DL 727 Mechanical Problems Increase?
 

On the past 5 out of 6 flights I've taken on DL 727s, there were mechanical problems resulting in 2 cancellations and 3 delays. Has anyone else noticed an increase in problems with DL 727s or am I the unfortunate victim of coincidence?

Unfortunately, the problem with DL 727 seems to be wide spread:
http://cnn.com/2000/US/03/14/delta.landing/index.html

I don't know about that. I've taken the Shuttle (all 727s) roundtrip between Boston and New York 30 times in 1999 and 2000 and never had a whiff of a mechanical problem.

That's not to say there were never delays, though....

Compensation: Mechanical Problems and Issues
 

I was supposed to go MCI-SLC-LAX tonight and returning Sunday afternoon for a Wedding returning on the same route. Tonights Flight 1457 MCI-SLC had a mechanical problem and we had to de-board the plane. I couldn't get to LAX tonight and the first one out tomorrow is at 8:30am. I am Gold Medallion. I won't arrive in LAX for the wedding until about 2 hours before the wedding if the flights are on time. I am thinking about not going now. I had to pay for an extra 50 dollar cab ride from MCI to my house b/c nobody could pick me up and will lose one night hotel b/c of cancelling lest than 24 hours in advance. The room is almost 200 dollars. In addition, I rented a Tux that will go unworn for 100+ bucks. The most frustrating thing about all of this is that I will not get the double Base Miles for the flight which may prevent me from earning Gold Medallion again.

Any recommendations here?

Thanks!

Obviously it's too late now, but wouldn't Delta protect you on another airline's flight (assuming that there was one)? Did you tell them your situation?

Your 2-hour leeway tomorrow isn't a lot, but I would probably go for it.

As far as compensation from Delta, if you get anything more than a refund, I would be surprised. But I've become cynical! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Bruce

What time is the wedding? If you took the flight (which is showing delayed but not cancelled), you could have spent the night in SLC (probably on DL's nickel) and then taken the 8:30am flight 945 to LAX, getting in at 9:30.

Also, it would seem that you should also be able to invoke the often-mentioned Rule 240 and get yourself on another airline's flight to LAX tonight, Like AA 2673 - AA 1835, arriving at 11:30 pm (even though it's sold out in Coach, you should be entitled to any available seat, even in the next class of service, per rule 240). So, if you haven't left the airport yet...don't give up. Get on a plane tonight.

Could have done the SLC thing and spent the night but they told me it would be up to the folks in SLC to determine if I got the Hotel room. I tried the other airlines, but there wasn't any room. Or so they claimed. I didn't want to go to SLC and get stuck paying for another room. I am thinking about trying to go in the AM, but if I am just a little delayed I will be introuble as I would get no refund at all and maybe miss the wedding. I have to change into the tux and drive to Bev. Hills for the wedding.

--Get on the plane, go to the lav, change into your tux, grab a cab and go to the wedding. Consider yourself blessed that you got " to the chapel on time." As for miles, do not hold your breath...I received a small mileage bonus when an engine blew from LGA toDCA. I felt lucky to be alive-Count your blessings and give us an update.--
P.S. once saw a famous actress totally change her clothes, make-up and hair on a 40 minute flt. Thus, it cannot be too difficult to change into a tux.


[This message has been edited by obscure2k (edited 10-11-2002).]

Never take the last flight of the day if it's really important for you to make it to your destination on time.

Call the hotel and give them the flight number - I have never yet been charged in a case like this.

Misconnect do to Mechanical, no contract hotel avail?
 

Friends flew into JFK from overseas, enroute to PDX via ATL. After boarding, they are advised that they are waiting for 70 pax coming from Greece. Greece pax arrive, doors close, and they are advised that the "luggage stuffer" (is there really such a thing, I"m picturing a giant garbage compacter) had broken, and they had to load the luggage by hand. 1 hour later they are enroute to ATL. Just before arriving in ATL there is a medical emergency, their flight jumps to the front of the line, but pax are kept until paramedics have attended the ill woman. So, they finally get off the flight and to the new gate just in time to see the tail lights on the PDX flight. Now the fun begins.

As they are being reaccomodated, they are placed on standby for the first flight out the next day, and confirmed on a later flight. When asked about accomodations, the GA immediately said they got nothing, since it was a weather delay! Freinds assured them that it most certainly was NOT a weather delay, and the GA said there were no hotel rooms available. Friends had to clarify, and the GA indicated that there were no rooms available at hotels that they contract with. GA tells them that if they purchase at another hotel, they would be reimbursed in the morning. No meal vouchers, no hotel voucher, no phone card, nothing.

So, the next morning they checkin at the kiosk and proceed to a customer service counter behind security, who indicates they can't do anything, they'd have to go back to the ticket counter to be reimbursed. They decided they did not want to go back to the ticket counter, they'll eat the $100 and never fly Delta again.

So my questions are:

1) What are they entitled to? The flight was not weather, and you can't blame the medical, cause if they hadn't had the mechanical, then the medical wouldn't have occured on the plane.

2) No hotels they contract with? Are those the only hotels that will take the vouchers, or the only ones that will give them a cheap rate? What if my friends didn't have the money to front for the hotel?

3) If I talk them into calling/writing, what kind of additional compensation should they request now?

It's too bad that airlines don't accept responsibility for their mistakes/delays! Were situations like this handled well, they could create incredible brand loyality. I would love an airline that I knew would do everything within their control to get me where I needed to go, and in those instances where stuff happens, they'd make sure I was taken care of as well!

Thanks in advance for any input!

Unless there's something more to this, it seems your friends valued the 10 minutes they didn't stand in the ticket-counter line more than the $100... it makes sense to me that the ticket counter is where one would get reimbursed...

It's stupid that Delta didn't give them hotel rooms, they should have because it was mech, but it sounds like your friends had the opportunity to get reimbursed but simply didn't want to take the time.

They are not entitled to anything.

They should book a hotel, have a nice sleep, watch TV. Then send the hotel receipt to SM and ask for reimbursement + 10,000 bonus miles. :p :p :p

Wouldn't leaving security, standing in the ticket-counter line and then returning back thru security take more than 10 minutes in Atlanta?

Friends had to clarify, and the GA indicated that there were no rooms available at hotels that they contract with.

At ATL, a very major hub for Delta, they ran out of "contracted" hotel rooms? Do you know how many airport area hotels there are at ATL???

First I've ever heard that term.
Kinda scary when you think about it. No wonder my suitcases only last a year or so.