information available online, I think I'd get a canned/generic response, and I would really like to try and reach someone higher up the food chain.
Any ideas who this would be at Delta? Victoria Forbes?
Who could I contact at Skyteam?
Again, I am not seeking compensation, rather to reach someone at corporate to alert them to how truly awful our experience in PVG / flying China Eastern was and how this carrier seriously tarnishes Delta and Skyteam.
Any ideas/advice are appreciated.
My experience was so bad that in the future, I will book on another alliance, even without status, as opposed to repeat transferring in PVG and flying MU once again. That is not empty hyperbole or exaggeration, that is truly how terrible our experience was in every single way.
I would like to write both Delta and Skyteam NOT to request compensation (don’t really need additional miles to be honest) but to alert them to what happened. However, if I just use the generic “contact us” information available online, I think I'd get a canned/generic response, and I would really like to try and reach someone higher up the food chain.
Any ideas who this would be at Delta? Victoria Forbes?
Who could I contact at Skyteam?
Again, I am not seeking compensation, rather to reach someone at corporate to alert them to how truly awful our experience in PVG / flying China Eastern was and how this carrier seriously tarnishes Delta and Skyteam.
Any ideas/advice are appreciated.
Aug 24, 2019, 11:50 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SJC (formerly CHI and STL)
Programs: AS, DL, AA, UA, WN
Posts: 1,013
China Eastern is not my favorite, either, though I've generally found them acceptable. I don't have much insight into who you might contact, but in case you weren't aware, Delta has invested something like $450M into obtaining a small ownership stake in MU. I don't think they'll be going away as a favored partner anytime soon.
Aug 25, 2019, 12:09 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Budapest
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 178
@ Mwenenzi: I really tried not to get into details, as this was more seeking info as to whom I could contact.
Suffice to say, MU dropped the ball at every single level possible.
Routing was ATL - PVG (DL) - BKK (MU) in paid economy. Delta ticketed.
I'm American.
Suffice to say, MU dropped the ball at every single level possible.
Routing was ATL - PVG (DL) - BKK (MU) in paid economy. Delta ticketed.
I'm American.
Aug 25, 2019, 3:15 am
#6
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
I’m sorry you had this experience - all of my interactions with MU have been excellent and they seem to legitimately care about their customers.
Have you considered reaching out to MU? Their customer service is quite helpful and has been useful to me on several occasions. I find the best way to reach them is via an email to their US office - [email protected]. Give them a chance to make things right and they might surprise you...
Note that travel in mainland China comes with some challenges that aren’t necessarily unique to MU. Flights are often delayed due to air traffic control restrictions that are universal to all airlines operating in Shanghai. And the terminal they operate out of is a little suboptimal, but a brand new one opens in a few months that should raise the quality of the PVG transit experience substantially.
If you share more about your experience here, we might be able to help you craft a concise complaint to the right people to maximize your impact, and we might be able to offer some practical advice to ensure that future trips go more smoothly.
Also, for future trips, you should be able to transit via ICN on your way to BKK if you want another alternative.
Have you considered reaching out to MU? Their customer service is quite helpful and has been useful to me on several occasions. I find the best way to reach them is via an email to their US office - [email protected]. Give them a chance to make things right and they might surprise you...
Note that travel in mainland China comes with some challenges that aren’t necessarily unique to MU. Flights are often delayed due to air traffic control restrictions that are universal to all airlines operating in Shanghai. And the terminal they operate out of is a little suboptimal, but a brand new one opens in a few months that should raise the quality of the PVG transit experience substantially.
If you share more about your experience here, we might be able to help you craft a concise complaint to the right people to maximize your impact, and we might be able to offer some practical advice to ensure that future trips go more smoothly.
Also, for future trips, you should be able to transit via ICN on your way to BKK if you want another alternative.
Aug 25, 2019, 4:01 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,432
Has any airline ever dropped a major partner over a single incident, no matter how bad?
Was OP's experience worse than Dr Dao's experience with UA, when he was dragged from his seat? That incident resulted in horrible and widespread publicity, but no alliance changes (and didn't hurt UA's profits https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United...mer_preference).
Was OP's experience worse than Dr Dao's experience with UA, when he was dragged from his seat? That incident resulted in horrible and widespread publicity, but no alliance changes (and didn't hurt UA's profits https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United...mer_preference).
Aug 25, 2019, 4:54 am
#8
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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There was a tragic but funny trip report of a MU IFC flight reported in the OMAAT blog a couple years ago. It supposedly resulted in some cabin crew being fired IIRC.
Aug 25, 2019, 5:34 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: TPA International
Programs: Priority Club Pl, Marriot Gold, Delta PM, National EE, Hertz PC, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 66
Please do tell us the details. My wife and I are flying the same route in October except we will be in Delta One/business class. Putting the details here and on TripAdvisor and other social media may do more than direct contact with Delta.
Last edited by davidlhanson; Aug 25, 2019 at 7:25 am Reason: Add detail
Aug 25, 2019, 5:42 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 585
This weekend I had an inexcusably terrible experience transferring in PVG and switching from DL to MU. It was so poor, I would like to contact someone at both Delta and Skyteam to tell them them that how China Eastern tarnishes their products; I do not believe that this airline should be a part of SkyTeam or that Delta should partner with them.
I have transferred many times at PVG without a problem.
Aug 25, 2019, 5:55 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2008
Programs: Confirmed
Posts: 1,091
I agree that MU is subpar even when compared to CA/CZ/HU. But I think your poor experience is the result of the mismanagement at PVG.
MU is often unable to manage a MU-MU connection properly. But at PEK you can make good and easy connections with multiple carriers.
As said in above posts, DL is a strategic investor in MU and MU replaced CZ as the premier Chinese member of skyteam. So I don’t see ST kicking it out.
For that particular route, is connecting via NRT/HKG/TPE possible?
MU is often unable to manage a MU-MU connection properly. But at PEK you can make good and easy connections with multiple carriers.
As said in above posts, DL is a strategic investor in MU and MU replaced CZ as the premier Chinese member of skyteam. So I don’t see ST kicking it out.
For that particular route, is connecting via NRT/HKG/TPE possible?
Aug 25, 2019, 6:28 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: JFK/LGA
Posts: 1,423
Posting the details would give others more info to help you on who to contact.
Aug 25, 2019, 6:42 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,192
whoever you contact at DL - no matter how senior they are - you're goign to get a canned / generic response especially for an issue you seem unwilling to share.
Say what happened and people can give you proper advice otherwise this is just a moan.
Say what happened and people can give you proper advice otherwise this is just a moan.
Aug 25, 2019, 7:13 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
The only way anyone at DL will pay attention is if you complain about the incident publicly on social media. Still, your awful experience won’t have any impact on DL’s commercial decisions.
Sending a strongly worded letter to some VP will accomplish absolutely zero.
Sending a strongly worded letter to some VP will accomplish absolutely zero.
Aug 25, 2019, 7:39 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,345
Do you travel to China often? Although there are no details really given, I can assure you that whatever bad experience you had at PVG could easily happen when connecting with almost any other carriers at that airport!