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NightAngel
07-28-2006, 05:57 AM
This is my angry letter to Delta Airlines and since I rarely write them I thought I would subject it to the scrutiny of the best bunch of customer critiquer's anywhere.
I could very easily sound like an complete SC but I think I kept my anger in check. Oh, and I'm attempting to get all flight numbers before sending as well.

Please read and give suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Dear Mr. Grinstein,

I have been using your company for all my flying needs for several years now and have, until this month, been extremely satisfied with your company.

On July 13, 2006 my son, *Son's Name*, was scheduled to leave Tampa International Airport at 6:00am on flight 1827 as an Unaccompanied Minor. We began waiting in line at 5:00am. There were only two of your associates running the desk and a very long line. When we arrived at the desk we were informed that he had missed the flight as it had departed at 6:00am and it was now 6:01am. I paid a $50.00 fee to reschedule his flight for July 25, 2006 at 7:05am. I do not have that flight number but it was to Cincinnati, OH and from there to Kansas City, MO.

On July 25, 2006 we arrived at Tampa International at 5:30am, stood in line again and arrived airside at 6:50am. We were informed then that the plane had already been sealed and that they would have to schedule him for another flight yet again. At this point I did demand that he be put on a plane to Kansas City immediately as we had arrived early and it was 15 minutes until the plane was scheduled to take off. The lady at the desk managed to find him a seat on a flight to Atlanta, GA that was supposed to leave at 7:30am but had been delayed until 8:00am. I was assured that in Atlanta he would be immediately put on a connecting flight to Kansas City International Airport. The layover time on the ticket was four minutes but I was ASSURED that the staff would get him on board that flight.

When my son went to board the plane in Atlanta with the other Unaccompanied Minors on that flight he was stopped and told that his seat had been given to someone else. He was sent off ALONE to figure out how to get another flight to Kansas City. I would like to point out that I paid a $75.00 Unaccompanied Minor fee for him so that he would not be left alone in a strange airport/city to fend for himself. He wound up alone in Atlanta for three and a half hours before being allowed to board another flight. He was supposed to arrive in Kansas City at 11:15am but did not manage to get to there until about 6:30pm that evening.

I find this entire scenario completely unacceptable. The welfare of my son was the responsibility of your airline and this time your company failed us miserably. I will not be using your airline again- my child is much too important to me.

Sincerely,
NightAngel

Mr. Rager!
07-28-2006, 06:02 AM
Umm... you forgot to swear and make unreasonable demands.

Other than that, it looks good. I can't believe that pulled that kind of crap with your son though. Especially with all that happens in the world, you'd think they'd be more careful.

Good letter though.

NightAngel
07-28-2006, 06:04 AM
Actually, I'm mad enough to swear and make unreasonable demands... :pissed:

April
07-28-2006, 06:12 AM
Holy crap! They left your child in an airport ALONE? How old is he? I would be pissed enough to cuss ALOT

Kiwi
07-28-2006, 06:13 AM
sounds like a good letter, does he still have his boarding passes, or a copy of his tickets? sending a copy of them in with the letter would help them check the information

I would also include in the letter that you are sending a copy of the letter to the childrens commissioner AND the higher airline authority (I dont know if America has an ombudsman for travel), not as a threat but to show them you are genuinely unhappy. Leaving a child ALONE for 3 hours is so horrible! not to mention neglect!!

sadly expect a stock written responce, delta SUCK, no wonder they are so close to going under.

Nick
07-28-2006, 07:26 AM
Good letter!

SteverinoNY
07-28-2006, 12:36 PM
That's insanity. I can't believe that the airline would do that to your son. I have flown out of Atlanta before and it is an enormous airport and can be very confusing to get around. I am assuming your son is around 14 or 15 years old (am I correct?) When I was that age (going back about 8 years as I am almost 22), I would have never flown alone. He's got to have a good head on his shoulders to find his way around a strange airport and to actually find a flight to get himself back home. That's negligence on the part of the airline and I hope you can get some satisfaction out of this (aka getting some money refunded).

Overall, I am glad your son made it to KC safe!

blas
07-28-2006, 12:43 PM
That was very well written!

I would be absolutely furious if that had been my little brother or myself when we were your son's age, and I can imagine the letter that my parents would have written.........theirs would not have been as eloquent and polite as yours, though.

LostMyMind
07-28-2006, 03:20 PM
It's very nicely written. If it was me, I'll probably demand for the "Unaccompanied Minor fee" back since they didn't fill their end of the deal. The first fee (for missing the flight), that does happen every once in a while that 1 hour is not enough time to check in for the flight. However, what happen in Atlanta was outrageous. They should know better than to bump a unaccompanied minor. Having been to the Atlanta airport several times, that one airport even adults get lost in.

ditchdj
07-28-2006, 04:59 PM
Sorry but I doubt your letter is gonna do any good. The airlines are used to getting their way because whenever they run their own businesses into the ground the government has always been there to offer a big hand to pull them out of the hole. The rational is that if the ailines get ruined and planes dont fly then our economy's screwed. Same with the car companies. I remember when my dad bought a 1977 Chrysler Cordoba brand new from the dealer. One of the door handles came off. He took it to the dealer and they laughed at him. My dad was pretty much like, "If it werent for the federal government bailing you out you wouldnt even have a job!"

Not to try to start a political debate but my point is that the airlines dont have much of an incentive to make you happy as a customer.
Watch "Airlines". You'll notice that when the airlines actually do screw up and screw passengers by overbooking or anything else like that they rarely say, "I'm sorry it's our fault we'll go out of our way to make it up to you". Instead they just have a rehearsed answer for everything.

LostMyMind
07-28-2006, 05:21 PM
I don't see the letter being for the company but for NightAngel's mental health. It gets it off her shoulders and put it on the company's. If they do anything about it or not, it's their karma (or whatever you believe in. Myself is the "reap what you sow").

Beside, Tampa's airport prides itself on being one of the best airports in the country. If NightAngel wants to, a big stink can be raised. They have drop airlines from their airport for bad service in the past. Plus the issue involve a minor, there could be legal issues the company might be facing.

Cia
07-28-2006, 07:10 PM
Well it's a lot better than what my cousin and Aunt demanded when my cousin's kid got hauled around and misdirected in the Salt Lake City airport. They demanded ALL the money back.

Irving Patrick Freleigh
07-29-2006, 12:04 AM
I'm a little confused with all the airports. Were you in Tampa or was your son there? Also I'm having trouble sorting out all the dates. Did he go someplace by himself in 2005 and come back in 2006?

But then again, I confuse easily.

I have to say it's very irresponsible for Delta to just give his seat to somebody else and tell him "TS, now you have to find another flight to Kansas City by yourself." Atlanta is a very busy airport, perhaps even the busiest in the United States.

Good to hear that nothing bad happened to him though.

LostMyMind
07-29-2006, 03:37 PM
Ok Irving;

She sent her son on a plane from Tampa to Kansas City. She paid extra money for the airline to take extra precautions for a minor traveling alone.

The airline screwed up on the connecting flight in Atlanta by bumping her son off his flight leaving him in Atlanta.

I hope that sums it up in 3 sentences.

NightAngel
07-29-2006, 06:50 PM
Yep, that's about it. The "2005" was a typo on my part- thanks for pointing it out. :)

For those who asked- yes, my son is 14. Maybe I'm a bit over protective but the last thing I want is for him to be alone in *any airport/city*. Generally, it costs more financially to put him on a non- stop flight but that's what's going to happen from now on.

His Dad has all his tickets/ flight numbers so I'm waiting to get that from him. Then it's just a matter of time to see if I get any (even canned) response from Delta.

You know they say every cloud has a silver lining? The one for this story (other than him being okay) is that my son rose to the challenge and made it home.
I'm very proud of him. He's a smart kid.

BlaqueKatt
07-30-2006, 05:10 AM
my son rose to the challenge and made it home.
I'm very proud of him. He's a smart kid.

hmm thinking that reflects on the parent that raised him properly as well as your son.

BlaqueKatt-who thinks kids should be tested on life skills their parents instill in them, thus somewhat ensuring that they are up to the challange of the "real world"-your kid has already passed-Great Job NightAngel!