[stevengraff]

Delta boarded passengers onto the plane at the "normal" time, then, after acknowledging a fuel problem, ordered the plane evacuated. Delta made two subsequent changes to the departure time, finally, cancelling the flight, while specifically refusing to offer help of any kind to its passengers in finding meal and hotel accommodations. "You're on your own" they said. "Come back tomorrow around 10 am or so and we should know more by then." On my own, in a foreign country and strange city? really? (At no time did Delta "inform me of my rights under the law regarding my options, as I believe is required. They offered to reimburse "whatever costs" we might incur for lodging, meals, and transportation.

I returned to AMS at 10am on the 25th July, and found a very stressful and chaotic scene. Delta employees were blocking entrance to the terminal at several points, requiring entry only after walking several hundred meters further. I stood in multiple wrong lines for several minutes because there was no effective communications directing me to the correct line. Finally, I found the right line, and stood in it for 2 full hours before checking in and being given a boarding card. Again, I was not informed of any remedial options as is required under EU law. At the Delta gate, Delta missed yet another opportunity to inform me of my rights.

I fully realize Delta doesn't directly control all of the moving parts required to put planes in the air, but they, and only they, have full responsibility for their response. "You're on your own" is not an acceptable response. It is callous and uncaring. Further, turning people loose in a strange country on their own is dangerous. If I were planning a trip to Amsterdam, the burden would be on me to learn local norms and customs; but just suddenly setting me free, with no awareness of what's where in the place, well, that's a recipe for disaster.