Out of control party on the way to Mexico

Date: 7 February 2012
Flight: Delta, flight 389
Location: en route to Los Cabos, Mexico

Delta 389 was a scheduled revenue flight which Delta gifted their summit winning employees a free, all inclusive trip to Los Cabos, Mexico. Although the flight was fully booked, there were only 12 revenue passengers on a Boeing 757 aircraft. The flight crew announced that this was the premier Delta reservation employee benefit and there would be free alcohol for the entire flight.

Several passengers displayed obvious signs of public intoxication but were continuously served more alcohol by the flight attendants, to the point they became loud, disruptive, verbally abusive and with disregard of safety regulations. The flight attendants overlooked the seat belt lamps while the party continued in the aisles.

At one point a passenger stood on a seat and demanded more alcohol, which the flight attendant obliged. I felt that i was endangered by these actions and was appalled that a scheduled flight would be tolerant of this. I have contacted the airline directly and they apologized and offered 9000 bonus miles. I don't believe they should be able to operate in such a manner, displaying total disregard for the safety of revenue passengers.

I have a video that I shot with my phone to back up all of my statements.

I also have a copy of all correspondence with Delta to date.

- Ken

UPDATE 30 April 2012: Ken recently contacted AirSafe.com and reports that Delta has aggressively responded to his letter, that he was able to receive a sincere apology from a very high ranking Delta official, and that he is happy with this resolution.

Another reason to confirm anything your airline says about flight delays

Date: 21 April 2012
Airline: Delta, Flight DL833
Location: San Diego

Mechanical problems with the first flight caused a delay, asked about connections and were told we were probably fine but they couldn't check, landed in detroit and were told to sit tight until a gate agent told us where to go, agent only addressed the one flight being held then told everyone else to go ahead and deplain and we would be helped by an agent when we got to the gate.  Agent at the gate told us to check the monitor and then we pressed about our connection departing in 10 minutes, she indicated the plane was being held.  Ran through the airport and got to connecting gate as the jetway was being pulled back.  That agent told us the flight was never being held and there was no way for us to make it.

Can't get on another flight for over 12 hours.  Waiting in line with 14 others in same situation.

Michelle

A broken foot is more painful when your airline lets you down

Flight Details
Date: 16 April 2012
Airline: American
Location: Chicago (ORD)

I was arriving from Belize in time. I left my luggage for the flight connection. I already had my boarding pass for April 16th AA1869 flight with a boarding time at 4:55PM. I arrived at the gate D03 around 4:30PM with the wheelchair services (I'm have a broken foot, so I cannot walk all the way in the airport). The wheelchair responsible informed me that my flight is delayed (departure at 7:10PM instead of 5:25PM), she cannot stay with me. The radio was saying that the gate is changed for D04. I walked to D04 Gate (with a broken foot), nobody was there to answer our concerns.

I've verified my connection in Chicago, and with the flight delay I will miss my connection to Ottawa. So, I ask to another wheelchair responsible to go to the rebooking center. There, he gave me a new passenger itinerary for a flight to Ottawa for April 17th on flight AA3907 with a departure at 10AM and informed me that I will need to obtain a voucher for hotel/breakfast in Chicago.

It's around 5PM and I returned to gate D04. Around 6PM, AA responsibles are present at the booth. They asked for volunteers who want to change their flight with a compensation of $400 because the flight is overbooked. I go see them; I' m already delayed so I could help someone else if I could keep my next flight to Ottawa at 10AM.

The AA agent looked in the computer and said that I did not have a ticket for that flight; my flight to Chicago is registered for April 17th. She printed me a passenger receipt and ignored me and she didn’t want to listen me, and the said that I have to go to the rebooking center if I want to change anything to my ticket, she cannot do anything for me. I didn’t have access to the wheelchair services, so I had to walk to the rebooking Center.

The line was very long, I waited about 30 min in a standing position, but I cannot be in a standing position for an extended period and as the line is moving very slowly; I estimated the waiting period for about 2 hours. I see AA agent in an electric cart. I asked him if I could have access to the wheelchair services. He cannot do anything for me but I have to go to on the side of the booth and ask for the services. All peoples in line were yelling, the AA agent totally ignored me. I had to walk to another booth (at the Gate D15) to ask for the services. Fortunately, the agent there helped me. She looked my ticket and tried to understand what was happened. She was not able to understand why my ticket has been changed for April 17th (AA1869 Miami-Chicago– departure time 5:25PM and AA4098 Chicago-Ottawa – departure time 8:50PM). But, considering I didn’t have any other option to reach Chicago, Ottawa or Montreal on April 16th. She printed my boarding passes for these flights and gave me voucher for dinner/hotel/breakfast.

I asked to have a voucher for the hotel in the airport considering that I have a broken foot and I have difficulty to walk. She gave me a voucher for the Regency Hotel which is not inside the airport limit and required to take a shuttle. After trying to have access to the wheelchair services (I had waited for 30 min.), another AA agent in an electric cart, drove me to the closest door to the shuttle area. It was around 9:00PM when I could go out of the airport.

So, I want to know what compensation American Airlines will offer to me. Why if my flight is delayed of 24 hours I do not have access to 3 meals (I didn’t have access to a lunch voucher)? I want to know what I’m supposed to eat with an allocation of $12 for the dinner and $7 for the breakfast (the minimum breakfast cost at the Regency is $1250)?

For your information, I had to miss a complete working day which is representing for me about $550 of income loss. This is not considering all the other inconvenient.

When I tried to sent this to complain to the AA customer services, I cannot send the whole story because they limit the number of caracter to 1500. I've sent two parts of the story, but I cannot sent the latest section, because the web complaining access system has been blocked.

- Beaulieu

Another customer service failure from merger of United and Continental

Letter sent to United CEO Jeff Smisek

Flight scheduled for 5 July 2012

I want to register a complaint about recent arrangements on United for a trip to Maui on July 5, 2012. I have been a loyal United customer for many years, flying domestic and international routes many times. Over the years I have been frustrated by frequent schedule and seating changes. Once again this has raised its ugly head!

You will see that I have flights scheduled through September of this year. I have Multiple Sclerosis and the wife has had recent knee replacement surgery. We always book a bulkhead for our comfort, in Economy Plus. We used to fly Business Class, but the cost is now completely ridiculous.
At any rate, we booked six tickets to Maui. All Economy Plus seats. I held Elite Status at the time I booked this flight. I am not sure what level my status is now as I have not received a new Mileage Plus care since January 2010.

(passenger describes how the current booking arrangement separates family members, including a child)

I spent hours on the phone, mostly waiting to talk to a live person, but to no avail. I was finally transferred to an offshore facility in the Philippines. I talked to two nice ladies, one a supervisor neither who could resolve this issue. I was told by the first CSR named Leri, that customer relations could not call me back. Does the phone only work one way? The supervisor I spoke with said she (Mejia V02873) would have Customer Relations call me on Monday, April 16. Never got the call.

I booked Economy Plus seats, sitting together with my wife daughter and her family. What are you going to do about this? I understand the complexity of merging two airlines. Perhaps this is a result of putting a Continental Airframe on this flight. I had a contract with you and you have not honored it. I pray your organization does not screw up my travel arrangements in September.

Why you should remove your valuables if you check your carry on

Flight Details
Airlines: Delta, Air France, KLM
Date: 15 March 2012

I am writing about a terrible experience I had in the USA.

At the beginning of March, I retired after serving for 30 years as a Police Officer. To celebrate this and our Pearl Wedding Anniversary, along with my wife Fiona, we went on a 7 day Caribbean Cruise, followed by 5 days in Orlando.

The whole package was booked through Thomson’s Travel Agent in Peterhead, with it being supplied by Royal Caribbean Cruises.

On our return I flew from Orlando Airport on 15 March 2012 on flight DL1707 to JFK. While at Gate 76 there was an request asking if anyone would be prepared to delay their flight and if they did they would be given a $200 voucher. I was unable to assist due to connecting flights.

Soon after a further request was made asking if anyone was prepared to put their hand luggage into the hold for the flight. I only had 1 small suitcase and agreed to put it into the hold, this was despite numerous other passengers having 4 or 5 pieces of luggage with them. I was told that I would next see my suitcase on my return to Aberdeen. My suitcase contained a camera case with a digital camera, camcorder and an underwater camera. Within these cameras were 3 SD cards with all of our holiday photographs/videos on them.

On my retirement my work colleagues bought me a football shirt in my teams colours as a leaving gift. I took this shirt with me to the 4 ports of call on the cruise and took a photograph, with the intention of putting these photos on a Thank You card.

On 7 March 2012, my retirement date, I had also had a photograph taken of me with a cake on the ship. We also visited Jamaica and while there we were very fortunate to see Prince Harry at a Plantation. My wife was 2 feet away from him and got some fantastic photographs. I was using my camcorder and also got some great footage.

Once we got back to Aberdeen my case was missing. I reported it to the KLM desk - reference number xxx. They checked their computer system and they located it at JFK. They (KLM) undertook to transport it to my home address via Amsterdam and I would get it back the next day.

The suitcase was delivered the next day and all of my cameras were missing, having been stolen.

Since then I have been pushed from pillar to post by KLM, Delta, Air France and also Royal Caribbean. I have made numerous telephone calls to Air France and on one of these calls I asked the female operator 5 or 6 times to speak to a Supervisor. This was refused and she then hung up the phone. The level of service is totally disgusting. Once they have your money no one seems to be interested.

This was to be a holiday of a lifetime. Someone at JFK has stolen my cameras. The SD cards are irreplaceable.

My initial estimate as to the value of the items stolen was 551.50 GBP. Air France subsequently replied with a message saying as a "goodwill gesture" they will give me 499 GBP to replace the “damaged” items. I replied to this reminding them that the items had been stolen not damaged and that I found this offer totally unacceptable.

I then sent them an up to date list of the cost of actually replacing the stolen items - 637.17 GBP.

I have been a victim of theft and I do not think that it is very fair that I have to be out of pocket. I have done absolutely nothing wrong whereas the thief has.

I have also had to make numerous international telephone calls to France and the USA to provided details. During one of the many conversations with Air France one of the operators said that they usually make an offer of 600 Euros in situations like this. It is interesting to note that 600 Euros is approximately 499 GBP. She also said that not all claims made are genuine, implying that I was telling lies. Wholly unacceptable.

Air France initially asked for receipts for the stolen items. Who keeps such receipts. I did send Air France, by Air Mail and again at my cost, photographs of the original boxes that the cameras were in

The sum of 499 GBP has subsequently been place into my bank account. I feel that this offer is derisory and I am entitled to compensation for what has basically spoiled the holiday of a lifetime.

My wife is heartbroken and devastated that someone could be so cruel.

- Derek

United Delays Ruin Family Holiday

Letter Sent to United Airlines

Dear Senior Management,

It saddens me greatly to have to write in this manner, however it is absolutely necessary to express our families horrific firsthand experience of using United Airlines Services, converse from the United Airlines ‘Customer Commitment’ boasted online. Normally all our long haul flights are through British Airways and the experience has always been close to perfect as possible. Under the reviews we read on the website we decided this year to try United Airlines, how wrong we were.

Namely our complaint is pertaining to the failed departure of flight UA935Y, which was scheduled to depart on 31st March 2012 from London Heathrow Terminal 1 at 10.25am GMT, and to say an inconvenience was suffered is a mass understatement.

After much careful financial budgeting and planning over the course of 2011, we finally booked our holiday in September 2011, to fly us out in March 2012 to Hawaii from England. The United Airlines role was absolutely simple yet fundamental to the fulfilment of our holiday, to get us to Los Angeles where we would get our transfer to Honolulu, Hawaii to commence our much anticipated holiday.

The holiday was to celebrate a much eagerly awaited 30th birthday along with a work promotion. Both of us had to overcome difficulties at work in order to synchronise the Easter Holiday 2012 period off, with multiple employers, including schools.

To give you a bit of background and how the events unfolded on 31st March 2012:

We all put our pets into care, in readiness for the holidays the day before, (cost of £350). We set off at 5.25am, arrived promptly at Heathrow Airport via Taxi’s at 7.25am at a cost of £160 single journey, (£320 return taxi fare). We all checked in our luggage and had breakfast in the departures lounge (at a cost of £40).

At 10.25am an announcement was made that our flight had been cancelled due to blade damage and to report to the boarding gate. The attendant gave us a sheet with a telephone number to ring for further information, we did and were put on hold for 45 minutes. The earliest we could fly out now was 3rd April 2012.

Following this phone call, we were told we would now be taken to a hotel to stay overnight, and flown out at 2.30pm on 1st April 2012. However as a result of United Airlines failure to depart, we would miss our transfer from Los Angeles to Honolulu, Hawaii.

The next transfer offered to us was on 3rd April from Los Angeles.
If we even considered this extenuated option, we would effectively lose a third of our holiday time not to mention the further stress and stay in hotel at Los Angeles for a night. We had paid £2349 for our holiday. After ringing our hotel in Hawaii we where told if we did not check in on the 31st March 2012 as initially booked, we would lose our money we paid for our accommodation and have to re-pay $129 per night, due to us booking at the non flexible rate.

This was far too late and simply not practical and we didn’t have consent from work for any extension of holidays, which we had booked nearly 6 months in advance in order to synchronise.

We asked for routing to Washington or San Francisco however this was declined by United Airlines. What was even more frustrating was there was so many aircraft idle at the airport from Star Alliance we were not seen as priority for these.

Subsequently, we were forced to cancel our holiday, going on holiday is meant to be a time of enjoyment and throughout our many years of travelling we have never experienced such a stressful time. We are incredulous and still in a state of shock of what happened to our planned celebrations and can only find United Airlines at fault.

I am unable to regain the lost holiday allowance from work, I have no more allowance as a result left available for 2012 and any time off would have to be unpaid by my employer.

The cost of re-booking a similar holiday, would be effectively £800 more expensive in the summer of 2012, even if my work granted unpaid leave.

As a group we purchased 1,250 USD, this to sell back to currency bureau would now be at a much lower rate, so effectively we would now lose further money transferring it back to pounds.

This wasn’t just a normal holiday, this was much more meaning to us and now that has been ruined. Due to this horrific ordeal, we will not be using any Star Alliance member company for any of our future holidays.

I eagerly await your response to this complaint and how satisfactorily you can bring this dispute to an end.

Bumped after being seated

Flight Date: 18 April 2012

My 15 year old daughter, a ticketed passenger waiting in her assigned seat for takeoff, was ordered (not asked or bargained with) to deplane because of alleged overbooking but a businessman Took her seat. She was given no other explanation or assistance and treated rudely by staff at the gate, prompting her
to become very frightened and me to call the airline headquarters. 

The explanations I got were ludicrous, such as she was probably bumped for weight restrictions (she is a hundred pounds) or because she looks older than 15 (the same attendant who ordered her off the plane asked beforehand how old she was). Airline tried to buy their way out of this disgraceful incident by giving my daughter a check for $650.  Oh and did I mention that she is Asian?

- Sandra