Granted, I probably don’t fly as much as many, but every time - I mean every time I have booked with Delta, they have screwed up my trip. Be it loosing baggage or extended 12 hour delays at the airport, it happens like clockworks. Are there any Delta fans out there? Do I just have bad luck? None of my trips have been around holidays or high traffic times where you would expect screw-ups… Maybe this is why they are on the verge of bankruptcy - their customer service is horrible - they have a policy of incrementally delaying your departure time through the night just to avoid putting customers up in hotels - All in all I’m very dissapointed with their company. The only reason I would continue using them is if the tickets were for free and I had a lot of spare time to piss away. Just needed to get that off my chest. Thanks!
well I am a medallion member with delta , mainly because cincy is a hub. I fly with them at least twice a month, I have had problems but also great service 9helps when you make medallion status). It is easy for me to use them because of the multiples routes and flights to cincy. I think all airlines have their bad stories, i am bias, I have many friends being pilots or flight attendants with delta. i think they improved a lot this year, making efforts to help their customers. If you are unhappy, you can write them a letter (i have twice and got vouchers for free flights) But I hear you… I have had issues, it sucks. i swore to myself I would never fly with air france EVER again myself, so we each have our frustrations!
I used to be gold with them, and now go out of my way to avoid them. But the sad reality is they are no worse than the rest. At least you can “fly” delta - but get on a continental flight - which thus far as a 100 segment flier per year - seems so far to be the best domestic carrier. Good luck…
Flew twice recently with them, nothing spectacularly right or wrong. Flights were pretty on time and they didn’t loose my bike!
Update - my wife got in this morning from California - she was scheduled to be here at 2:00pm yesterday afternoon - came in at 2:00am this morning - 12 hours late - a new record for us and Delta! Those guys are on top of their game…
only one word…Tulsa…
I fly Delta and am an active member of their skymiles program. I used to be a big Northwest fan but cashed out all of my miles in worldperks and went with Delta. However, they’re part of Skyteam as is Delta and Continental so it’s not a huge deal.
I don’t have a big problem with them. I fly quite a bit and quite frankly no one domestic airliner is better than the other. They’ve all have trimmed quite a bit of staff and each of them are on the verge of bankruptcy. Not due to customer service as you mention but mainly due to fuel increases.
I really like Delta Airlines, have had many positive experiences. In the spirit of full disclosure I should point out that my mother retired from Delta so I fly for almost free and I do have a lot of spare time to piss away.
Sorry about your bad experiences. I can’t imagine how people do it everyday!
I live in the hub for Delta in ATL. I have only had my bags and bike not show up on one occasion. I was so panicked when my baby wasn’t in the carrier. The lady at ATL took my cell number and said she would call the instant they arrived (I must have looked like I lost a child!!)–and she called me like 4xs each step of the way as I enjoyed a restful dinner. They had offered to send them to my home to which I told her I was staying right there until it came off the carousel. Nothing but positive experiences even when things go bad.
I have only missed one flight connection because of storms–everyone misses flight connections because of storms. Wonder if that is why your wife was detained from Cali yesterday. There was the hurricane on this side of USA that altered flight patterns (one bump has a cascade effect). Even today the planes are still delayed (several tornadoes touched down last night and I think today). Glad she got in safely.
Now if you would have mentioned Citibank I would have jumped up and down in agreement 
Those people can kiss it! Washington Mutual (LOVE them on one hand) if they don’t get my flood insurance figured out after FIVE yrs I will be losing my patience soon. To date I think it is close to 1500 they have tried to scam me for, but they have no clue how meticulous I am…thinking it is about time I give them my monthly call.
NO - only bad experiences. Christmas at ATL is not very merry!
As with most airlines, whether you like them has a lot to do with where your local hub is, and how well traffic moves through that hub.
Delta has a roughly 25% on time percentage into my local airport. Their hub is the always overcrowded Atlanta Hartsfield. And if you’re lucky, your flight will turn out to be operated by Satan’s Commuter Airline (ASA) instead of Delta main. So because of where in the system I am, I regard Delta as the airline of last resort.
I know there are a lot of people out there who have legit reasons to hate Northwest. But the hub I get when I fly them is Memphis. Great on-time percentage to and from my local airport, smaller terminal means it’s easier to get around in it, and the employees in Memphis are so much nicer to work with than the Delta drones in Atlanta when I have a problem.
i flew with them 3 times and they lost my bags (and bike) EACH Time…I am serious…
the last time was in july. I was going to a race in upstate NY and ended up stranded in Tulsa OK, for 24hrs…
on the positive side, I found a really really helpful lady working as a manager for Delta at El Paso Airport, and she did everything she could to get me a refund…and it worked…
I’ve flown Delta for 17 years. Around 1000 flights. I’ve never had much trouble with Delta. Very rarely do they temporarily lose my luggage or cancel a flight due to mechanical issues. However, I have to fly their regional carrier to Atlanta. The carrier is Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA). The WORST airline I’ve ever flown with. Many delayed/cancelled flights due to mechanical issues, ‘lost’ aircrews, etc. Their agents in Atlanta are not very customer friendly. You should be fine with Delta. AVOID ASA. Maybe…just maybe, ASA will improve now that Sky West has bought the airline.
Just thought I would give out a couple of tips as Im a frequent flyer.
The airlines are all the same these days, theres good and bad in all of them so take it for what its worth.
When selecting an airline or flight for your next trip you really have to do your own homework. What you want to look for is in order.
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Frequency to destination, how many flight are there in case my origional flight is delayed.
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Travel on the first flight of the day
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Avoid stops if you can
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Never check your baggage, bring 2 small carryons if you must.
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Always check your departure and destination weather and plan accordingly.
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If your traveling on a holiday, omit steps 1-5, your just fucked and deal with it.
My last flight on delta was a flight from O’hare to Atlanta. 10 min prior to boarding the catering truck drove into the right engine - delayed for 8 hours. Not Delta’s fault - but had to tell that story.
Best part - they took it for a “test” drive down the runway then came over the loud speaker “um folks yeeaaahhh this flight is delayed till further notice.”
This happens more often than most people realize. Those people are getting paid minimum wages to drive trucks around Million dollar aircraft.
But in todays environment, its getting harder and harder to find people that can pass a backgound check to work on the airport, so in the mean time the other companys have to put up with these buffons. Ill bet that guy is still employed because they cant replace him.
Delta is based in Atlanta (where I live) - this place is full of the dumbest people that inhabited the Earth! It should surprise you that the planes even fly.
I’ve had that happen to me too. Well almost the same thing since it was the baggage truck that hit the engine and it was Northwest. And then since it was a smallish airport, they only had a mechanic on call, not on site, and he was refusing to answer his pages.
Funny you mention ASA… I have the same problem with Comair… It sucks but hey, it gets me where I need to go direct from cincy. But i have had way more problems with comair, wheter it’s luggage, flight delays or anything else. plus I hate that comair is taking over, I love getting upgraded to first class on the delta planes:-)
I think Delta is great airline for anyone who travels frequently. I would rather wait for my flight in the comfort of the Crown room drinking free Beer/Coffee than standing in a Line marked A, B or C. But that’s just me. I’ve had up to 12-hour delays because of weather, but you can’t blame weather delays on an airline. I’ve also had a plane delayed 10 minutes to wait for me, now that’s customer service (unless you were on that plane, in your seat wondering why you weren’t moving yet).
As for losing luggage, I only have problems when I connect in Salt Lake City, going through the E terminal.