Dear Ms. X,
RE: Case Number X
Thank you for your recent correspondence to our Customer Care director, Susan Judson expressing your continued disappointment with my response. I have been asked to respond on her behalf.
I understand you feel I did not adequately address your concerns. I was happy to review your comments again to see if there was something I missed. Please know that I sympathize with the inconveniences caused when our flight encountered an oversold situation, altering your travel arrangements. We want to ensure that we are providing the best possible service at all times and I regret that your experiences were to the contrary.
However, it is important to mention we follow a consistent policy to ensure that Delta is fair to everyone who travels with us. Accordingly, we must again respectfully decline your request for additional compensation. I am truly sorry to disappoint you, as I am sure this is not the answer you expected.
Ms. X, recognizing that we cannot always come to mutual agreement, please know I am very sorry that ill feelings still remain on your part regarding this decision. Should your feelings change, we would welcome an opportunity to serve you again.
Sincerely,
Errica Reese
Coordinator, Corporate Customer Care
Delta Air Lines 9 months ago
How I did it:
Dear Ms. Judson,
Below you will find a detailed description of my experience flying with Delta Airlines in an email I wrote to your customer service dept & the response I received to said email. Apalling, in a word. For your customer service rep Ms. Reese to assume I don't understand your oversale practices is a bit presumptuous, at best. Having suffered an oversold flight firsthand, I daresay I understand the concept better than someone who can only explain it in the abstract. Another point of contention is in Ms. Reese's statement "...given the opportunity of serving you in the future, I am confident Delta will not only meet but exceed your expectations." An esteemed peer put it best: "No kidding. Especially after she had just gone out of her way to lower your expectations to zero (or lower)."
Let's be real Ms. Judson. Delta Airlines made a promise to fly me to a certain destination on a certain date and time when I purchased the tickets six weeks in advance. Delta Airlines couldn't deliver on that promise. There is a reason Delta Airlines is one of the most complained about airlines in the business, according to the Department of Transportation. Delta Airlines has a lamentable reputation--I understand this now. What I take issue with, is the downright pitiful compensation offered for my considerable inconvenience, through no fault of my own, but rather created by Delta Airline's own inept business model.
A $200 voucher? Really? Tell me, Ms. Judson, where does one fly on a $200 voucher? In order for this to be useful to me, I would have to spend even more money on Delta Airlines, & this, I'm afraid, I refuse to do. Even if the voucher was in an amount reasonable for the price of air travel today, I would be leery. How do I know any future flights wouldn't be oversold? I don't. The Delta Airlines brand is forever synonymous with a well-earned unreliability.
In closing, I have submitted complaints to the Department of Transportation & the Better Business Bureau, as well as posting all correspondence (to & from) Delta Airlines on my blog.
Good Day, Ms. Judson.
Sincerely,
Ms. X
Read how I did it… 9 months ago
12 cheers . 2 comments . Comment
Dear Ms. X,
RE: Case Number X
Thank you for contacting Customer Care. On behalf of Delta Air Lines and our connection partner, Skywest Airlines, I sincerely apologize that you were unable to travel as planned due to an oversold situation on your recent flight with us.
I am truly sorry for your experience on Flight 7806 on July 8, 2012 which departed from Cody. Thank you for your follow up and patience. I acknowledge your disappointment with the $200.00 voucher you received. Generally, when a flight is oversold or weight restricted we will solicit volunteers who are willing to rebook on a later flight to voluntarily give up their seat in exchange for a voucher. In the end, however, the amount of compensation will be determined by Delta in its sole discretion. In this case, since Flight 7806 encountered a weight and balance issue, cash compensation would not be due. Denied Boarding Compensation (DBC) has been established to help offset any incidental expenses or inconvenience which result from being denied boarding.
Again, I apologize if you did not fully understand the oversale process and that cash compensation will not be provided to allow you to reimburse your father. Be assured I will be sharing your comments with our Airport Customer Service leadership team for internal follow up. For complete information on Delta’s overbooking policy, I invite you to visit our website at delta.com and review our Contract of Carriage, Rule 245.
Ms. X, we appreciate the time you took to write. I hope I have been able to resolve any concerns you have about our service. Your business is important to us and given the opportunity of serving you in the future, I am confident Delta will not only meet but exceed your expectations.
Sincerely,
Errica Reese
Coordinator, Corporate Customer Care
Delta Air Lines 10 months ago
I was scheduled to leave from Cody, Wyoming, on Delta Airlines flight DL7806 on Sunday July 8th, 2012 at 7:55 PM. The flight was oversold. I was one of five passengers pulled from the plane. I was given one of two options. The first option was to pay $100 for a shuttle to Billings, Montana & stay overnight in a hotel, all at my own expense, in order to catch Delta Airlines flight DL5686 on Monday, July 9th, 2012 at 7:45 AM, approximately 12 hours later than my original flight. The second option was to wait until Wednesday, July 11th, 2012 when the next available Delta Airlines flight was departing from Cody, Wyoming, approximately three days later than my original flight. I was given a $200 electronic non-transferable credit voucher valid for a year, valid for payment of fares, but not other fees relating to travel including baggage fees, for compensation.
I prefer $200 compensation be given to me in the form of cash or check instead, please. This is reasonable compensation for the unfortunate event I experienced with Delta Airlines, & will allow me to reimburse my elderly father for driving me to Billings, Montana in order to catch Delta Airlines flight DL5686 on Monday, July 9th, 2012 at 7:45 AM. If I receive no acknowledgement from Delta Airlines to my reasonable request of monetary compensation in the form of $200 within 30 days, I will lodge complaints with the U.S. Department of Transportation & the Cody, Wyoming Better Business Bureau. I do look forward to hearing from Delta Airlines. Thank you for your time & consideration. 10 months ago
A helpful article, chock full of great ideas & resources: http://www.frommers.com/articles/6806.html 10 months ago
