[Robertk]

Recently my Delta flight out of Denver was canceled due to mechanical problems and I was re-booked on a flight the following morning. Due to some big convention in Denver, there were no airport hotel rooms available. The Delta gate agent presented each customer with a telephone number to call where an agency would help find a hotel room in the city. I opted to return to my daughter's house in a Denver suburb and was told by the gate agent that the taxi fare would be reimbursed. It was a long ride from the airport to my daughter's house ($100 fare). When I got back to my home in Minneapolis I contacted Delta's customer service department to inquire as to the procedure to get my taxi fare reimbursed. Delta refused! They offered me a $100 travel voucher and 3,500 miles which I refused because by using them it only costs me more out-of-pocket money and I'm still out the $100 taxi fare. I appealed and they still refused. How can a Delta gate agent promise something and then Delta customer services not back up the promise. It gives you the impression that you should not trust anything the Delta gate agents tell you!

[jimworcs]

You cannot trust a word a Delta agent tells you. Ask them to give any promise in writing. They are utterly untrustworthy and their "word" is meaningless.

[Robertk]

Most interesting......when I informed Delta that I had an advocate through "Whistle Blower" of our local newspaper who agreed with me that an injustice was taking place, Delta decided to reimburse me for the taxi fare relating to one of their canceled flights in Denver to Minneapolis. Ah, there is a god!

[idahovandals1986]

It sounds as though the possibly the gate agent told you something that wasn't a 100% true. At Delta they do reimburse you for taxi travel but in the form of a travel voucher. Sadly planes due to break down and flights are canceled becasue of this but it doesn't entitle the customer to everything. They did offer to help you with a hotel, even if the hotel was full they could have found something else, maybe not free but cheaper than $100.

[jimworcs]

idaho,
Perhaps you are not fully aware of the rules. If the flight was cancelled due to mechanical reasons, the airline is absolutely obligated to pay for a hotel, so not sure where the "maybe not free" comes in. Likewise, if Delta decided that they were, in lieu of this, prepared to pay for a taxi, this should be in cash, not in the form of a voucher. How can a voucher possibily take care of the taxi fare, unless the taxi driver was prepared to accept Delta Dollars. Frankly, they are worthless.

The reason the poster prevailed was because Delta knew they were 100% in the wrong and didn't want to have to defend themselves in the court of public opinion. Their cynical attempt to screw the customer first and only give in when they face exposure is typical of their nasty, toxic attitude to customers.

[idahovandals1986]

You didn't read their post, they provided the customer a phone to call Delta to look for a hotel in the area that wasn't full. They instead opted to drive to their daughters house by way of Taxi. No airline is obligated to pull $100 out of a cash register for anyone. If a customer declined their offer they forfeit any additional help. Frankly $100 voucher for thier situation is more than plesant.

Name me one other airline who would have paid for the Taxi?

[jimworcs]

I opted to return to my daughter's house in a Denver suburb and was told by the gate agent that the taxi fare would be reimbursed.

If I could put it in flashing lights I would. The customer discussed this with the Delta agent and was told if you choose to go to your daughters house, the taxi fare would be reimbursed. That was a commitment.. .it is a contract. The reason Delta paid is because they were about to be exposed in the newspaper as the lying creeps they are. The customer did not act unilaterally, he got the agreement of Delta first. It is right there in black and white. I think you are the one having problems reading....

[idahovandals1986]

Originally Posted by Robertk

I contacted Delta's customer service department to inquire as to the procedure to get my taxi fare reimbursed. Delta refused! They offered me a $100 travel voucher and 3,500 miles

If I could put this in blinking lights I would. They provided here with reimbursement. The agent did not tell her that Delta would cut her a check and he/she did not pull the $100 bill out of the cash register. On top of that they also gave her 3500 miles which is almost a 1/6th of a full roundtrip domestic flight.

[jimworcs]

When I got back to my home in Minneapolis I contacted Delta's customer service department to inquire as to the procedure to get my taxi fare reimbursed. Delta refused!

Wow, you seem pretty determined to mislead... are you sure you don't work for Delta. You missed out the "When I got back to my home" bit. The customer relied on the word of the Delta agent (a very big mistake) that they would be reimbursed. Fake miles for unavailable seats is not reimbursement, neither is a voucher which requires you to spend even more money with the airline. That is just a sales incentive.

Reimbursement is cash money... the customer didn't expect them to pay out right away. What they expected was that they would submit their expenses for the taxi and Delta would send them a cheque. That is reasonable and fair (a concept alien to Delta, and clearly you are having trouble grasping this concept also).

[idahovandals1986]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

Wow, you seem pretty determined to mislead... are you sure you don't work for Delta. You missed out the "When I got back to my home" bit. The customer relied on the word of the Delta agent (a very big mistake) that they would be reimbursed. Fake miles for unavailable seats is not reimbursement, neither is a voucher which requires you to spend even more money with the airline. That is just a sales incentive.

Reimbursement is cash money... the customer didn't expect them to pay out right away. What they expected was that they would submit their expenses for the taxi and Delta would send them a cheque. That is reasonable and fair (a concept alien to Delta, and clearly you are having trouble grasping this concept also).

First of the word is Check not cheque. Also like I said earlier the rep did not clearly say she would get a check or money in any way. She was reimbursed with a voucher which will lower the cost of her next ticket. I don't work for Delta but I hate people who think just because they are the customer that businesses should bend over backwards to give them whatever they want. An airplane is a mechanical marvel that once in a while breaks down. Delta would rather have angry alive customers then happy dead customers.

Dude take what ever anger management classes you need.

[jimworcs]

First off... I am English, and the English spelling of "check" is cheque. It is a bit arrogant, don't you think, for you to only allow American spellings? You may think you are superior and we should all bow to your ways, but English has been the language in England for slightly longer than in the US, so if you don't mind, old chap, we will just continue to use our language how we see fit and you can use yours how you see fit. Is that ok with you?

A voucher is not reimbursement... and you may need to have a look at the DOT regulations on this matter. Cancellation due to mechanical fault is the responsibility of the airline and they cannot insist that a customer accepts a voucher in place of cash. They can offer it, but they cannot insist. This is why Delta backed down.

I am not remotely angry...but you sound like you are. Is counselling available on your health plan? You might want to avail yourself of it if having a simple debate online gets you this uptight.

[idahovandals1986]

DOT regulations only matter if she asked for a full refund of her ticket not to be rearranged onto another flight. If she would have asked for a full refund they would have credited her back to her credit card or whatever. But since she did not cancel her ticket she is entitled to not much, but Delta provided her with a hotel and even a voucher for her deciding the hotel wasn't good enough.

But yes I have read many of your posts and you sound like you have an axe to grind. If it were up to me I would put you on the no fly list.

[jimworcs]

This is what Delta state in their own conditions of carriage, which certainly does govern what the airline should do.

Provide meal allowances and hotel accommodations at Delta contracted facilities, based on availability, if you are inconvenienced overnight while away from your home or destination due to a delay, misconnect or cancellation within Delta's control.

In this case, the passenger asked a Delta agent, given that hotel accommodations were not readily available if instead they could go by taxi to a family member. At this point, Delta, via their agent, agreed. A mechanical breakdown is deemed by the DOT to be something which is within the airlines control.

It is time to regulate the airlines much more stringently than at present. They are abusive to customers and exploit them. In addition, monoliths like Delta should be broken up.

My only ax to grind is that airlines which abuse their customers should be allowed to fail. On the other hand Idaho, you appear to be incapable of arguing your point without it getting personal AND trying to tell me how to speak my own language. I think you got some work to do, make that call.. you will feel better afterwards!

[idahovandals1986]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

In this case, the passenger asked a Delta agent, given that hotel accommodations were not readily available if instead they could go by taxi to a family member. At this point, Delta, via their agent, agreed.

The full complaint said the Delta agent said that if she called the Delta call center she would be able to find a different hotel. She instead decided not to go with any hotel and get a taxi. At this point the agent said they would compensate but not exactly how they would compensate. They did give her a $100 voucher. Despite wether you or she appreciated the voucher is both of your problems but Delta did as they said.

[jimworcs]

I opted to return to my daughter's house in a Denver suburb and was told by the gate agent that the taxi fare would be reimbursed.

Are you just playing stupid Idaho or are you really that stupid?

Reimburse AND compensate don't actually mean the same thing...reimburse means to make repayment to for expense or loss incurred, or to pay back; refund or repay. A discount voucher is not reimbursement. Get it?

[idahovandals1986]

Originally Posted by jimworcs

Are you just playing stupid Idaho or are you really that stupid?

Reimburse AND compensate don't actually mean the same thing...reimburse means to make repayment to for expense or loss incurred, or to pay back; refund or repay. A discount voucher is not reimbursement. Get it?

Reimbursement doesn't mean cash, cheque (check) or anything else you apparently wanted. It means you spent $100 after turning down their offer they will give you $100 off your next flight. Despite this small problem she will probably have to fly with Delta in the future and when she does she gets $100 off.

You are being thick headed and can't stand to be proven wrong. She was given $100, Delta won't print anyone a check. End of story move on.

[jimworcs]

Delta decided to reimburse me for the taxi fare relating to one of their canceled flights in Denver to Minneapolis. Ah, there is a god!

Reimbursement means exactly that you will be paid back your outlay. Compensation may mean discount vouchers, but this passenger wasn't offered compensation. They were offered reimbursement. Furthermore, the poster states that they were reimbursed.

Perhaps if you read the posts a bit more carefully, you wouldn't make a fool of yourself quite so often.