Complaint Review: Delta Airlines - Atlanta Georgia

This is the worst experience I have ever had. I have flown
many many times on different airlines and this is by far the worst sort
of incompetence I had ever experienced. Delta failed my family which
included a 7 month old baby on so many levels on flight DL462 Nassau to
Atlanta and Atlanta to Baton Rouge on November 25th 2012. The only thing
we will remember now is the hell we went through just trying to get home
from what was originally a fun family vacation. First off the flight was
overbooked to begin with and volunteers were offered hotel stay and a
$600 voucher and meals and transportation. But we were unsure if we
would have enough infant formula to stay. Even though we now wish we
had. The failure of airplane mechanics was the start of
it all with a
stuck fuel valve according to the captain that was an easy quick fix.
Only problem was that Delta decided that it did not need a mechanic on
site in Nassau. The captain had to leave the plane to go try and track
down someone who could fix it. The only one on the airport that he was
told that could fix it was with Bahamian Air. After an hour and half
delay waiting for this guy to come fix the airplane we were told he
could not work on the type of plane we were on. Why wasn't this asked
before we were sitting there for almost 2 hours. Then they contacted
someone on the island to come and fix it. Mean while I have a screaming
baby in my arms that is completely unhappy because he is feeling cramped
and doesn't want to just sit on a hot plane. The following times are
approximate: 4:50pm - Pre-boarded with an infant in arms 5:40pm - Push
back and wait on tarmac 5:50pm - Pilot informs us
that there is a stuck
fuel starter valve and a call has been placed to BahamasAir 6:00pm -
Pilot informs us that they cannot get a hold of anyone at the other
company. 6:15pm - BahamasAir responds and sends mechanic 6:30pm - Pilot
informs us that he is hopeful mechanic arrives soon 6:45pm - Still no
mechanic 7:00pm - Mechanic shows us after 1 hour to inform us that he is
not certified to work on this Delta plane. Pilot lets us off flight
7:15pm - We board back onto flight after Delta mechanic arrives. (Not
sure why he was not called out regardless) 7:33pm - Flight departs 2
hours late Flight lands in ATL at 9:25pm arrives at gate at 9:33pm. No
food was offered and only small cup of water despite being on the plane
for 2 hours. Delta could have offered complimentary wireless so that we
could make arrangements on flight but did not. Nothing was offered at
all actually not even extra snacks or drink for
the inconvenience. Not
to mention the fear added to knowing that we were flying on an engine in
an unknown state of disarray. There wasn't any real sympathy shown
during this whole ordeal. This is an over book flight with many small
children. Let them watch tv., give them internet access, give them
snacks and something to drink...make us feel like you care! Connecting
flight for my family was DL5247 Atlanta to Baton Rouge scheduled to
leave at 9:49pm. In all my previous flights I have waited as passengers
on delayed flights were given time to board. Two weeks ago I flew from
Las Vegas to MSY via Southwest and I was delayed 60 minutes at the gate
for 4 passengers to arrive that had a flight delayed. Prior to that
flying with United I waited 45 minutes while a flight was delayed and
even had the door reopened to allow passengers that were late to board.
NOT DELTA. We were told Delta doesn't hold flights
and apparently
doesn't care where there missing passengers are. Even though our flight
was on the ground with 24 minutes to spare due to a Delta caused delay.
Not one of the Delta gate agents for flight 5247 bothered to check where
the 2 passengers and baby were located prior to closing the boarding
gate EARLY. The gate agent that was present to assist while we got off
flight 462 would not assist us. He was more concerned with telling the
Missouri University Basketball team also on flight 462 where to go.
Their flight was held by Delta 35 minutes to allow them to make their
flight. But my family with an infant were ignored by your gate agent.
Finally after 5 min he called the Delta 5247 gate and informed me that
nobody would answer. The flight was still on the ground AT THE GATE at
this moment but there was nothing he could do as no Delta employee would
answer the phone. We told us to go to customer
service not even offering
to tell us where that was. Delta Customer service was another issue.
Three very angry women that did not want to help anyone and showing very
rude attitudes to customers. I asked to see a supervisor and was cut off
rudely with What you want to see a supervisor for This after telling
them our issue. The Delta representative informed us that they do not
hold gates open for passengers and that our gate closed early, that was
very unusual. Today I see that the flight actually left 10 min late as
well. The now missed flight that was still at the gate while talking to
the Delta Customer Service rep was the last flight out for the night. I
informed the representative that we needed to get back as we were low on
infant formula. She informed us that the next available flight to Baton
Rouge was not until 6pm the next day. That was not acceptable. I asked
about New Orleans and was told
that the flight leaving that night was
booked. She gave another assistant our case at this point so she could
go back and forth with the next customer rudely. The new assistant now
informs us that there are two seats that are actually together on the
flight to New Orleans. I said that would be fine if Delta would
reimburse us on a car rental so we could get to Baton Rouge. She said
Delta cannot and will not accommodate us. We would be on our own with a
7 month old with no transportation 80 miles away from our destination.
They offered to again put us in a hotel and I inquired about the
transportation to the hotel as we would need an infant car seat. The
delta employee responded that we could probably borrow one from
somewhere to get to the hotel. A ridiculous suggestion and again
complete uninterested in the well being of an small baby, I agreed to
fly to MSY that night instead. We were told that our
checked luggage
would fly with us. These women were not sympathetic, understanding,
caring...instead we were met with rudeness and nasty attitudes for
something that was completely not our faults while holding a 7 month old
crying baby. On arrival in New Orleans we proceeded to luggage claim and
my claim ticket said BTR on it instead of MSY. So I proceeded to baggage
customer service who insisted that our bags would not be our flight and
showed still in ATL but said that BTR was bad at scanning bags so was
likely in BTR. I had to wake my 65 year old father from sleep and ask
him to drive 80 miles to the airport to pick us up and drive us back
because Delta would not pay for our rental. On the way to the Baton
Rouge Airport this morning I checked on my bag to make sure it was
there. Apparently it was some Delta employees bright idea to no longer
send our luggage to BTR but rather send it out on the 26th
in the
morning to New Orleans instead. So my luggage would not be at the
airport when I arrived but rather 80 miles away where we were never
supposed to land despite my claim tag saying BTR and insistence from
MSYs claim rep that it would never go to MSY. The Baggage claim # is
8006DL735995. I spoke with a Delta Rep this morning name Joey who is
having the bag transferred to BTR and delivered to my house. This is the
ONLY single Delta employee that has appeared remotely competent in the
entire ordeal. I am personally out the cost of an additional day of
parking at the airport as well at the cost of having someone drive 160
miles round trip to pick me up. The whole ordeal just is a vibrate
display of an airline in complete shambles, unorganized, not
communicating, uncaring, unsympathetic, unapologetic, rude, bad
attitudes, not doing their jobs to insure that customers are making
there flights. I
am extremely disappointed and flabbergast at the lack
willingness to compensate and the lack of helpfulness witnessed on our
flight back. Delta should be embarrassed for this incident, the agents
you have hired to "help" customers, where actually yelling at them.
These are distraught individuals that through no fault of there own
needed some compassion. Moreover the complete lack of customer service
and careless regard for a 7 month old childs safety is appalling. Five
times I heard the Atlanta customer service reps tell other passengers
that they had no power to do anything and their insistence on passing
the buck to someone else. A complete thats not my problem, that's not
my job attitude from all Delta Atlanta airport personnel. We were not
late for a flight this was a Delta error and no care was given to hold
our actual flights gate open at least until its actually scheduled close
time
or the willingness by Delta employees to try and make sure to stop
the closing of the gate in advance. I just do not know how I can fly
Delta again with such rude and inconsiderate staff in ATL delta just
truly does not care about its customers in the least. Rest assured this
account will be going on my blog and on all my social media sites to
warn people in advance, that this is the type of service you will
receive if you decide to fly Delta. Along with any response you might
send or not send. The kicker is that we had a baby with us and no one
cared or concerned themselves with that. Total disregard for customers
and their family is what you get when you fly DELTA!