Delta's Done it Again

I am disappointed today because as my husband is being honored in a parade in his hometown and receiving a key to the city (Norfolk, Nebraska) I am sitting at home, wishing I could be there.

(Link to the Norfolk Daily News article about Jeremy being honored in his hometown)

Jeremy and Cam drove up to Neb. yesterday and I was scheduled to fly into Omaha last night so I would not have to miss any work.  My flight was scheduled to leave Memphis at 5:30pm.  We boarded normally and pulled away from the gate on-time.  We then sat on the tarmac, in the airplane, until 7:10pm (CT) because of a mechanical issue with one of the gauges on the plane.  I was scheduled to fly through Atlanta because the only direct flights to Omaha were earlier in the day.

My flight from Atlanta to Omaha left at 8:40pm (ET) while I was in the air on the way to Atlanta.  I called Delta service while were still on the ground in Memphis to rebook my flight, but there were no more flights to Omaha nor Lincoln that evening.

By the time I arrived in Atlanta my flight was already gone.  I asked about rebooking and the next available flight to Omaha or Lincoln would not arrive into Nebraska until after the parade and key ceremony.  Since I was scheduled to come home Sunday morning anyhow, going to Nebraska for a few hours did not make much sense.

I saw as I got off the plane in Atlanta that there was one last flight back to Memphis that was currently boarding in another terminal. It was my last chance to get on a flight that night without spending the night in the Atlanta airport hotel.  Jeremy called customer service while I sprinted to the next terminal.  I arrived at the gate while the last 5 or 6 people were boarding and got a seat on the plane.  I was in the Atlanta airport for less than 45 minutes.

The plane home was scheduled to leave Atlanta at 10:02pm (ET) and yet we sat, at the gate, on the plane until 10:45pm due to the flight crew looking for a animal that was supposed to be on our flight that was "missing."  About 10:45pm they announced that the missing dog was actually already in Memphis and we were going to push back.  After pushing back from the gate we had another delay to get approval for position in take-off.

I am not even sure what time I got into Memphis because I was so tired and disoriented.  I got back home to Jonesboro about 1:30am (CT).

I was a little angry, but mostly just disappointed and sad.  Many times when Jeremy travels for "work" I don't get to go for a variety of reasons.  This time I was going and I was so excited to share in this experience and honor with him.

Jeremy with Cam on the Norfolk Daily News truck

I hate to say it, but Delta has let me down again.  They are refunding us the SkyMiles used to purchase the ticket and giving us 5,000 extra miles for the inconvenience, however, this wasn't just an inconvenience, it was missed experiences and missed opportunities to create family memories. 

Olympian Returns Home Empty Handed

My husband, Olympian Jeremy Scott, came home to hugs and tears yesterday afternoon.  Jeremy had been home for only a few days since the Olympic Trials in mid-June.  He, immediately after the Olympics, competed in several meets in Germany before returning home.  And while Jeremy returned to an enthusiastic 21 month-old and teary eyed wife, he did not return to the USA with his pole vault poles.

Yesterday, Sunday, August 26th Jeremy checked in at the Delta desk in Dusseldorf, Germany for his flight home as he has done countless times before.  He was told repeatedly and vehemently that his poles would not be allowed on the plane.  After many questions and repeated assurances from Jeremy that his poles indeed have flown many times before without incident, the Delta representative flat out denied Jeremy's pleas.  The options were simple--stay or leave the poles behind.

Jeremy had been promising me (his wife) and Cam (his son) for weeks that he would be home on the 26th.  Cameron had a countdown calendar of how many days until daddy got home posted in his bedroom and on this particular day knew daddy was coming home "today!"  Jeremy did not want to disappoint his family and chose to fly without his poles.

As it currently stands, his pole vault poles (the livelihood of his profession) are still in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Delta cited changes in policy and safety issues as primary reasons for not putting his pole on-board.

This is not the first time Delta has screwed up when it comes to handling baggage--this YouTube clip details Delta charging US returning troops out of their own pockets for military issued bags.

If you think Delta should hear about this, here is their customer service information:
Jeremy Scott's flight was Delta Flight #25.

Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Customer Care
P.O. Box 20980
Department 980
Atlanta, GA 30320-2980

Phone: 1-404-773-0305
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-7pm ET (except on U.S. holidays)

Or email them here.

Or Tweet Delta @DeltaAssist

Other ways to contact Delta:  Below is the email address and mailing address for the President of Delta Airlines, along with the phone number for the corporate offices. 

edward.bastian@delta.com

Mr. Edward Bastian, President

Delta Air Lines Inc.

P.O. Box 20706

Atlanta, GA 30320.

Delta Corporate offices--(404) 715-2600