A letter to Delta Airlines

I used to fly Delta quite a bit. Aobut 87,000 miles last year. They SUCKED. Their flights ALWAYS got changed, and caused me problems in my travel times. I'm not exaggerating here, as it was almost 84% of the time my flights were changed.

I now fly American and I am much happier. I have 50,000 miles already this year, and I am upgraded nearly 90% of the time to first class. I had only 1 upgrade with Delta, though I had many FFM with them.

American has been on time 95% of the time. I have not been inconvenienced at all using AA.

I guess everyone has their own story and problems and kudos......

 

I agree... Delta sucks. The last time I flew on Delta, they destroyed my luggage. When it finally came off the conveyor belt, the bottom of my suitcase had been slashed open. Whatever they used to cut it with barely missed cutting the dress I was to wear to a wedding the next day. I left the airport with my clothes in two containers that resembled giant Chinese take-out cartons. It took a week for the Delta folks to buy me a new suitcase. Never again. I use Southwest now whenever possible.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Apr 17 2007, 05:36 PM) [snapback]424937[/snapback]</div>

Yes. But no one told me I'd have to do that. I didn't do it going, my baggage was checked through. I was told it would be checked through on the way back. Not that I'd have to pick it up, go through customs and immigration and then check it again.

 

Southwest, an airline I love to hate, has a "customer of size" rule that requires the customer to buy a second seat, and then refunds the money to them afterwards:

More on their controversial policy at http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/cos_qa.html

They have been sued several times for discrimination, and there's a move afoot to try and get obesity classified under the ADA laws, which will mean the airlines must give them two seats at no extra charge. The NAAFA, which I think stands for "National Association of Awfully Fat Americans" or something (actually a fat-person advocacy group) objects and held a national convention with a Q & A session with the airlines. See it at http://www.naafa.org/Convention2002/airlines.html

I did read where you can buy a seat for a musical instrument; maybe I'll buy a cello.

 

I've been out of the work travel thing for about 5 years now. Prior to that I was a warrior on wings for a couple years. At that time, Delta was my favorite, most of my routes were from Salt Lake City to NY JFK, some to Orlando. I did some Salt Lake City to Chicago on American... it wasn't quite as nice. In all of that, none of them ever lost my stuff.

Travel with junky luggage. The baggage guys in the back won't feel the need to crack it open like a coconut to see if you have anything good inside. :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 17 2007, 09:42 PM) [snapback]425109[/snapback]</div>

I don't know what to tell you. You do not have to go through customs when you leave the country (unless you carry more than $10,000 in currency), but you do when you return. Thus, your bags must be available for inspection at the port of entry. The luggage is tagged to the final destination but it is retrieved for customs inspection upon first landing in the United States before it is returned to an airline representative so that it can be placed on your connecting or through flight. I have been through this process at JFK, MIA, IAD and STL in more than forty years traveling internationally on numerous airlines.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Apr 18 2007, 02:44 PM) [snapback]425604[/snapback]</div>

This is correct. Not only that, but every time I've returned to the U.S., there's been an announcement that you must retrieve your bags, take them through customs, and then deposit them onto the appropriate conveyor if you have a connecting flight.

 

I'm not disputing the fact I had to go through customs.

I'm saying I asked and was told the bags would be checked through. For all I knew I would go through customs in San Diego.

Plus....my bags weren't even on the same return as everyone else's. Why I have no clue.

All in all they were both clueless and careless.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Annoying One @ Apr 17 2007, 09:00 AM) [snapback]424657[/snapback]</div>

Those lasted one trip on my friends baggage.

TSA stimulating the economy the "ol fashion way" LOL!

Wildkow

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Annoying One @ Apr 17 2007, 11:00 AM) [snapback]424657[/snapback]</div>

Hmm. I have TSA approved locks on my luggage.

In Sacramento I was paged because they had the TSA keys for every lock EXCEPT #6. My lock was #6.

And American airlines tore the zippers off the pockets I used the TSA locks on upon my return from Guatemala. I guess they picked the luggage up by the locks instead of the handles.

 

<blockquote>Top 10 New Advertising Slogans for Delta Airlines

10. Delta: We're Amtrack with Wings.
9. Delta: Join Our Frequent Near-miss Program.
8. Delta: Ask About Our Out-of-court Settlements.
7. Noisy Engines? We'll Turn 'em Off!
6. Delta: Complimentary Champagne in Free-fall.
5. Enjoy the In-flight Movie on the Plane Next to You.
4. Delta: The Kids Will Love Our Inflatable Slides.
3. Delta: You Think It's So Easy, Get Your Own Damn Plane!
2. Delta: Our Pilots are Terminally Ill and Have Nothing to Lose.
1. Delta: We Might Be Landing On Your Street!

And 5 more just for the heck of it. . .
5. Delta: Terrorists are Afraid to Fly with Us.
4. Delta: Bring a Bathing Suit.
3. Delta: So That's What Those Buttons Do!
2. Delta: A Real Man Lands Where He Wants To.
1. Delta: We Never Make the Same Mistake Three Times

-from Late Night with David Letterman, July 16, 1987</blockquote>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 18 2007, 05:28 PM) [snapback]425685[/snapback]</div>

But you would have arrived on a domestic flight in San Diego. Flights from LAX to SAN, like all domestic flights, do not go through customs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 18 2007, 06:05 PM) [snapback]425702[/snapback]</div>

No, it was not American Airlines that opened your luggage, it was the the TSA. Airlines do not inspect the contents of luggage. The Transportation Security Administration does. Why do you constantly make me defend AA? To put it mildly, I really do not care for this airline for personal reasons (TWA), but that does not mean that the company deserves a bum rap.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IsrAmeriPrius @ Apr 18 2007, 10:48 PM) [snapback]425790[/snapback]</div>

I didn't say they opened my luggage. I said their baggage handlers tore the locks and zippers off my luggage, thus making the inspection by the TSA so much easier.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Apr 18 2007, 09:21 PM) [snapback]425815[/snapback]</div>

Did you see it happen? How do you know that the damage did not take place while your bags were under the physical control of the TSA?

 

Here's a couple of suggestions:

Since a thief who wants to break into your luggage can do it easily, my only concern is to prevent my bags from coming open accidentally.

So I "lock" my luggage with either a twist-tie or with a key ring. Either one will hold the zippers shut, and both can be opened and replaced easily by the TSA.

The little locks that we used to put on bags were pathetic anyway, and could be cut by anything bigger than a nail clipper.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Apr 19 2007, 10:50 AM) [snapback]426024[/snapback]</div>

Plus most bags now a days are fabric, not hard cases like you would see 20+ years ago... thinking a lock on a fabric bag will stop anyone is laughable. all they need is a knife.