[PHXFlyer]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

As for this...

Originally Posted by PHXFlyer

It seems to me the OPs have the mindset that the only assistance would be to provide them with adjoining seat assignments now rather than wait until 24 hour online check-in or at the airport. It seems this was explained to them (possibly not in the most customer-friendly manner, but remember we're hearing this from the parties who aren't "getting their way") several times by at least a couple of phone agents and supervisors.

Originally Posted by jimworcs

I don't get that from the post... not sure how you have arrived at that conclusion. I am sure if Delta had given the mother a guarantee she would not be separated from her child, that would have sufficed.

I arrived at that opinion/assertion because of the following statements:

Originally Posted by Max Fuhrmann

My wife has complained to Delta to only receive a non comital, and what I would describe as a standard "cut & paste" reply. Delta Airlines get back to her and say that it is a first in, first come basis. OH DER, we all know that & that is why we booked the tickets & seats together. Delta has the attitude that we only wanted to book our seats last week although they could see that a request was put in earlier.

So this is an account of the first contacts with Delta over the seating issue. The "cut & paste" response that they couldn't be accommodated ahead of time and to wait until check-in was not accepted. Additionally I first thought that "OH DER" was a typo for "Oh dear" but then realized in all-caps "DER" was a jab insinuating the people they were dealing with were somehow mentally deficient. I don't know about you but I haven't uttered the phrase "DER" since I was in first grade. This was not a very mature expression.

Originally Posted by Max Fuhrmann

There is ABSOLUTELY no commitment to customer service to "go that extra mile" to help my distraught wife who knows what is coming up on this flight and my soon to be distraught 4yr old daughter when she finds out when it comes up ! I only hope that common sense pervails with nearby passengers where a quick resuffle can be done BECAUSE sure as hell, common sense is not forthcoming with Delta Airlines.

Distraught? There are way more important issues for one to be distraught over. A bit of hyperbole, but I digress. Again they are assuming the worst case scenario (I know, it's Delta, one should always assume the worst...etc.) but the statement does illustrate the fact that they are aware that there may need to be some re-shuffling at the airport or even on the aircraft once boarded so the message that they will need to wait until departure day to get their final seat assignments has been understood yet they still persist in demanding that the issue be sorted out prior to that.

Originally Posted by Max Fuhrmann

I only wish that I found this website b4 I booked the flight because I can see here that we are not alone here with our frustrations and it is obviously a waste of time to complain because they take no action anyway.

Again the complaint here is that they are not taking action. It's not because they won't it's because they can't. Seats set aside for airport assignment are done so for just this reason. If they made exceptions for everyone who called in with a similar issue then what would be the point of holding back a block of seats from being assigned? The airport agents are much better equipped to handle this. They know on the day of departure who has and has not checked in. They process upgrades which will free up additional seats in the economy cabin. They are aware of families traveling together and the ages of the children and will prioritize the requests by who must sit together and who is requesting seats together for mere convenience. I think you'd agree it's much more important to ensure that a 4 year old is sitting with a parent than a normal 14 year old.

Originally Posted by Max Fuhrmann

HOW CAN AN AIRLINE PROVIDER ETHICALLY LET A 4 YEAR OLD TRAVEL SEPERATED FROM HER PARENT ON THE SAME FLIGHT. God only help them if the unimaginal ever happens to my daughter while on Delta Airlines.

We too, will NEVER choose to fly Delta Airlines ANYWHERE in the world, they may as well go bankrupt again - no skin off our nose !

Speaks for itself.

Originally Posted by Miriam Fuhrmann

To Justme - I am actually the one flying this weekend and have tried to get answers from Expedia as well as Delta. Of course, no one will accept "blame" - I am not interested in anyone doing that, what I had hoped for was that someone would actually toe the line and assist. I can assure you that the flight will be very unpleasant for the other passengers if we do not get to sit together.

Again by their definition "assistance" in this case is providing adjacent seats now and nothing less. Assistance can't, by their definition, be an explanation that they will simply need to wait until they get to the airport for their seat assignments.

Originally Posted by Miriam Fuhrmann

Also, on their website it states that children of a certain age need to be accompanied by an adult, either a staff member (which incurs a fee) or their guardian. Now, technically, my daughter will be travelling alone if she has to sit by herself

More rationalization for "now" versus "later".

Originally Posted by Miriam Fuhrmann

I actually know quite a lot about best practice customer service and this is the complete opposite.

If the OP knows quite a lot about best practice customer service then they should know that not every single request can be fulfilled exactly as the customer expects and in that event a compromise needs to be reached. In this case the customer expects, no demands, that they be accommodated ahead of time. That cannot be accomplished so the compromise proposed by Delta was to wait and have it done at the airport. The OP is rejecting that compromise. So what is Delta to do now? It's a no-win situation because the customer refuses to accept the compromise and Delta can do nothing more than explain to the customer, again, that they will be accommodated at the airport.