Should I ask for more....Non-working seat
Dec 2, 2022, 5:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 153
Should I ask for more....Non-working seat
I bought an upgrade from ATL-HND for a flight 2 weeks ago. Was excited to be in Delta One suite for the 14 hour flight. I am getting older and really value the comfort it provides. I paid 1,000 for the upgrade which I thought was definitely more than reasonable for the long flight. Unfortunately the seat did not work. It did not recline or move in any way. The controls did not work for the seat or lights 
The purser and the other flight attendants were very nice and tried everything - for an hour they pulled apart the seat covers and they told me they contacted ATL as well for assistance. Nothing worked. They tried resetting it a few times and nothing. They had to give up to start serving dinner and my only options were to stay in the upright seat or move to an empty seat in coach if I wanted any recline. My husband was in the seat in front of me in Delta One and we did alternate seats at times when one was up and the other wanted to take a nap. Overall it was a nice flight, but definitely not relaxing - no lounging watching tv, no foot rest, etc. They told me to email Delta for a refund. I emailed Delta and got a response back for 10,000 miles. No refund. I don't know if I should just be happy they got me there or should I complain again and ask for a refund. I paid for a seat that did not work. I know this is a first world problem and truly understand that, but I think the 10,000 miles was a little bit of an insult for a 14 hour flight with a seat that did not work. If it was a coach seat that did not recline, I get it, but a Delta One suite that did not recline/lie flat/move - for 14 hours is something completely different. What do you think? Thanks for any advice.
The purser and the other flight attendants were very nice and tried everything - for an hour they pulled apart the seat covers and they told me they contacted ATL as well for assistance. Nothing worked. They tried resetting it a few times and nothing. They had to give up to start serving dinner and my only options were to stay in the upright seat or move to an empty seat in coach if I wanted any recline. My husband was in the seat in front of me in Delta One and we did alternate seats at times when one was up and the other wanted to take a nap. Overall it was a nice flight, but definitely not relaxing - no lounging watching tv, no foot rest, etc. They told me to email Delta for a refund. I emailed Delta and got a response back for 10,000 miles. No refund. I don't know if I should just be happy they got me there or should I complain again and ask for a refund. I paid for a seat that did not work. I know this is a first world problem and truly understand that, but I think the 10,000 miles was a little bit of an insult for a 14 hour flight with a seat that did not work. If it was a coach seat that did not recline, I get it, but a Delta One suite that did not recline/lie flat/move - for 14 hours is something completely different. What do you think? Thanks for any advice.
Dec 2, 2022, 7:06 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion, Hyatt Explorist, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 313
I bought an upgrade from ATL-HND for a flight 2 weeks ago. Was excited to be in Delta One suite for the 14 hour flight. I am getting older and really value the comfort it provides. I paid 1,000 for the upgrade which I thought was definitely more than reasonable for the long flight. Unfortunately the seat did not work. It did not recline or move in any way. The controls did not work for the seat or lights The purser and the other flight attendants were very nice and tried everything - for an hour they pulled apart the seat covers and they told me they contacted ATL as well for assistance. Nothing worked. They tried resetting it a few times and nothing. They had to give up to start serving dinner and my only options were to stay in the upright seat or move to an empty seat in coach if I wanted any recline. My husband was in the seat in front of me in Delta One and we did alternate seats at times when one was up and the other wanted to take a nap. Overall it was a nice flight, but definitely not relaxing - no lounging watching tv, no foot rest, etc. They told me to email Delta for a refund. I emailed Delta and got a response back for 10,000 miles. No refund. I don't know if I should just be happy they got me there or should I complain again and ask for a refund. I paid for a seat that did not work. I know this is a first world problem and truly understand that, but I think the 10,000 miles was a little bit of an insult for a 14 hour flight with a seat that did not work. If it was a coach seat that did not recline, I get it, but a Delta One suite that did not recline/lie flat/move - for 14 hours is something completely different. What do you think? Thanks for any advice.
The purser and the other flight attendants were very nice and tried everything - for an hour they pulled apart the seat covers and they told me they contacted ATL as well for assistance. Nothing worked. They tried resetting it a few times and nothing. They had to give up to start serving dinner and my only options were to stay in the upright seat or move to an empty seat in coach if I wanted any recline. My husband was in the seat in front of me in Delta One and we did alternate seats at times when one was up and the other wanted to take a nap. Overall it was a nice flight, but definitely not relaxing - no lounging watching tv, no foot rest, etc. They told me to email Delta for a refund. I emailed Delta and got a response back for 10,000 miles. No refund. I don't know if I should just be happy they got me there or should I complain again and ask for a refund. I paid for a seat that did not work. I know this is a first world problem and truly understand that, but I think the 10,000 miles was a little bit of an insult for a 14 hour flight with a seat that did not work. If it was a coach seat that did not recline, I get it, but a Delta One suite that did not recline/lie flat/move - for 14 hours is something completely different. What do you think? Thanks for any advice.OP, I sent you a pm that might help.
Dec 2, 2022, 8:05 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: on the path to perdition
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 4,785
10K Skypesos are worth roughly $100. That is not acceptable. In my experience when I want a refund I ask for a specific amount. I do not let Delta decide, especially as those replying have set limits. I would be asking for $1000 refund/credit as you basically had a coach.
Dec 2, 2022, 8:06 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,041
You paid $1,000 for the upgrade and got $100 worth of Delta miles when the upgrade amounted to maybe some better food and essentially a domestic F seat?
Yes. I'd push back. I think a refund of the $1,000 upgrade cost is pretty reasonable here.
Yes. I'd push back. I think a refund of the $1,000 upgrade cost is pretty reasonable here.
Dec 2, 2022, 8:12 am
#5
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
Programs: NEXUS/Global Entry, Delta, United, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, and Hertz
Posts: 18,038
Agreed that the 10K SkyPesos is not adequate. I was offered the same for a broken remote on a 763 DeltaOne seat that left the IFE, reading light, and flight attendant call button inoperable for JFK-SFO a few weeks ago; I pushed back and got 15K. What the OP endured was a magnitude above my equipment failure.
Dec 2, 2022, 9:21 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 153
Thank you all. I will complain some more with this information and see what transpires. I did not think 10,000 miles was worth very much. I don't expect a full refund for the seat as I ate the first class food and enjoyed the suite area, but maybe a partial refund or some more miles to make it worthwhile.
Dec 2, 2022, 9:22 am
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2015
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Points Guy posted today on this very subject, in the case of the article, with AA, including a non-working and initial compensation offer deemed “insulting” by the passenger.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/broken...ource=facebook
I don’t think you’ll receive a refund but I received 10K miles for not receiving drink service on a 1.5 hour flight in F so 10K miles for a non-functioning D1 seat seems pretty low and I would expect at least 3-4x that or a voucher to use towards a future flight of at least a few hundred bucks.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/broken...ource=facebook
I don’t think you’ll receive a refund but I received 10K miles for not receiving drink service on a 1.5 hour flight in F so 10K miles for a non-functioning D1 seat seems pretty low and I would expect at least 3-4x that or a voucher to use towards a future flight of at least a few hundred bucks.
Dec 2, 2022, 10:20 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2022
Posts: 832
I got 12k miles for finding some garbage in the seatback pocket when I boarded. 10k for a broken D1 seat on a 14 hour flight is absurdly low.
Not that it should matter, but are you a Medallion? I've seen lots of evidence that status affects how many miles they'll toss your way when you complain.
Not that it should matter, but are you a Medallion? I've seen lots of evidence that status affects how many miles they'll toss your way when you complain.
Dec 2, 2022, 11:20 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 153
I got 12k miles for finding some garbage in the seatback pocket when I boarded. 10k for a broken D1 seat on a 14 hour flight is absurdly low.
Not that it should matter, but are you a Medallion? I've seen lots of evidence that status affects how many miles they'll toss your way when you complain.
Not that it should matter, but are you a Medallion? I've seen lots of evidence that status affects how many miles they'll toss your way when you complain.
I felt bad for the staff on the plane - they really tried hard to get it to work. There is a manual seat adjuster on the bottom but they couldn’t get it to work either on this particular flight.
Dec 2, 2022, 11:23 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: New York (Brooklyn)
Programs: Delta Gold, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 441
Not acceptable, you should get a full refund for the upgrade. I got 15,000 miles for my video not working on a flight from JFK to DEN this summer as a point of comparison.
if you don’t get anywhere further with Delta, I would file an appeal with your CC company. You paid for something (an upgrade, not the basic ticket as they can say they did get you from Point A to Point B) that simply was not provided.
if you don’t get anywhere further with Delta, I would file an appeal with your CC company. You paid for something (an upgrade, not the basic ticket as they can say they did get you from Point A to Point B) that simply was not provided.
Dec 2, 2022, 12:17 pm
#13
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: Total Rewards Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, Marriott Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 564
Dec 2, 2022, 3:08 pm
#15
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