A corporate conversation: Delta Airlines.

So, I'm often perturbed with the horrendous customer service (or lack there of) and corruption, with the entire corporate paradigm- the phone companies, the airlines, the credit card issuers. All a bunch of vulchers and thieves who slip in extra charges in hopes that you don't have the time or patience to sit on the phone for an hour to get them to fix it, or do not provide the service you paid for, etc. But every now and then I feel as if a company treats me like a real human being. Like they respect fairness, and value. JetBlue is one of these rare corporate utopias! They are helpful, well-priced, give a great service, and are fair to their customers (like refunding money if you don't wish to fly yourself into a hurricane in your destination city).

It's been a while since I've used the other corporate evils for flight. After Katrina, JetBlue is not currently offering flights to New Orleans.... where I had to fly into to get to a show I have scheduled in Louisiana (northern part) this week.

I was routed to Delta on travelocity, who was up and running in New Orleans. Now, the new hurricane has caused evacuation of the city, and the Gulf looks like it may be in a bad place this week. I called Delta to cancel the flight, and get a refund because of the weather. It went something like this....


(After holding for 10 minutes listening to elevator music).

Delta: May I have your flight number?

Me: 1415 from New York to New Orleans. The mayor has ordered the city be evacuated again due to the new hurricane hitting this week.

Delta: Okay, let me check on the bulletins.
.....
That flight has not been cancelled. But since there has been an evacuation posted, let me double check to see what Delta is offering, we can probably give you credit for future flight or a refund. Let me check. Please hold.
......
Okay mam, I have my supervisor on the line and Delta is not issuing refunds or credit for this flight since the flight has not been cancelled. You'll have to call tomorrow to find out if the flight has been cancelled, or pay for the ticket even though you aren't making the flight.

Me: But my flight leaves tomorrow at 8am, tomorrow is too late to work out flight details. The city is being evacuated, it's unreasonable to fly people there right now.

Delta: You don't have to take the flight, but it is your responsibility since you booked the ticket and Delta has not cancelled the flight. You can check the status in the morning.

Me: I understand they haven't cancelled the flight. But the city of New Orleans is being evacuated, there will be no one there for transportation to as a means to get out of the city, the airport, etc. Do you guys usually continue with flights that are going directly into a current natural disaster?

Delta: Since you booked your flight on September 15th, you were aware of the problems. It is not Delta's responsibility if you knew the potential hazards.

Me: No, on September 15th, travelocity routed me to New Orleans on Delta. On Sept. 15th, New Orleans airport and roads to and from it were functional. Delta was up for business and operating to and from the New Orleans airport which had power, staff, and transportation to get out of. If Delta felt it reasonable to operate business to New Orleans after Katrina, then I assumed the same. If Delta was unable to refund tickets due to NEW hurricanes and disasters then you shouldn't have booked me for the flight.

Delta: This is our policy and no refunds will be made unless the flight is cancelled.

Me: What is your policy? To keep as much money as possible even if it means flying your potential customers to their deaths?

Delta: We are not responsible for hurricanes. The flight has not been cancelled.

Me: So the city will have no one in it to get people out of the airport, but as long as lightening, the 150mph winds, or the good grace of your bad karma, don't physically take your airplane out of the sky then you'll keep the flight scheduled and not respect my request to have the ticket refunded because it is unreasonable to fly someone into the middle of an impending category 5 hurricane?

Delta: I can't answer that question for you. You can call tomorrow and check on the status of the flight.

Me: Well okay. So, Delta gets to keep my $200, and I get nothing. (thought to self: you cheap bastards just filed for bankruptcy anyway. it's not like you have to account for your lost profits anymore. just give me my fucking $200 and respect the fact that I value not throwing myself into the middle of a category 5 hurricane. no wonder you bastards went bankrupt. corruption comes back to get you! karma suckers.)

Delta (impatient/pissy tone): You can call again tomorrow. I cannot refund your tickets, is not our policy. Is there anything else I can help you with?

Me: You know, maybe you can just reschedule my flight to a different place.....
....... how about Iraq? Likihood of survival is about the same there I'd guess. Or do you guys have any packages to North Korea? Maybe you could even just drop me out the emergency exit somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, atleast I wouldn't have to worry about deranged, dehydrated gun-wielding looters if I got stuck there.

Thanks for your help!

---

So, I thought I'd look up more information on the poor treatment of Delta's customers and I found plenty of treats!
Perhaps the fact that they just went bankrupt has to do with their unacceptably poor service.

http://www.deltareallysucks.com/

http://www.boycottdelta.org

Stewardess fired for Blog.

A Plan to be nice?