Skier801

I paid for Delta One for two from SLC to HNL. On the return red eye flight, my seat controls weren’t lighted when I sat down. After we got in the air, the flight attendant told me that he was aware it wasn’t working on the last flight.

So while everyone in the Delta One slept for the 6 hour red eye flight, I got to sit upright without any recline whatsoever. There is more of a recline in coach!

The flight attendant gave me 10,000 miles and told me to go the gate agent. Gate agent sent me to customer care in SLC, who referred me to reservations who told me to just file a complaint.

I’m especially mad because I saw Delta One upgrades happening when I was waiting in Honolulu. They were aware of the seat issue on the prior flight. Why didn’t they offer me a functioning seat as a paying Delta One customer and leave my seat empty??!!!

The IFE system was also not working in probably 10 seats around me.

Complaint filed - what should I expect?

GagaPilot

Sorry to hear about your experience. I agree that if it was truly a known issue from the inbound flight, the gate agent should have called you up, explained the situation and offered you another seat in the cabin prior to processing upgrades. That said, I believe that would have just been the correct thing to do from a customer service perspective and not officially a policy sadly.

Last year flying in D1 from CDG to SEA the entire aircraft's in-flight entertainment system was INOP. Upon landing I had a proactive email for 12,500 SkyMiles. I would value a functioning D1 seat higher than working entertainment, so I would imagine if you file a complaint they might send you an additional 10,000 miles, but then again they might not. Regardless, I think 20,000 total is about as high as you will likely potentially see.

A word of advice, in the complaint do not ask for miles. Just explain how disappointed you were that the seat recline was INOP and other customers were upgraded into functioning seats, while you as a paying customer received a broken one. I've found if you ask for goodwill compensation they are likely to deny you and just send an apology. But if it's more of a disappointment complaint, they are likely to toss some miles your way. Best of luck!

FlyingUnderTheRadar

How much were the upgrades being sold for? That is what I would be asking for in compensation at a minimum.

SuperG1955

The problem reflects a major shortcoming in Delta's systems and procedures. There is no provision for either reporting a problem like this while the flight is in the air and no procedure for it to be reported to the GA of the next flight which would enable them to take corrective action.

shoodawg

seems easy enough to have the flight deck contact dispatch.

ConnieDee

My worst nightmare for an overseas flight. (Wondering if I scrunch myself into the foot well...)

hartfordsam

Same thing happened to me in November on JFK - BOG. The FA tried to fix it but could not. Fortunately there were open seats in the D1 cabin and I could get some shut eye. I reported it as part of the review Delta sends out. Heard back nothing and no Sky Pesos either.

flyerCO

I always check seat before departure on all airlines. Ive had two broke seats in last 2 years. They got maintenance onboard and fixed before departure. (One on KLM and once on DL) Ive also had opposite, seat would not stay upright.

Dracarys

Welcome to Flyertalk! I would ask for some type of flight credit instead of miles. Good luck!

moodh

I had this happen last year D1 VCE-ATL. I got 10,000 miles. Good advice on here, which I had asked for fair difference between D1 and PS or C+ as flight credit. That would have been more appropriate compensation.

enviroian

It's one thing for this to happen mid flight while using it but Delta knew about and sold you a non functioning seat. I would accept nothing less than the price difference between a Y and J seat. I'd also note the agents name that told you they knew it was inop.

emma dog

I’m not sure that’s accurate. The FAs I spoke with at the safety course said they report stuff in their iPhones and it creates a ticket to be addressed when the plane lands.

SuperG1955

The department responsible for dealing with problems like that is reachable while in the air and they can schedule Tech OPs to meet the aircraft when it hits the gate. Wile I don't believe hat procedures exist for them to notify the GAs, Tech Ops could do that if their presence is required. A non-functioning D1 seat would see to have a decent priority.

There's a big difference in trying to respond to a problem when there's no notification until the plane gets to the gate vs knowing about it while the flight's still enroute.

Every FA I've interacted with in discussing a problem reports it to the Captain who decides what, if anything ,to do about it,

bdh

This is what I'd consider fair as well. The point of D1 is the seat, not the mildly improved food and beverage options. Without a working seat there's not much reason to fly D1.

RealHJ

Sadly this is quite common, as DL cuts corners and defers maintenance on its aircraft on things like interior/seats. You must - MUST - always check your seat and recline it fully and bring it back up the moment you board. And you really need to board as soon as you can. So if the seat is broken there is enough time to dispatch for techs and try to fix it, or switch your seats.

There was a time when I had a broken seat in about half of all DL flights for a while (that was a few years ago, though).

You chose not to test your seat when you got on (something that any seasoned DL, or for that matter any airline, flier knows to always do), so you never gave DL a chance to reseat you or fix your seat. That being said, of course you deserve more than just 10K miles; at the very least you need to get the fare difference between basic economy and full fare J either as a refund or at least as a Delta flight credit.