DELTA AIRLINES complaint-Help!

[nezy]

I recently returnrd frm MCo via Delta to JFK. On both the trip down & home my DS, age 6, was Pulled for a security check. at "random". This subsequently led to an uncomfortable situation splitting up my children from me, even though we had a seat confirmation, prior to each flight. The person at the gate and the flight attendant were not at all helpful and in fact were contradictory of each other. I won't go in details-but it was quite upsetting.

I would like to lodge a complaitn w/ Delt Airlines. Does anyone have any suggestions as to whom I should address my concerns? I think it will be more effetive if I have a name rather than a "To Whom It May Concern" in customer Service.

Any suggestions? Also I know Delta is the "official" Disney airline, do you ythink that is another route to persue?

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Delta cannot do anything about anyone being pulled for a random security check, it is done by randomly by the computer.
Disney is NOT the official airline of WDW and has not been since the early 90's.
You can go to the website and write an email this way, but, they do have to follow federal guidelines for security. Unfortunately, this is the way of the world these days.

 

[CarolA]

I would think that perhaps your compliant should be addressed to the TSA. They are in charge of airport security and that includes the gate screeners I believe.

Are you saying your kids were not seated with you? I don't understand how that could be affected by the screening.

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by nezy
I recently returnrd frm MCo via Delta to JFK. On both the trip down & home my DS, age 6, was Pulled for a security check. at "random". This subsequently led to an uncomfortable situation splitting up my children from me, even though we had a seat confirmation, prior to each flight. The person at the gate and the flight attendant were not at all helpful and in fact were contradictory of each other. I won't go in details-but it was quite upsetting.

I would like to lodge a complaitn w/ Delt Airlines. Does anyone have any suggestions as to whom I should address my concerns? I think it will be more effetive if I have a name rather than a "To Whom It May Concern" in customer Service.

Any suggestions? Also I know Delta is the "official" Disney airline, do you ythink that is another route to persue?

Who gets screened at the gates is done by computer. When they scan your boarding pass the computer indicates who should get pulled out. I was slected on the way to MCO from BOS. This is not something Delta has control over.

Also, Delta has not been the offical airline of WDW for a few years now.

 

[David from ma.]

I thought delta assigned seat when you buy your ticket. i just came back from mco to mht on southwest no seat assigement stood for 1 hour to get up front got pulled out for security check end up being last one on plane i now fly delta hope it's ok

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by David from ma.
I thought delta assigned seat when you buy your ticket. i just came back from mco to mht on southwest no seat assigement stood for 1 hour to get up front got pulled out for security check end up being last one on plane i now fly delta hope it's ok

Delta does have assigned seating. We usually buy our tickets right through the Delta web site and pick our seats at that time. We book the exit row aisle and middle.

I just stepped aside they hand checked my carryon and waved a wond around me and that was it I was free to get on the plane and there was no issue with seating.

Getting picked for checking at the gate should not effect your seating assignment at all. You are selected when you hand your boarding pass to the gate attendant after all seat arrangements are final.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I haven't flown Delta since 9/11/01. But the other airlines I have been flying seemed to just pull people at random, basically when they had time (rather than just stand there doing nothing).
I am surprised you couldn't sit together if you had assigned seating, unless they overbooked.
On one flight returning this last weekend, it was overbooked. On that flight, single tickets must have been sold, since some family members were not assigned seats together.
I and others just switched seats so families could sit together.

I couldn't believe one flight -- the plane was't 100% full anyway. One family of four hogged up six seats in two rows (kids/toys, etc).
When a person wanted to sit in their assigned seat, where the mother decided to camp out, the mother told the other gal to go sit somewhere else.
Geez, I could have seen ASKING or explaining to the person who actually held the ticket for that seat. But she TOLD her to sit somewhere else.

 

[CarolA]

I would have TOLD that mom to move and pushed that flight attendant call button so fast her head would spin! If it was my aisle or window seat MOMMA would have moved. Trust me, I travel a LOT and I will move for a family with small kids if they act nice. (You catch more flies with honey then vinager)

 

[Rock'n Robin]

If a child gets screened, can't the parents and the rest of the kids wait nearby for them? I don't see how this would affect seating.
Delta also pulled my 72 year old dad in a wheelchair on his flight down in July. It is all random. If they'd known how cranky it made him, believe me, they would have tried to pick someone else!
Robin M.

 

[idontknow]

Luv2Roam, that woman must summer in my hometown. She did everything but stand up to pick a fight with me when I told the red coat that her child was in an exit seat. I endured verbal abuse to no end, even at my hometown airport after the flight from this woman.Some people....................

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I don't know if you can do anything about the random security checks, but I still don't understand the seating situation. Are you saying that someone stole your seats while you were going through the security screening? If that's the case, then they should have been asked to move by the flight attendants, especially when a child that young is involved.

If you and your family had confirmed seats together prior to boarding, then you should have been able to sit together. If someone took your seats and refused to move and the flight attendants did nothing to help, then a complaint should be lodged with Delta.

 

[LISALISA36]

i had a friend who was flying and was also pulled for a check.
and they made her husband board the plane. they would not let him wait for her.
which made her very uncomfortable.

 

[LISALISA36]

i think she is saying that they pulled her son for a check and made her board the plane with out him.
oh my god,,,,my 8 year old would be scared to death if that happened.
can they do that to a child?

 

[Tiffany]

Originally posted by LISALISA36
i had a friend who was flying and was also pulled for a check.
and they made her husband board the plane. they would not let him wait for her.
which made her very uncomfortable.

When I was asked to step aside at Logan on Aug 12th my husband was also able to step aside and wait for me. We then boarded the plane together.

On our flight back from MCO the people in the party with the man that was asked to step aside just stepped aside with him.

 

[Chance's Mom]

I'd like to know more about this because I travel with a 6 year old on Delta very frequently. I can't believe anyone would separate a child that young from his mother. My 6 year old would be protesting loudly!!!!

Did the security check make you late to the gate (less than 10 min before departure?) and your seats were given away???

I also can't believe that someone wouldn't change seats to allow you to sit with your child. Who wants to sit by a 6 year old on a plane? Not very many people--sometimes not even me!

More info please.

 

[nezy]

I guess i better explain the whole story.
In Mya, I booked a flight for DS, 7, Liam and me from JFK to MCO. Next day booked a flight , same plane, for DS, 6, T.J. At that time I got seat assignments for all 3 of us for both flights.

Day of departure, curb-side check-in at JFK. I was told T.J. was "randomly" selected & would have to be ticketed inside the terminal. No problem-I proceeded to the check-in, got a ticket and confirmed seats for the return flight.

Went to WDW-just mom & the boys, had a great time.

Well, when we were rerurning home, again at curbside check-in @MCO was told T.J. was" randomly" selected and could not be ticketed at curb, but at the gate. I asked him to clarify and made sure that it was the gate-not the terminal just inside-NO go to the gate.
After standing in line for security checks and trams, all the time informing people that my son did not yet have a ticket, was told no problem.
Get to the gate and was told that T.J.'s seat was reassigned and that he was sitting 8 rows behind me and Liam. I was informed that since he had not checked in, they reassigned the seat-to a family who could not be split-up-Emphatically!! I informed the agent at the gate that my 2 sons and i were also a family, would not be split-up, that I had these seats confirmed and this other family w/ my son's seat was not sitting together until 20 minutes ago. I told him he had to do something. He finally told me to telll the flight attendant of the situation and recommended 2 other passenger seats, next to my sons & ask them to switch w/ me. I asked him to speak to the flight attendant. He informed me that I needed to get on board and would be there sooner and that he could not leave the gate. OK-So, as we try to board, T.J. is red flagged for a security check-The security agent asked me to stepaside as they took my son. I informed her that both my son Liam and I would be going w/ T.J. for the security check. Luckily, the 3 other agents saw things my way.

After the "random" security check of my 6 yr. old, we boarded. I explained to the flight attendant of the situation -He told me to take a seat, he couldn't help me, and if I wanted to I could make the switch, but he could not do anything. Back&forth, back&forth, finally, I go to where T.J. is supposed to sit and Now, fully frustrated w/ the run-around, in tears, ask the 2 people to kindly switch, which they did.
One of the flight attendants later comes up and says, "I'm so glad you were able to sit together." No thanks to you-

I know this seems trivial, but I have many friends who are in the airline industry who have told me this was ridiculous and should not have happened. I also understand that working in that industry is very stressful, which is why I did not rant & rave like a lunatic.
I also am not upset by the random security check, although I doubt it was random as he was pulled both coming and going. I assume this "random" check is done for any tickets that are booked as a single. My bone of contention is the mishandling at the gate. It was indicative of a true beurocracy rather than an airline who should be a little more concerned w/ customer svce. I know-keep dreaming.

I have spoken to a friend who is a ticket agent at the gate in JFK. She has informed me to write a letter and is getting a few names of people who I should contact. I am not a letter writer per se, but this time I will be. When I plan a trip I always confirm 7 re-confrm, more than twice prior to flying.
Sorry this is so long, but there seemed to be a lot of confusion w/out all of the facts.

 

[vcasey]

Not sure what to tell you about who to contact but one thing that may help in future trips. My daughter (8) has her own frequent flier number and for the online bonus miles I always book our flights each separately. I then however call Delta to tell them that we are travelling together. We have flown 6 times since 9/11 no issues. I was randomly selected for security this past time and they had no issue keeping her with me. No sure if that 's just luck or if my calling helps.

 

[CarolA]

I think this happened because the reservations were not linked in the system. That happened when you made the seperate reservations for the child. In the gate agent's defense what he or she saw when they looked was a solo traveler who it would be easier to move then a group. They probably should have handled it better, but they did not do anything wrong in moving the child based on the way it was ticketed. A six year old child can fly by themselves on most airlines so they could be seated by themselves. I have been under the impression that flight attendants are not suppose to ask passangers to move (why is beyond me!) Sometimes on some flights I have heard them make a general announcement.

You are probably right that traveling solo rings you out for selection by the computer. I get checked a lot and I travel solo.

The people at security checks and trams don't have any control over the boarding pass assignement so I am sure they felt it was not a problem.

 

[pinky]

We did get ******* by Delta in March over seats in Detroit, that's why we have vouchers we are using for our trip in Feb!!

Last year though Delta had cancelled flights to orlando connecting in Atlanta, so people were trying to get on the Cincinnati connection. We were okay because we got there early. Others though got bumped from their assigned seats to accomodate Frequent Flyers and their families. Except the bumped family didn't know that. I heard the upset mother explaining to 3 girls that they were not all together (it was going to be 2 & 2). About 5 minutes later this arrogant man sits 2 seats down from us at the gate and oh so proudly tells his wife & kids about the demands he made to the gate agent. Why 2 adults with 2 kids refused to be seated 2 and 2, I don't know, but delta didn't have a problem giving into his demands and splitting up the mother and 3 girls. It still upsets me but I know FF are where the airlines make their money and those of us that travel once or twice a year on discounted fares don't really matter.

Anyhow, a good starting place would be to go on Delta's website and get the president's name and write to him. I know that he is not the right person, but if they are like NW, they will get it where it needs to go with a (hopefully acceptable) response.

Good luck and keep us posted!!


edited to remove an attempt to bypass the filters

 

[Luv2Roam]

I flew solo last weekend. Surprised I didn't get the security search routine.
My sis did a few months ago -- but she wasn't surprised. My mother took suddenly ill. My sister (a nurse) flew by herself into Midway (Chicago). And not knowing the true situation, she bought a one way ticket.
Well, buying a one way ticket a day or two before you depart certainly seems to raise suspicions now!