[jdkeet]

I live in Phoenix AZ and my wife (due to work) in Chattanooga TN. In the past I could get on a NorthWest plane and fly from Phoenix to Memphis, board a connection flight to Chattanooga with no problems. THAT WAS THE NORM. NorthWest was pretty good tooand always ontime!

Now that Delta "bought" NorthWest it is a shamble. Every time I fly to Chattanooga , I must fly over Atlanta. The lay over there is 2+ hours but that is still acceptable exept for the price that is much more expensive.

My main problem is the flight from Chattanooga via Atlanta to Phoenix. THERE IS ALWAYS A DELAY. BECAUSE OF THE AIR TRAFFIC THROUGH AND ARROUND ATLANTA. Delta KNOWS this is a problem but they do not care---they take out a good service like NorthWest and with empty promises, they say they will fullfil and better what NorthWest did but it is a LIE.

The last 4 -times I had to fly from Chattanooga, the flights were delayed---the last was delayed to the extend that I had to fight with Delta to put me on another "earliest flght" to Phoenix---they could ONLY put me on a US airline flight over Charlotte to Phoenix the next morning. This flight was 12-hours later from the original Delta departure date and time!

Interesting The US airline flight flew out on time, arrived and departured from Charlotte on time and then arrived ontime in Phoenix.

Delta is now trying to pull all there flights to fly over ATL and therefore the chaos. Delta will it ever be possible to get your service inline with your promisses? Stop playing the numbers game to say "overall" we are 95% on time. Focus more on the "flights" that are always late from a specific location due to you bad time planning! If a flight is now and then delayed from a specific airport due to bad weather or technical problems, it is understandable however, if flights from one locations is 90% of the time delayed due to "bad airtraffic control and slots" then you know you need to address it and reinstate the alternative routes that you now tend to skip! As it is now, you are a disgrace and provide a bad service to people flying from Chattanooga, who are forced by you, to fly over Atlanta instead of Memphis!

[cortney]

I dont care for delta, however the atc problem in atlanta is NOT deltas problem. I flew delta on 4/19 into atlanta and 5/5 out of atlanta on delta and both flights were on time (actually landed into atl 20 minutes ahead of schedule) (took off a bit late on 5/5 but still made it into ord on time) and flight crews were great. totally different than when i flew them last year. you also have airtran out of there which is a huge hub for them. ATL is just not a good airport period. way to crowded!

[jimworcs]

Congestion at airports is absolutely the airlines problems. The airlines are guilty of "bunching" which puts large numbers of flights together at peak times. This scheduling is done for the convenience of the airlines, to make their "hub"systems work. The FAA attempted to address this problem in the NYC area airports and the airlines actually sued the government to block their efforts to regulate scheduling. It is absolutely not the case that this congestion is caused by ATC. This problem is firmly rooted in the airlines.

[The_Judge]

I'm not familiar with the lawsuit. Which side prevailed?

[jimworcs]

It was the Air Transport Association on behalf of the airlines which sued the FAA, in 2008. The FAA sought to control peak time landing and take off slots at Liberty, LaGuardia and JFK by auctionng slot pairs. Their motive was to reduce congestion and eliminate "structural" delays of the sort the OP complains of at Atlanta. The FAA argued that slots were property, controlled by the FAA. The ATA argued that the FAA was exceeding its powers and that airlines were free to set their own schedules and that this was a breach of their rights to do so. I think it was ultimately settled, but not entirely sure of the outcome. My point was that it is the airlines who control volumes at peak time "pinch points" not the FAA, and they have resisted attempts to address this problem.

[The_Judge]

I'm just curious which side the impartial judge ruled for.

[The_Judge]

I did find something. Not too old so maybe this could be a result but it doesn't mention lawsuit.

http://www.travelagentcentral.com/ai...ovements-31567

Passengers Benefit From FAA Airspace Improvements

Limiting flight delays in the Northeast got a boost from the Air Transport Association (ATA) who commended the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for implementing the next phase of the U.S. Northeast airspace redesign project, which the ATA believes will bring immediate benefits to airline passengers.

Most of the changes were made to the airspace over the busy New York airports, enabling flights to operate more efficiently in and out of the city’s airports, reducing delays for passengers, the ATA reports.

“The industry has long supported the redesign of the most congested airspace in the U.S. These changes will lead to immediate safety and efficiency benefits for airlines and passengers, and are a key component of the larger NextGen air traffic management project,” said Tom Hendricks, senior vice president of safety, operations and security, ATA. “These changes were possible thanks to FAA’s strong collaboration with the industry and labor. While further work remains to be done, this template is the best way to bring needed changes throughout the National Airspace System.”

For more than a decade, the industry has urged the FAA to move forward with changes to the New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia airspace as the airports in that sector suffer from some of the worst delays in the country, ATA says. Nearly half of all national airspace delays occur in the New York and Philadelphia airspace. This same congested airspace can have a ripple effect of delays to other parts of the United States, especially during weather disruptions.

The second stage of airspace changes implemented will enable airlines additional flexibility in terms of routings when they arrive or depart the New York metro area, ATA says. The changes will also lead to improvements as far south as the Washington metro area.

Some examples of the changes made today include the following:

• Aircraft leaving New York City airports heading west now have the option to use a fifth departure route. This route will allow planes to climb more efficiently to higher and less-congested cruising altitudes.
• FAA also implemented new routings for flights arriving at Washington Dulles airport. The change in routings will separate traffic going to Washington from flights departing New York, reducing congestion in the region.

ATA and its members are working closely with FAA to implement the next stage of airspace changes, ATA said.

[jimworcs]

I'd like to help, but the lawsuit was dismissed. The Circuit Court dismissed the lawsuit by mutual agreement in May, 2011 following negotiations on slot swaps and slot exemptions with the ATA. I understand this was part of a larger deal, in which a similar lawsuit at Reagan National, was also settled. Delta ended up having to sell 32 slot pairs at LaGuardia after swapping slots at National with US Airways. It is quite complicated and I can't find all the details. However, the upshot is that the only airport in which the FAA continues to control the slots is Reagan National and the attempt to control the slots in the NYC region did not proceed.

[jdkeet]

I have flown many times with Delta but as Jim says, they force so many traffic into the Atlana airspace that they just can't help to drop some flights. Cortney, my beginning and end point are Phoenix and Chattanooga. With NorthWest (and they were not to small too) the lay over-transfer point was Memphis. I never missed a flight or never experienced a delay to the extent that I missed the connection flight while flying with them. However with Delta that took them out, I can only fly over Atlanta and this is where the problem is. If Delta wants to fly from Phoenix to Chattanooga and back, why over Atlanta only, if they still have the Memphis hub? I can fly from Phoenix to Memphis and then book anohter fly from Memphis to Chattanooga but Delta does not allow me to book a direct flight from Phoenix to Chattanooga or the other way around via Memphis. I can only do it via Atlanta. Therefore, the client is loosing out. The point I am making is that Delta is contributing a lot to the ATC problem in Atlanta because they do have and force so many more flights through Atlanta instead of continuing using their "other options".

[luckysun1]

Cancelled Flight & Stranded in Detroit
On May 3, 2012 my husband and I were ticketed on Delta flights 905 from Jacksonville, FL with a final destination of Rochester, NY. Connecting flight 4182 scheduled to depart at 9:47 PM from Detroit, MI to Rochester, NY. After waiting at least 45 minutes past departure in Detroit, we boarded the plane. My husband and I sat on the plane for 90 minutes with the cabin door open, cold air rushing in and not even offered a blanket. Flight 4182 was cancelled due to thunder storm. We promptly tried to use the Delta Auto booking system which was a complete failure, since we could not return to Rochester before 2PM on Friday, May 4th. This meant we would have had to spend 19 hours for a flight which should have taken 45 minutes. This is unacceptable to us. Therefore, my husband and I went and stood in line for another 90 minutes trying to rebook our flight for earlier the next morning. We were provided substandard service at the help desk. The Customer Service Agent was unable to obtain an acceptable flight time. At this point it was 1AM and we were told that there were no passenger paid hotels available and were not offered overnight vouchers or food vouchers. All food concessions were closed at that hour and no alternatives were offered to us.

We then proceeded to call Deltas Rebooking assistance line 1 (800) 707-5177. We spoke with a representative named Alyssa in Jamaica; obviously she lacked any knowledge of customer service, so I was transferred to her supervisor Kathleen in Salt Lake City, Utah. Again, the Delta staff was unable to provide a voucher for hotel or food. Kathleen referred us back to the Delta help desk. Mona at the help desk again stated she could not provide hotel or food vouchers and indicated that Deltas Rebooking representatives did not know what they were talking about. The proverbial finger pointing runaround. This is another instance of Deltas substandard service and an unacceptable way to conduct business.

At this point it is 1:30AM we proceeded to call Ticketing Assistance line 1 (800) 221-1212 to find and earlier flight to Rochester without having to travel around the country to get home in a reasonable time. We spoke with a representative named Donald in Dallas, TX who stated “the airline is not a public service and that they are a business and not responsible”. Obviously Donald lacked compassion or empathy and the proper training to appropriately respond to customer needs.


Now tired, hungry, and frustrated, we called the Delta Rebooking Assistance Line again. We were connected to Representative Drake who was able to locate a flight for May 4th departing at 8:05 am and arriving in Rochester at 9:22 AM. Suddenly and without mention I was transferred to a representative Ed in Salt Lake City, UT. Again Deltas inefficient, slow and inconvenient process I had to explain the situation all over. Ed was finally able to confirm a direct flight 3020 from Detroit to Rochester.


My husband and I proceeded to try and sleep on the airport floor, but to no avail. It was cold, noisy, and bright. Not to mention when we did arrive in Rochester we had not eaten a meal in more than 12 hours. I consider this a great inconvenience. Because of Delta we took a monetary loss, my husband missed a day of work.

What are the things we want to happen that will address our complaintfor our loss of $623.20: Reimbursement or refund cost of return flight for us both from Jacksonville $298.20 including cost of return baggage fee $25 – total refund $323.20. Compensation – for no passenger paid hotels voucher $100 night Compensation- for day of missed work $200

NOW THIS IS FUNNY! DELTA's RESPONSE
Thank you for contacting us regarding a refund. We appreciate the opportunity to review your request. In regards to the other issues you described, please know they will be handled to conclusion by our Customer Care team. I have forwarded your communication to them and they will respond to you directly. I apologize that I am unable to assist with this matter. OMG - Delta passing the responsibility is like playing duck duck goose.
Your business is valued and very important to us. We hope you will continue to choose Delta Air Lines, our SkyTeam partners, and our Delta Connection Carriers for your future air travel needs. Sincerely, Sylvia Johnson Representative, Passenger Refunds Delta Air Lines

IT GETS BETTER!!!!!!! within 2 hours today we get another email: Dear Mr.____:Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the service received while traveling with us. On behalf of Delta Air Lines and Delta Connection carrier Comair Airlines, I sincerely apologize for our flight Cancellation. I understand the inconvenience you and your wife experienced when your
plans were disrupted due to the cancellation of our flight for weather related condition. I am truly sorry your travel was adversely affected. Additionally, please allow me to explain that when a passenger’s travel is disrupted due to a flight irregularity, it is our endeavor to book
you on the next available Delta coded flight. I recognize you were not satisfied with the alternate flight arrangements that were made in this case as you reached later then expected.

Further, I am sorry for the incident you described. As our customer, you are in the best position to point out areas that need attention as our goal is to provide accurate information and pleasant customer service to our passenger's. I was concerned to know that you were not provided with blanket since the door was open and cool breeze rushing in. After reading your remarks, I certainly understand why you wanted to bring this matter to our attention. I regret you did not receive the service you expected and should have received, as we expect our team
members to be helpful and professional at all times. Moreover, I understand your frustration since you and your wife were without meal for several hours and you also missed a day of work. Also, I understand your time is valuable, and operating on schedule is equally important to us. When a flight is delayed or cancelled due to weather, as was the case with your flight, it is being done for the safety of all passengers. Since these disruptions are beyond our control, we do not provide compensation or amenities, such as meals or lodging. I am truly sorry to disappoint you, as I am sure this is not the answer you expected.

Mr.____, as a valued Delta SkyMiles member, you are an integral part of our customer base and we are always interested in your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to write about your flight disruption. We deeply value your business and look forward to serving you in the near future. Sincerely, Nelson M. Wade Coordinator, Corporate Customer Care
Delta Air Lines

Disappointment, I did not even mention the luggage was missing in another city for a day. I did not mention other people who are preferred were able to obtain hotel accommodations.

I will not be surprised, if someday soon DELTA declares bankruptcy, with customer service like this, who would want to fly DELTA???

[jimworcs]

It is precisely because Delta has already gone bankrupt that Delta behaves likes this. Delta's customers let the airline know what they thought of them and drove them into bankruptcy. The governments reaction was to reward Delta by allowing them to take over Northwest, run away from their obligations and emerge as the largest airline in the world. With incentives like that, why bother?

[xjcaptain]

I'm reading a lot here, but bottom line it was a cancellation for a thunderstorm as started bythe op. They were rebooked on the next available flight. Sorry, but the airlines do not control when the airport restraunts close.