Delta Airlines, Your Wings Are Being Recalled

I'd hoped to blog much earlier tonight than this, but 2 hours of my life were swallowed up by Delta airlines. Tonight, I wanted to book a flight for my son. Earlier this year, I'd applied for an American Express Skymiles card that promised a $100 certificate and frequent flier miles. And a few months ago, I got the letter in the mail providing the instructions to redeem the certificate.

Sounds so simple, right? But with Delta, nothing is simple! Oh, how I wish there were other airlines that serviced North Dakota! I think flight on a mosquito might be simpler!

But it's their customer service that is so very dismal! Of course, the directions to redeem the certificate did not work. And during the 8 phone calls totaling 86 minutes, I promise you I stuck to my resolve to remain polite. I can't say the same thing for the Delta personnel; what is it that makes them so cranky? Has someone been threatening to make them take a turn in the TSA line?

The Delta representatives seemed to have three favorite options when they ran into difficulty resolving my problem:

1.Play a form of "hot potato" by blaming American Express,and telling me to call them (press "one" for "pass the buck");

2. Placing me on hold, for a VERY long time (28 minutes IS long, isn't it? My sense of "normal" started to get a little distorted. And I really didn't understand the Indian music. It was pretty, but a little weird, and I started to wonder if I was really connected to Delta. After awhile, I just hung up (press "two" for "on hold for all eternity or until you feel really, really gullible and/or baffled.)

3. This one is a variation of #2. Tell the customer to "hold for a few minutes" and after an interminable amount of time, just disconnect the call. (press "three" for "ha!ha! tricked you!")

I will say that American Express actually showed some initiative in the process, trying to talk to Delta directly for me, noting that Delta had 2 different frequent flier numbers assigned to me, and eventually issuing me a credit, most likely because they also despaired that dealing with Delta held any hope whatsoever.

Kudos to American Express; Delta, turn in those wings and ground yourself to the sidelines.