The aim of this post is mainly telling an experience, and pointing out to travellers the "not at all customer-oriented policy" of Delta Air Lines, in case your flight came up to being cancelled.
Therefore, I shall report, briefly but in detail, what happened to me, choosing Delta Air Lines, when I was told that my flight had been called off. To be honest and respectful, I need to point out the real communicative and operative efforts made by the social team of Delta as well, despite the -obliged to define them- rude manners of some of their human resources, and the poor policies of the Company.
On 10th of August, once that I had already reached the check-in desk at the airport, I was told that my flight had been cancelled, and that they would reprotect -that means postpone- my departure on the next available flight, the following day. Rather surprised to not have receive any official communication by Delta, I felt myself discretely astonished about the series of answers received, when I asked how the Company had intention to refund me for the damages I had had.
Sadly, I was told that I would not had any other right than getting an accommodation for that very night, in one of the hotels provided by Delta.
But, what if I'd like to stay in another hotel? Any sort of refund?
And, moreover, what about the transportations to the hotel, and obviously back to the airport? Who should pay for? Me?? Certainly not, I'd add.
And, what about any food and beverages for that very night? Who should pay for? Me?? Obviously not me, I'd add.
What about any communication facilities, to update my relatives and the hotel I had reserved about what happened -and then lost a night that I had already paid for-? Who's gonna pay for all this stuff? -I said- Me??? Not me, no way, absolutely not!
And instead...yes. Unfortunately, yes it is, I need to say.
As much as I had been told, none of the above services would have been provided and/or refunded by Delta, and all costs were supposed to be paid by the customer.
Looking up on the Internet, however, I found the rights of the passenger that the Commission of the European Parliament has sharply defined and stated; or better, I have found what it seems to be mandatory and imposed to the Air Lines Companies, towards their customers, in case of cancellation of flights, but enforceable only if on European soll (Switzerland included)
http://tinyurl.com/3sobkat
Rather perplexed about the conditions of travel I was experiencing, and the discrepancy with US and EU rights of passengers, not properly matching with the official information I had found, I asked if, at least, I would had the chance to count on a refund for the hotel, if I had not chosen the hotel proposed by Delta. None. As much as I had been told -again- by a, quite rude, not very professional and competent manager at the Delta check-in desk at the McCarran Airport, my only right was having just an accommodation for that very night.
At that very moment, I started to feel myself like a hostage of Delta. It was supposed that a customer had to stay only at the hotel provided by them, and pay for the cab, the food, the beverages and the phone calls, without any monetary refund for the damages they had caused me -and calling off a flight without I had received any communication about- There's something that smells off, here. Yes, it does. Indeed.
To honour the engagement, the attention and the commitment of a part of the Company, Delta's social media team, I must state that after a few minutes I had been twitting and posting on my personal blog, the whole matter, I was contacted on Twitter by @DeltaAssist, the official social channel of Delta Air Lines, asking me for explaining in detail, via direct messaging, what was happening.
At the very end, since, I decided to stay in another hotel, from that one they proposed, the only refund that Delta' social media team was allowed to provide me, according to Delta's policy, it was a voucher of 50$ per person, only available on my next purchase on Delta, which -with all my respect- I'll never repeat again.
In conclusion Delta has definitely lost a customer, because of their poor policies and attention towards their own customers. If I well remember a study stated in Kotler's book marketing management, asserting that a satisfied customer will tell 2-3 people about his experience with that company, whilst a dissatisfied consumer will share their lament with 8-10 people and some will push that number to twenty. Personally, I'd like to add and point out that posts like this on this Internet can certainly increase the numbers above mentioned, impacting on the reputation of a Company, which sometimes is committed to communicate an image to much distinct and distant from its identity.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:W Harmon Ave,Las Vegas,Stati Uniti
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