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Delta Airlines ripoff Incompetent customer service cost my brother money and time Atlanta Georgia
My brother is on active duty in the military and before he left for Iraq, he was given ten days leave. I was to book a flight for him so he could spend time with my parents, sister and myself before he left.
I called Delta on Tuesday and reserved a ticket in his name and was told that as long as he showed his military ID at the ticket counter when he picked up his tickets, he could receive the military discount. I was told the ticket would be resereved until 11 pm the following evening. I called my brother to make sure the times and dates would work for him, which they did. When I called Delta back to pay for his ticket, the airhead on the other line told me that he had to purchase the ticket IN PERSON to receive the military discount.
I wondered aloud why the other customer service representative had not told me that. She said the best she could do was to reserve the ticket until 11pm for the following night, which would hopefully give him time to get to the Delta ticket counter in New Orleans, where he was flying out of. I immediately called my brother back and relayed this information to him.
The only reason at this point we were going with Delta was because the ticket was a really good price. My brother called me back the next day at approximately 8:30 at night. He told me he had gone to the Delta ticket counter to purchase his ticket and they were closed! He had spent $65 on a taxi to get to the ticket counter only to find that they had closed at 7:30.
Needless to say, I was livid. I called Delta and spoke with three more incompetent morons, one of which had the audacity to ask me "Well, did you ask what time the ticket counter closed?" Perhaps I should have asked what time the ticket counter closed, but if a ticket is being held until 11pm, don't you think the counter would be open that late? Maybe the customer service representative should have the sense to tell me what time the counter closes. I am still extremely upset over this ordeal.
My brother eventually got a flight home with Continental, at a cheaper rate than Delta. I have nothing good to say about Delta, particularly their customer service department. They are complete buffoons who have zero lack of respect for the consumers who ultimately are paying their salary.
Jennifer
Nashua, New Hampshire
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Jennifer
Nashua,New Hampshire,
U.S.A.
Commentary and followup on rebuttal
#3Author of original report
Tue, November 23, 2004
Well Ukiah,
I don't think I missed the point. I think I need to elaborate a little more on this story. The second person I spoke with told me my brother could purchase his ticket at any Delta ticket counter. I told her that my brother was flying out of New Orleans, and that is where he would be picking up his ticket. It would have been very easy for her to check to see what time the ticket counter closes.
Unfortunately, she spent most of the conversation blathering on about how horrible it is how the military treats its employees and it's unfortunate that my husband was going through this (despite the fact that I told her twice the ticket was for my brother). She also told me there must be some group of women that could get together and go to THE GOVERNMENT and tell them they can't treat their military this way. Needless to say, this woman wasn't just stupid, she was delusional. I'm sure the President would be more than happy to book a meeting with a group of irate women concerning their military husbands' arrival and departure times on Delta. According to the other reports I've read on this website, they are all going to arrive late anyway, so it's not like it matters.
I manage a retail store that closes at 5pm. Would I tell a customer that calls and asks me to reserve an item that I will hold it until 9pm that evening? No, of course not, because we would not be open that late. I do accept partial responsibility for not asking what time the ticket counter closes. However, Delta needs to train their employees better and accept responsibility for the mistakes their employees make.
Ukiah
New York,New York,
U.S.A.
They asked a very legitimate question
#3Consumer Suggestion
Mon, November 22, 2004
"Well, did you ask what time the ticket counter closed?"
"Perhaps I should have asked what time the ticket counter closed, but if a ticket is being held until 11pm, don't you think the counter would be open that late?"
You missed the point. Some Delta counters - Atlanta for example - are open 24x7, others close at varying times (as you unfortunately discovered).
"Maybe the customer service representative should have the sense to tell me what time the counter closes."
Except that there is, in fact, no "THE counter". This transaction could have been completed at ANY Delta ticket counter, as long as he was there in person with the appropriate ID. In today's world of e-tickets, coupons, vouchers, etc., there is no need to go to a specific ticket counter. They can all do it for you.