An Open Letter to Delta Airlines
Don’t worry, it’s not a hate-filled, vitriolic diatribe about air travel.
Don’t worry, it’s not a hate-filled, vitriolic diatribe about air travel.
Dear Delta Airlines,
These days, the internet is chock-full of hate. And there is certainly plenty of well-deserved hate around air travel. But this isn’t one of those letters.
As I’m sure you have either heard or experienced firsthand, air travel today is pretty awful (sorry, it just is).
I approach air travel this way — it’s just going to be awful. Since I travel a fair amount for work, that’s how I budget my time and energy. This way, the very WORST thing that can happen is that it will get better.
To date, it’s never gotten worse than awful.
Of course, I understand that this approach may not be best for everyone, but it works for me. And even though I belong to several reward programs (Delta included), it hasn’t yielded any real perks. I’m still a member of the herd who flies coach.
With that said, I was traveling home from Daytona Beach to New York City on February 7, with a connection in Atlanta. My flight was at 2:05 out of Daytona and was to get me into NYC around 7:30p and scheduled to get me home around 9p.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature in Atlanta had other plans.
Around 9a that Friday morning, my phone started blowing up with delays. After the third or fourth delay pushing my departure time out of Daytona to around 4:30p, it meant whatever connection I had in Atlanta was shot.
This would have had a domino effect: if I missed the connection, I missed my shuttle home because they stop running at 10p. My pet sitter had already left which meant my pets would’ve been alone and unfed for the night because there was no way I could ballpark when I’d be home.
First came panic, then came anger.
So as I stewed and grew angrier it was suggested I try to call Delta. I searched your web site but couldn’t find a way to chat with anyone on your site (I might suggest re-visiting that) but I eventually called.
I presumed your call center was jam-packed with angry people in the same situation as me and I promised that I was going to try and not be one of those.
After being on hold for about 20 minutes, I decided to head to the airport. One of two things would happen, the call would be picked up or I’d arrive at the airport and deal with it there.
After 45 minutes, my Irish was red-lining and then a representative picked up. Preparing for the worst, I kept my cool (mostly) as I explained the situation to the woman on the phone (I didn’t get her name).
She didn’t miss a beat and put me on another flight. Because the weather was so bad in Atlanta, all flights were delayed and she was able to get me on the earlier flight…that had already been delayed.
It was effortless and painless. Aside from the 45-minute hold, it was about a four-minute transaction.
When I checked in at the counter, the guy (again, didn’t get his name) was super nice and made sure I was confirmed not only on my connection but he also went one step further and reserved me on the flight after that in the event I missed that connection (and I did).
Both of those interactions resonated with me.
These two very simple and short interactions turned my experience (and attitude) around.
Of course, once shuffled on to the plane in Daytona we were told it was going to be an hour before we could leave. The exhales on board sounded as though a series of tires had been punctured. BUT, the captain made an appearance and we were told that those that wanted to de-plane, could.
Both very smart and sensitive moves.
Your folks did the best that they could in a very combustible situation. Frankly, I was very surprised by the level of customer service shown by every one of your Delta Airlines crew.
They weren’t overly friendly or overly empathetic, they were just professional and kind…and given the nature of what they must have been experiencing, that says something.
The flight attendants on both flights were curt, bordering on rude, but I’ll chalk that up to it just being a miserable day for everyone.
By the time I arrived in Atlanta, it was chaos. That said, I’m sure that my experience may not have been what others encountered. But in my head, I suspect all of your Delta employees handled everyone with the same sensitivity that I was.
So, thank you.
Thank you for turning what could’ve been just a horror show and making it much less so.
Thank you for getting me on the flights I needed to get on to get home.
Thank you for helping prevent a domino effect that would’ve been nothing short of hellish for me.
I’m writing to let you know that this experience with Delta Airlines was impressive. Your employees didn’t go above and beyond. That’s not meant as a dig in any way…it was a weather issue, there was honestly nothing you could’ve done. What your employees did that was so important is that they re-acted with both empathy and effectiveness. Given the circumstances, that was all that I, or anyone, could’ve asked for.
So as I read this article in Inc. Magazine, I became further impressed:
Delta Is Contemplating A Truly Significant Change That Could Leave United And American Gasping
Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. When it comes…www.inc.com
I’m not naive enough to think that air travel experience will improve, but I feel comfortable Delta Airlines will make every effort to not make it worse. And that matters.
What this experience has done is made me look more closely at Delta and now I’m going to book more flights through Delta. This way, I feel comfortable that if everything goes awry, at least I know I’ll be with a carrier who will attempt to improve the situation. And that matters.
Perhaps it’s time to revive the old Delta Airlines tag line — “Delta Air Lines, we love to fly and it shows.”
In sum, thank you Delta Airlines.
Cheers!