npretnar

This. Totally agree. Anything more makes it possible someone could interpret your request as an attempt to game the system.

bloc0102

I thought it was $500/traveler so looked it up, and you are right. $500/trip is not very much. I was thinking of Chase which does cover $500/traveler.

galawdawg

Waiting for everyone else to get a voucher first given what you describe about your need for sleep later in the thread was a mistake on your part. Also, I personally don't attribute to malice or dishonesty those things that can be explained by lack of knowledge or competence in the absence of additional evidence. Stating that you were "deceived" by gate crew giving you "information that was not fully truthful" and "deceptive information" is pretty harsh IMO.

So what is your beef here? If you would have booked the Grand Hyatt at $1k+ per night even if you knew the limitations on what Delta would cover, it doesn't sound like the information provided by the gate agent(s) caused you to make the decision you did. Plus, if you really need the sleep as you later described and could not sleep in the gate area, what OTHER options did you have available to you since you waited until all of the vouchers were gone before approaching the gate agent(s)?? If you are completely honest with yourself, I believe you'd have to admit that you would have booked the room you did regardless of what anyone at Delta told you about reimbursement.

It sounds as though you didn't read the full terms about when trip delay (which is what you experienced) coverage applies, which reads "You must charge the full amount of a Covered Trip to your Eligible Card or in combination with your Eligible Card and accumulated points on your Eligible Card or redeemable certificates, vouchers, coupons, or discounts awarded from a frequent flyer program or similar program." It covers $500 per trip. However, the losses that are covered terms reads as follows:It doesn't hurt to file a claim but the issue that could result in denial could be the cause of the delay, not that you only put the fees and taxes on your Amex Delta Sky Miles Reserve card.

No, not relevant. Leave it out. As mentioned before, if you wanted to be assured of a room paid by Delta you should have been in line to get a voucher rather than just hanging out in the gate area waiting for everyone else to get one first. Since you had researched room availability even before your day of travel, were you secretly hoping that Delta wouldn't put you in a lower-tier hotel and you could stay at the Grand Hyatt? Just send them the bill again and reinforce that the cancellation and overnight travel delay was Delta's responsibility, that no lower-priced hotels were available that night (if true) and ask for reimbursement. Also file a claim with travel insurance. The worst they can do is deny your claim as the delay was not due to a covered loss.

Good luck.

Trmurphy4

I submitted an appeal to Delta yesterday, and I am waiting on their response.

To clarify, we as passengers did not realize that there were a finite number of hotel vouchers until the Gate Agents announced they were out. There were quite a few people (including one young family) that I am sure spent the night in the gate area. They needed hotel vouchers perhaps more than I did, but didn’t receive them.

i did mention my disabilities. It was imperative that I get a room, and I fully admit that I would have obtained one regardless of whether Delta reimbursed me or not. My problem is that I acted with the knowledge I had at the time and with the guidance that Delta employees gave me, in a situation that was put upon me by Delta’s cancellation of the flight. How much should I be refunded? Should I be made whole, or is it my bad luck to be stuck on an island with expensive hotels and no vacancies? I fully understand Delta’s need to have a published limit, but I also think some of these instances should be determined on a case by case basis.

Eujeanie

I'm sure Delta at the time had no idea how many pax were going to need vouchers. How many were locals who would just return to their own homes for the night?

Especially being in need of a good night's sleep, I would have been eager to get a voucher asap. I've been in those situations and have stayed in some pretty crappy airport hotels (and some nice ones) but honestly, for one night out of my life I have survived.

How much should Delta reimburse you for a $1,000 night hotel? That's honestly difficult to say. We were in Maui on 9/11 and had to extend our stay by 2-3 nights before we could fly home. I recall American magnanimously offered to cover the cost of the additional nights and all meals (I believe my husband was Plat at the time). Then we got home and sent in the receipts and uh oh, change in plans, AA said they had no idea the extent that reimbursing all those passengers would be, and they rescinded the offer completely. Competely. All extra nights, extended car rental, all meals were on us.

I guess all you can do is throw the spaghetti against the wall and see what sticks. And what doesn't is just an "oh well, stuff happens". And next time grab a voucher while you can.

zeke3

OP: did you originally submit this on the expense reimbursement form?

I have noticed the agents who process those forms have tighter restrictions than if you ask for reimbursement through a general customer service inquiry. The upside is the reimbursement form is very quick.

Adam1222

Rather than get caught up in all of these philosophical musings, I'd suggest you take a breath. A simple "I was told you would cover a more expensive hotel by Delta staff and this was the cheapest I could find" in response to the initial email may have gotten what you wanted. Maybe what you sent yesterday will. If not, at some point, you will have to decide whether you are willing to lose more sleep over only partial compensation. (I suggest you leave out your 'should I be made whole?' and 'i have a disability that makes sleep important' in any further posts because it doesnt make you seem more sympathetic, nor does your 'i have connections that allowed me to get an expensive hotel room.')

As for the others chiming in, hindsight is 20/20.

obscure2k

Thank you.
Now it is time to lock the thread
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator