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.

I was thinking the luggage stuffer was how they got Dovster on board. :D

DL excellent handling of a Mechanical delay
 

Also, my FIRST flight of the year !!! PHX-SLC-SJC. Finally experienced the all coach 738 PHX-SLC. Wasn't that impressed. Ya, a tad more pitch, but having not travelled in a few in coach, the seats are freakin narrow. Way better than an RJ tho. Got my 3-day upgrade SLC-SJC on a T-fare 733.

[B]NOW TO THE POINT ;) The plane would not pressurize. Geeez, plane is full, other later flights were RJ's with 1 more 733. GA was awesome in giving perodic announcments as to the status. Not good news, but let us know timley....very good in keeping the troops informed and anxiety to nil. After 40 minutes, they advised the plane aint moving, but they are taxing another 733 from "the hanger." I thought, wow! Do they have spares for this reason scattered about? Maybe called, "Hot Spares?" Never experienced that before. Awesome. Only about an 1:30 hour delay. Kudos to the SLC staff!

Walked on and had a seat-gasm...compared to the all-coach 738; nice big comfy FC seat, even though it was an older 733. I so miss the FC on so many flights.

Any Compensation for Lost Day due to in flight Mechanical
 

My wife was on DL 1685 yesterday on her way to CVG to connect to DL 44 to CDG. She was traveling on a BE Skysaver Award. DL 1685 experienced a cracked windshield in flight and did an emergency landing at ORD. Unfortunately, by the time they sorted everything out there was no option to get to CDG on the evening of the 11th. DL did put everyone up in hotels and got them to CVG late in the evening. Those traveling on International itineraries are stuck till the evening flights of April 12th. While they did a fair job of picking up hotels and meals, we have lost a day of our vacation in Paris (I'm already in CDG on a business trip).

My question is has anyone experienced similar and is there any compensation for the lost day. I'm going to see if they will allow us to change our return by a day later without penalty.

That is a reasonable expectation.

Better hope your connection is on Delta too.

NW shafted me when I missed my Delta connection in Boston coming back from Amsterdam after NW backed up into another 747 causing a multi-hour delay. Paid hotel out of my own pocket and was given drink certs/250 miles as compensation.

If your connection was on NW they took care of you.

Agreed.

CyclingFan, let us know how it turned out. Good luck.

Back in December, we experienced a one day delay due to failure to pressurize and there were no other flights for 24 hours.

Fortunately, we could return home.

There were four of us with three on Skychoice coach and I was in F on a paid ticket.

The first offer was for $25 total (laugh), the second for a Crown Room pass (bigger laugh), the third offer was for $150 per person plus F seating for the three award seats (more reasonable and accepted). Additionally, the others received SM, also.

The least they can do is waive the fee.

Good luck

I had a plane go mechanical in LAX and we ended up being delayed eight hours. We were given the option to overnight in LA, or wait around for the flight (which ended up taking off around midnight). I chose to wait around.

A couple of weeks later, Delta mailed me a voucher for $150 for my trouble. I never called or wrote to complain.

I'd probably expect something similar.

The OP has taken the first step towards getting what he wanted - has he decided on a reasonable compensation. If he knows what he wants, and he articulates that, he is significantly more likely to get it. ^

Compensation for 4+ hr mechanical delay?
 

I had a domestic award ticket for DL, using miles and ticket stock from a partner. Due to DL's mechanical problems, I arrived in my destination 4hr late. Does DL compensate, if so, how?

DL agents seemed bewildered by the idea of compensation. They then, alternatively, referred me to
- the rebooking agent (a fellow DL agent)
- the partner carrier (who printed the ticket but had nothing to do with DL's mechanical problems),
- the city I avoided due to the 4+hr delayed connection,
- DL corporate customer service

Doesn't seem like it should be this complicated. . . .

Get used to it. Stuff happens.

I am also bewildered.

I got a meal voucher in SLC because the plane took off without me ;)

Should have gotten $9 for food.
SR

When a delay is not due to weather or any other issue out of the airline's control, the least DL could do is offer some form of compensation. Stuff happens, but it's certainly not the customer's fault. Just my two cents....

Does B6?

The last mechanical delay I took (about six hours), I received a $125 voucher in the mail about three weeks after the flight. I don't know if you would on an award ticket though.

Why would you allow that to happen??????

Read all about it

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ighlight=plane

:mad:

For a 20 hour delay on an international reward ticket, I got hotel, meals, and the miles I would have earned had it been a revenue ticket (though I think the last item was accidental).

For an 11 hour delay on NW, I got nothing but a phone number for discount hotel rooms.

Flew B6 recently JFK-SJC. Made a fuel stop in MSP. Unsolicited via email, Jetblue sent me a letter of apology and a $50 voucher for future use.

What's a mere 4 hour delay in the greater scheme of things? I would view that as a lounge opportunity.

My boss & her husband are now stranded in Vegas due to a Delta mechanical (apparently, the plane is so broken they cancelled the flight instead of delaying it, awaiting other equip., etc.). Delta put them on standby for the day, all day long at the airport, but all of Delta's flights were full. Apparently, no attempt was made by Delta to put them on another carrier. They've been booked at a 6am flight back to STL tomorrow. They've been put up in a hotel, & given a couple of $7 meal vouchers.

They know I travel a lot, and will be asking for my help in follow-up w/ Delta when they return (so, an opportunity to help out the boss is always a good thing). I won't hijack this into a comparison of what AA vs. Delta does in mechanical's, beyond my surprise at the low $7 amount. The hotel they're accomodated in is in the Gold Coast/Barbary Coast vein.

What would be reasonable to expect Delta to do for them? A transportation voucher for another Delta flight? xxxx number of Skymiles? Anyone just happen to be flying outta' Vegas in the same situation??

Did they ask if there was a chance on another carrier? I don't think Delta is obligated to offer that as an option.

I don't think a trans. voucher is reasonable. I just had a trip delayed due to a mechanical. It was a Skymiles trip and I asked if they could credit me miles for the delayed segments. Not only did they do that, but they changed my booking class to Y which scored me a few upgrades. Had I not asked, I doubt they would have offered anything as compensation. All that was a nice gesture, but they were under no obligation to do anything but get me to my destination in the timeliest manner possible, which they did. Planes break down sometimes and I'd rather wait a little for properly working equipment.

Well, Delta is in bankruptcy, so I'm not terribly surprised that Delta wasn't able to accommodate your boss in a suite at the Venetian. If your boss hasn't checked into the "REALLY basic place", he might be able to get a modest transportation credit voucher (or Delta Dollars) in lieu of accommodations, then he could make his own arrangements for more suitable lodging. Also, $7 does seem a bit chintzy for dinner. As I recall, not even the buffets on the strip are that cheap any more. Whenever I face an issue like this, the first thing I do is try to call SMS and get protected on another flight. Also, it never hurts to ask both SMS and the agent if another airline is available. Sometimes, Delta won't offer the other airline option, but if you ask, they'll usually explore it for you.

At best, I'd expect some SkyMiles, or a small amount of Delta Dollars.

Out of curiosity, where does AA put their pax in Vegas? Mandalay Bay? The Bellagio? Or do they force them to "slum it" in the NYNY? :D :D (I'm just kidding here :D )