doc

Curious that an identical title exists at:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum21/HTML/004959.html

Cross referenced for gleff!

jwhite4

The fact is if you got to ANY of the airline boards here, or on any other websites, you are going to find people that say that '___ airline sucks'. Sure, Delta people are compaining about upgrade restrictions (non L/U fares, elimination of SWU's, etc.), but then we aren't complaining about webfares not earning FF mileage (like they did at NorthWest), or that there were no incentives for easier FF status requalification (like I believe there were at the AA forum). I wish Delta had an extended legroom section for status flyers like United has, but then I look at the web getaway fares, and realize that for similar destinations Delta is almost always cheaper than them.

The problem is that many of us know the best features of many/all the airlines, and wish that just one ('ours'), would combine all of them. Unfortunately that's not likely to happen, so the best we can do in the meantime is just to vent.

Jeff

JRF

If you like DL so much, buy some stock!

goldmedallionflyer

SKYATL, Just which airline DO you think is worthy of your coveted admiration? I request that you formally identify this airline in this thread as evidence that you're not just a troll with an axe to grind.
Latter being true - maybe you're an ex-employee who got canned for legitimate and justified reasons? Maybe you're an employee of another airline hoping to move a little of DL's business your way.
Whatever it really be, your post reaks of alterior motives and malicious intent.

As for stock, I bet there are many of us here who own a few pieces of momma DL.

GMF

jetsetter

From reading posts on airline employee forums, it is my sense that definetely in the reservations center environment management across many carriers has really put the fear in the employees, i.e. they fear being fired, reprimanded, or having permanent notations in their file if they make undocumented exceptions. Is this now perhaps true at the ATO as well? I think with the ATO management cannot keep as close tabs because their are many ATO situations in which immediate changes need to be made to tickets due to weather, missed connections, etc. Also there are probably different methods, technically, that an agent can use to change a ticket, and the seasoned agents probably know what methods can readily be traced and what methods would require intensive research to trace. Those of you who have flown for a while will surely remember, for example, the re-validation sticker. The phrase was to "sticker the ticket," etc. and this could be done for any kind of change. However, with e-tickets I cannot remember the last time I saw a stickered ticket on any airline. Also perhaps different stations have different approaches to corporate rules. For example, corporate might say no waivers no favors, but station X. might tell their employees to do otherwise. Airlines are very de-centralized businesses. As a related example, I had a roommate who worked for a large consulting company. "Corporate," had some kind of monitoring system that triggered emails if you violated certain t&C of corporate travel policy. However, the partners in my roommates local branch told the roommate to "don't worry about those rules," etc...aka corporate can have its rules but in a heavily de-centralized business all branches might not obey. It would sure be interesting to hear from some current or former DL employees on this, for we as pax can only speculate on what life is like on the other side of the counter.

Beckles

You seem like an honest guy, but this story stinks. I have never ever been denied a stand-by request except on flights where the list was already closed because they had too many people on it already (happens out of ATL to some destinations, they even have signs they put up that the stand-by list is closed so that you won't even bother asking), even on Priceline tickets. Do you mean you stood by for a flight on a different day, that's the only way this story makes any sense.

jwhite4

An illogical statement. I fly an airline for price, comfort, or convenience. I buy stocks to make money. There is little correlation between the two. In fact many of the airline (ALL airlines) changes that we complain about (cramped seating, removal of means, occasionally unfriendly service, etc.) are usually a result of management cuts meant to boost the stock price.
I agree with GMF, since we all now know how much you despise Delta, why don't you tell us what you airline of choice is and why.

Jeff

LemonThrower

Goldmedalion, you make a good point--most of them do suck. You probably don't notice it too much because they kiss your gold medalion.

There is no excuse for the poor service, irrational or unconscionable rules, and irrational and unconscionalbe pricing in this industry.

goldmedallionflyer

LemonThrower, may I suggest you fly a few domestic (Russian) segments of Aeroflot and then report back on your thoughts regarding service and pricing?

Let me provide you a few examples to get you primed for that Aeroflot journey:

* same 3 cups serve all beverages for entire cabin without even so much as a wiping

* being bitten by a passenger's dog while walking to the lavatory

* seats that recline into the lap of the person behind you (a nice feature unless it's your lap being reclined into)

* middle seat next to you purchased for a cage of poultry instead of a passenger

* self-service luggage loading/retrieval into/from the cargo hold. And don't forget that you'll carry all that luggage out to the plane at the far end of the runway.

* 200% ticket price tax for non-Russian citizens (after all, there is extra paperwork you know. But don't ask why - this is Russia!) on a $450 ticket (Magadan to Blagaveshensk)

I could continue, but I think you (hopefully) get the point. I find it incredibly hard to complain about a $400 R/T to CDG on a flight that has incredibly wonderful service. Same is true for an H fare R/T to LAX.

Medallion kissing - I think not. But you do get treated like you act ... children like children, and appreciation with appreciation.

GMF

afang

I agree...this is a very interesting website.

Also it's kinda funny to see City/Country sucks in there as well

v3

goldmedallionflyer: Last time I checked I wasn't living in Russia... Follwoing your logic we wouldn't need any new/better cars because any American car is better than Yugo...
Last time I got food service in economy on a 35 min. flight (FRA-Prague) on Check Airlines and the plane was your normal 737. Compare to this.

ne14snow

Last time I checked.....the airlines were into making money like every other business, not just giving everything away.

satoni

Doesn't Even Leave The Airport

upgrader

Several recent posters seem to have lost the community spirit of FT. Is it really necessary to sling personal insults and use offensive language? You might want to try another site if you insist on being less than civil.

westcoastman

I use Delta exclusively for travel to the East Coast and bought a ticket to Orlando several months in advance which is the non-refundable type. Recently, I unexpectedly and involuntarily will have to switch jobs to a different city. I have been in Seattle for 25 years so I could never have guessed I would be moving. I liken this situation to a death in the family. Knowing from this board how difficult it is to change a ticket I called anyway to see about changing. The staff was very firm about charging a $100 change fee plus an extra fare difference of over $200. This is very upsetting and sad. Given the difficult situation I am sure most airlines would accomodate with some assistance. The supervisor told me that she COULD assist by charging me the $100 plus the fare difference but finding my the lowest $400+ ticket to Orlando on the computer. I fly every year for the past 6 years and never pay more than $250. I was going with a group that I had convinced to use Delta and apply for FF #'s. This is very upsetting since I really can't think about what my options may be at this point. I certainly can't afford over $300 to change the ticket. Never pre purchase a Delta ticket. You are much better off using a different airline. I repeat do not ever pre purchase tickets from Delta. They do not care enough about their customers.