CyberCJH’S Blog

What was once a world class airlines continues its descent into something that is starting to resemble USAirways.

Yesterday, Delta announced that they were doubling the fee to check a second bag from $25 to $50. In some circumstances, I imagine that it will now cost as much to check a second bag as the airfare did. (Thanks to Jackie for the e-mail!)

Then today, Delta announced that they were retooling their SkyMiles reward structure. Their official announcement says:

Tiers will start at 25,000, 40,000 and 60,000 miles round-trip rather than the two current Award levels starting at 25,000 and 50,000 miles for travel within continental United States, Alaska and Canada.  Customers will have access to multiple Award Travel options including last- seat Award availability again and continue to be able to combine Economy, First and Business cabins, and dates at various mileage levels. 

Translated, the announcement effectively says they’re increasing the minimum number of miles for a free ticket from 25,000 to 40,000. Sure, they’re might be a few 25,000 mile seats available on a few flights, but they’ll be very few and very far between.

Sad to see such a respected airline pervert themselves into what they’re turning into.

written by cybercjh \\ tags: Delta

Delta and Northwest are now Delta.  I am a Delta SkyMiles member and prefer Delta over other airlines. Tina is a Northwest WorldPerks member and prefers Northwest since they’re one of the few US airlines that flies from the US to the Philippines. So, now we’re all just one big happy family.

The next rumored merger is Continental + United. If that happens, Continental will probably leave SkyTeam and join the Star Alliance. which means no more earning Delta or Northwest frequent flier miles on Continental flights which is sad because Continental is one of the best run airlines in the country.

I hope another carrier like American Airlines buys USAirways and dissolves that much hated brand. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “USAirways is run by a bunch of glorified ghetto Greyhound hustlers who have to rape their customers in order to go in search of their next crack fix.”

written by cybercjh \\ tags: Delta, Northwest

Using Altavista, I translated my blog entry called A Saturday of fun on Delta Airlines from English into Spanish and then back into English. The result is hilarious. But, I do have warped sense of humor. Read on for a laugh. I highlighted what I thought were the funniest bits in red.

Saturday, Of January The 26, 2008

• 8:00am : We arrived @ FLL for our flight from 10:00am at ATL. We verified ours curbside of the purses and the agent says to us that our flight is working near 20 minutes takes.
• 8:30am : We happened surely and we obtained to the door. The sample says that our flight outside FLL now to program to leave near 1 hour + 10 minutes takes. Therefore, we are right to hang towards outside in FLL. They have ring of free foam and a Dunkin without threads. Therefore, he is not no diverse then ones to be in the country unless the seats are very uncomfortable after awhile.
   
  People down have been encamping towards outside in the floor since we obtained here. I heard to one of her opinion that it has here been from midnight or 2:00am. It goes to Zimbabwe or something. Dunno I … could not oírlo.
  
• 8:45am : The automated system of the delta finishes calling my telephone of the cell to say I that need our connection in ATL and reindeer have reserved automatically in the following flight to PHL in Atlantic surorientales air lines in 2:58pm, arriving 5:09pm. (note: The HANDLE has the worse lost file of the baggage in the domestic industry of the air line. In fact, I avoid the HANDLE at all costs. I do not give to our luggage much occasion.)
• 12:18pm : Finally we removed for ATL near 2 hours + 13 minutes takes. We watched the network of the food and the channel of the time in the way.
   
• 1:57pm : We arrived in ATL and we make our way to the following door.
    
• 2:45pm : Our flight to PHL assumes to go away in near 15 minutes, but nobody is in the plane still. Why? He is broken. They are obtaining a spare part plane now.
  
• 3:30pm: We are on board and the 70 seats are ocupadan. But, according to the ASÁs open, one assumes there only to be 68 people to I embroider. Stowaways are 2.
  
• 3:45pm : They obtained it classified towards outside. Both miscreants was used of the air line. We were in the first two seats, we simultaneously watched and we listened to whereas employees of the air line to the front of the plane called both, one, and admonished by somebody to that I assume a certain class of supervisor. I heard that something on how there was a change of the change in the door whereas the flight raised and the turn by day did not say the turn at night that both used they were going to be in that flight and the turn by day never makes its work correctly. That type of conversation does not have to happen in front of its passengers. Throw outside of them towards in jetway and háblele there in private. It does not shake his dirty laundry in front of his clients. That one is hardly bad sense of the business.
• 3:57pm : We removed for PHL 59 minutes takes.
• 5:14pm : Amazingly, we hardly landed in PHL 5 minutes behind the schedule. We go to the demand of the baggage where we hoped… and we hoped… and we hoped. Our purses do not appear. Therefore, we go to the office of the baggage. Said our purses they will make a flight last of ATL and will be given to our hotel of night.
• 6:15pm : We obtained in our car of rent of Hertz (a HHR - the moving body of the Mortuary) and will not begin. The battery must be dead. Therefore, we emigrated through the portion of the parking that congeals without the layer of the winter (it was in our luggage) and we are stopped in a very long line in the accountant. They gave to a new car - a fusion us of Ford.
• 7:30pm : The Web site of the delta says that our purses have been and that they will be given to the hotel between 9pm and 9am.

Domingo, Of January The 27, 2008

• 4:45am :  I rise and I verify the counter. Our purses have still not arrived.
• 7:30am :  I call the counter. However, no purses. I call the delayed number of the baggage of the delta. The representative (in India) says to me that he cannot make any thing until 9am because the service of delivery has a window of the delivery of 12 hours (9pm - 9am). I ask that for the number the service to him so to me of delivery it can call to see if they even have my purses. He said that ‘they do not authorize’ to give me to that number.
• 8:45am: I verify again with the counter and still they do not have our purses. Therefore, I call the posteriora part of the delta and the representing one finally obtains in tact with the service of delivery and it says to me that they do not have our purses. He tried to call the office of the baggage in PHL, but they did not answer. Therefore, it behind suggests call of I on some hours.
• 9:00am: I call delta another time (the figure of I the wheel chillona obtains the oil.) It puts to me in grasping and tries to make contact with enemy with the office of the baggage in PHL. He can obtain a grasping of them but they do not know where they are my purses. It also suggests call of I behind on some hours.
• 9:15am: I call delta again. They put to me in grasping and the agent becomes and she says to me that he cannot obtain in tact with the service of delivery or the office of the baggage. He says that he sent the office of the baggage a message and thats behind suggested call of I on some hours
• 9:30am : I call delta again. They put to me again in grasping whereas it tries to make contact with enemy with the office of the baggage. After awhile, it becomes in the line and says that he confirmed that our purses arrived in PHL from ATL this morning and the service of delivery has it in its possession. They must be given soon.
• 1:00pm : Our purses finally are given to the hotel. But, after calls only repeated to the delayed number of the baggage of the delta (I mention them I am in India). We had of length since gone to Kohl and bought and washed a little new matter to use for the day.

I have hope that the rest of the trip will be less tension and more diversion:)

written by cybercjh \\ tags: Delta

Despite the rocky start, our trip was excellent. The baptism was beautiful and the food afterwards was very good. It was so nice to see everyone. We went to AC on Sunday night to Trump Marina. Ida won! The rest of us lost. We visited my grandma on Monday afternoon and then Joe & Heather met us for dinner at Tuscan Tavern that night and again for breakfast at the hotel this morning. 

We left the hotel around 9:30am. We made it to the PHL airport, returned the rental car, checked in for our flights and went through security with no problem what-so-ever. There were no lines, anywhere. Our flight to ATL is running early and we’re connecting in ATL at the same gate from which we arrive. So far, the day is going good.

We made our connection in Atlanta and that flight also left on time. We made it back to FLL about 10 minutes early with all of our luggage already on the carousel waiting for us in baggage claim.

What I’ve learned …

• Delta communicates well with its passengers. ASA does not. Delta hires friendly, knowledge people. ASA does not. We were kept informed of the delays and automatically re-booked by Delta’s computers. They called my cell phone and sent me an e-mail to let me know. They also would have sent me an text message had I set that feature up in my profile on their website. Tara L, the gate representative in FLL, was the friendliest, most professional airline employee I’ve ever seen. These are the people Delta hires. Good people who treat their customers like humans. However, Delta could improve their delayed baggage experience by directing calls regarding lost bags to a call center in the States and posting accurate information on their website. The experience on ASA was the opposite. The agent that gave me my boarding pass at the gate looked like who-did-it-and-ran. The agent making the boarding announcements didn’t speak much English. The flight attendants on the ASA flight were not very happy or very friendly. And, they lost our luggage. Delta needs to dump ASA as one of their connection carriers. They’re giving a great airline a bad wrap. I understand the difference between Delta and the Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines. I suspect most people would not. They see Delta painted on the plane and just assume Delta is Delta. Essentially, Delta is paying ASA to ruin their reputation.

From Forbes : America’s Worst Airlines : http://www.forbes.com/2007/09/26/airlines-performance-faa-biz-logistics-cx_rm_tvr_0927worstairlines.html … The numbers show that Atlantic Southeast Airlines, a former Delta Air Lines unit that still has working agreements for baggage and other ground operations with its former parent in Atlanta, and which ranks at or next to the bottom in all three categories, has earned the dubious distinction of America’s worst airline.

The following statistics are from The Consumerist : Delta’s Atlantic Southeast Airlines Is America’s Worst Airline : http://consumerist.com/consumer/travel/deltas-atlantic-southeast-airlines-is-americas-worst-airline-319948.php

click photo to enlarge

• Take advantage of your carry-on allowance. Don’t trust the airline to put you and your bags on the same flight. If you’re making a connecting flight and your luggage is too big to qualify as a carry-on, pack a carry-on bag with clothes and whatever else you’ll need for the next 24 hours after you arrive. Only after 24 hours will Delta start paying for incurred expenses for delayed baggage … $25 a day, up to $125.

• Afternoon flights usually means no lines, no waiting. We arrived at PHL at 10am for our 1pm flight … after the morning rush had ended and before the evening rush started. That means, we didn’t hit rush-hour traffic on the way to the airport and we didn’t wait in line to return the rental car, or to check-in or to go through security.
• Park ‘N Fly = Save $. The FLL Park ‘N Fly is very convenient. I only paid $6.50 per day to park in their lot, paid in advance online. Had I parked in FLL’s long-term parking lot, it would have been $15.00 per day for terminal parking or $9.00 per day for remote parking. They pick you up and drop you off right at your car. I will use their service again when I fly out of FLL.

written by cybercjh \\ tags: ASA, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Delta

Saturday, January 26, 2008 

• 8:00am : We arrive @ FLL for our 10:05am flight to ATL. We check our bags curbside and the agent tells us our flight is running about 20 minutes late.
• 8:30am : We go through security and get to the gate. The sign says our flight out of FLL is now scheduled to depart about 1 hour + 10 minutes late. So, we’re just hanging out at FLL. They have free wireless and a Dunkin Donuts. So, it’s no different then being at home except the seats are very uncomfortable after a while.
   
  The people below have been camping out on the floor since we got here. I heard one of them say they’ve been here since midnight or 2:00am. They’re going to Zimbabwe or something. I dunno … I couldn’t hear them.
  
• 8:45am : Delta’s automated system just called my cell phone to tell me that we’ll miss our connection in ATL and they’ve automatically re-booked us on the next flight to PHL on Atlantic Southeast Airlines at 2:58pm, arriving at 5:09pm. (Note: ASA has the worst lost baggage record in the domestic airline industry. In fact, I avoid ASA at all costs. I don’t give our luggage much chance.)
• 12:18pm : We finally take off for ATL about 2 hours + 13 minutes late. We watched the Food Network and the Weather Channel on the way.
   
• 1:57pm : We arrive in ATL and make our way to the next gate.
   
• 2:45pm : Our flight to PHL is supposed to leave in about 15 minutes, but nobody is on the plane yet. Why? It’s broken. They’re getting a spare plane ready now.
  
• 3:30pm : We’re on board and all 70 seats are taken. But, according to ASA’s manifest, there’s only supposed to be 68 people on board. There are 2 stowaways.
  
• 3:45pm : They got it sorted out. The two miscreants were airline employees. Being in the first two seats, we watched and listened as the two airline employees were called to the front of the plane, one at a time, and admonished by someone who I assume was some sort of supervisor. I heard something about how there was a shift change at the gate while the flight was boarding and the day shift didn’t tell the night shift the two employees were going to be on that flight and the day shift never does their job correctly. That type of conversation shouldn’t take place in front of your passengers. Pull them out into the jetway and speak to them there in private. Don’t wave your dirty laundry in front of your customers. That’s just bad business sense.
• 3:57pm : We take off for PHL 59 minutes late.
• 5:14pm : Surprisingly, we land in PHL just 5 minutes behind schedule. We go to baggage claim where we wait … and wait … and wait. Our bags do not appear. So, we go to the baggage office. They said our bags will make a later flight from ATL and will be delivered to our hotel overnight.
• 6:15pm : We get into our Hertz rental car (An HHR - the Morgue Mobile) and it won’t start. The battery must be dead. So, we trek across the freezing parking lot with no winter coat (it was in our luggage) and stand in a very long line at the counter. They gave us a new car - a Ford Fusion.
• 7:30pm : Delta’s website says our bags have been found and will be delivered to the hotel between 9pm and 9am.

Sunday, January 27, 2008 

• 4:45am : I get up and check the front desk. Our bags have not yet arrived.
• 7:30am : I call the front desk. Still, no bags. I call Delta’s delayed baggage number. The representative (in India) tells me that he cannot do anything until 9am because the delivery service has a 12 hour delivery window (9pm - 9am). I ask him for the number to the delivery service so I can call to see if they even have my bags. He said he’s not ‘authorized’ to give me that number.
• 8:45am : I check with the the front desk again and they still do not have our bags. So, I call Delta back and the representative finally gets in touch with the delivery service and tells me they do not have our bags. He tried to call the baggage office in PHL, but they didn’t answer. So, he suggests I call back in a few hours.
• 9:00am : I call Delta again. (I figure the squeaky wheel gets the oil.) He puts me on hold and tries to contact the baggage office in PHL. He is able to get a hold of them but they don’t know where my bags are. He also suggests I call back in a few hours.
• 9:15am : I call Delta again. I’m put on hold and the agent comes back and tells me he is unable to get in touch with the delivery service or the baggage office. He says he sent the baggage office a message and suggested I call back in a few hours.
• 9:30am : I call Delta again. I’m put on hold again while he attempts to contact the baggage office. After a while, he comes back on the line and says he confirmed that our bags arrived in PHL from ATL this morning and the delivery service has them in their possession. They should be delivered soon.
• 1:00pm : Our bags are finally delivered to the hotel. But, only after repeated calls to Delta’s delayed baggage number. (Did I mention they’re in India?) We had long since gone to Kohl’s and bought and washed some new stuff to wear for the day.

I have hope the rest of the trip will be less stress and more fun.

written by cybercjh \\ tags: Delta