Avoid Delta and Atlanta
We are Europeans living near Birmingham and have often business and personal
friends visiting us. In recent months, we have heard from 2 couples and several single travelers that European travel agencies are warning to stay away from Delta (long waiting times at check-in and poor service, particulaly eastbound over the Atlantic) and Atlanta ( very slow arrival clearance with baggage that has to be recovered, handled and checked in again. Long lines in front of uninterested customs people etc.) Why are Atlanta and Delta singled out? |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
Well, it confirms my own experience. I have been flying out of Atlanta to
Frankfurt/Germany quite frequently for more then 15 years. AFAIK, Delta has declared bankruptcy and seems to operate with a minimum of service persons. I have switched to Lufthansa for most of my travel to Europe, but last week I tried Delta's new service to Düsseldorf / Germany. Check-in in Atlanta took 1.5 hours just to get the luggage weighted and then you still get your luggage back and have to go to another counter and wait again! During the long night flight not a single flight attendent showed up to even offer a cup of water! I used to love Delta........ "Herb Ludwig" wrote in message ... We are Europeans living near Birmingham and have often business and personal friends visiting us. In recent months, we have heard from 2 couples and several single travelers that European travel agencies are warning to stay away from Delta (long waiting times at check-in and poor service, particulaly eastbound over the Atlantic) and Atlanta ( very slow arrival clearance with baggage that has to be recovered, handled and checked in again. Long lines in front of uninterested customs people etc.) Why are Atlanta and Delta singled out? |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
Why are Atlanta and Delta singled out?
Delta being in bankruptcy probably has something to do with it. Atlanta being the busiest airport in the country also probably has something to do with it. If possible, connect through Cincinnati (CVG), as it is much less busy than Atlanta (ATL). The queues at CVG are not near as long. Pete |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
Some of those samaritan-type City of Atlanta downtown helpers
might/oughtabe re-positioned to the airport during the busiest times if the situation is as cruddy as it appears to be, though I suppose the regular employees whom are being layed-off or kept from getting over-time would not agree. Hey, it's only an idea--not necessarily realistic nor adaptive to Delta's crisis situation. I think the State should subsidize 'em in any legal, helpful ways we can, though I'll fly Air Tran to save a buck, and, helle yes, I'm a fool-hypocrite. Pete wrote: Why are Atlanta and Delta singled out? Delta being in bankruptcy probably has something to do with it. Atlanta being the busiest airport in the country also probably has something to do with it. If possible, connect through Cincinnati (CVG), as it is much less busy than Atlanta (ATL). The queues at CVG are not near as long. Pete |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
In article ,
Herb Ludwig wrote: In recent months, we have heard from 2 couples and several single travelers that European travel agencies are warning to stay away from Delta (long waiting times at check-in and poor service, particulaly eastbound over the Atlantic) and Atlanta ( very slow arrival clearance with baggage that has to be recovered, handled and checked in again. Long lines in front of uninterested customs people etc.) Delta is a fairly mediocre airline, but certainly no worse than European carriers. As for Atlanta, it's a model of efficiency and good customer service compared to a big European airport (with very few exceptions like Schiphol). |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
My 3c worth:
Ever since reading this group I can' stop wondring about the number of posts suggesting that Airline X is worth less than all others, or Airport B is worth less than all olthers. Guys, please understand that you are reporting individual experiences, and even if you flew, say, once a month, they will remain individual experiences. Only a well-designed and impartial survey could really differentiate between airlines and airports Such surveys do exist, although I don't have a link at hand. In the particular case of airline and and airport, Delta is no worse than any other major US airline; bankrupcy or no bankrupcy. I was recently on an Air France flight where the flight attendants closed themselves off behind curtains immediately after serving dinner and were very angry if someone tried to lift the curtain to ask them for something. "Don't you see we are having dinner?" was one response. The other was "Don't you see we are having rest?" Some crews are better than others within one airline -- I had previously experienced very good service on AF, so I really won't generalize on this single experience. As for checking in luggage, yes, you have to get it weighted and then you have to carry it yourself for TSA inspection. But this has nothing to do with Delta -- it's a federal requirement. All other airlines in the US are currently obliged to do the same. So guys, tried to grow up a little and look at things from a distance. There is no question that the overall standard of air travel have declined immensely in recent years. But singling out particular airlines and/or airports really needs some solid statistical data. Otherwise, it just serves the purpose of venting your individual frustrations, however justified, and is thus completely unhelpful to other members of this group. Again, this was my 3c worth. jrk Hanna Lahy wrote: Well, it confirms my own experience. I have been flying out of Atlanta to Frankfurt/Germany quite frequently for more then 15 years. AFAIK, Delta has declared bankruptcy and seems to operate with a minimum of service persons. I have switched to Lufthansa for most of my travel to Europe, but last week I tried Delta's new service to Düsseldorf / Germany. Check-in in Atlanta took 1.5 hours just to get the luggage weighted and then you still get your luggage back and have to go to another counter and wait again! During the long night flight not a single flight attendent showed up to even offer a cup of water! I used to love Delta........ "Herb Ludwig" wrote in message ... We are Europeans living near Birmingham and have often business and personal friends visiting us. In recent months, we have heard from 2 couples and several single travelers that European travel agencies are warning to stay away from Delta (long waiting times at check-in and poor service, particulaly eastbound over the Atlantic) and Atlanta ( very slow arrival clearance with baggage that has to be recovered, handled and checked in again. Long lines in front of uninterested customs people etc.) Why are Atlanta and Delta singled out? |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
wrote:
In the particular case of airline and and airport, Delta is no worse than any other major US airline; bankrupcy or no bankrupcy. I was recently on an Air France flight where... = I agree. Extrapolating one bad experience, like one marriage, to an entire fleet (or gender) don't make a whole lot of sense, without a valid statistical sample. As for checking in luggage, yes, you have to get it weighted and then you have to carry it yourself for TSA inspection. But this has nothing to do with Delta -- it's a federal requirement. All other airlines in the US are currently obliged to do the same. = At Virgin Atlantic in Orlando, I had to hand carry my luggage out the door we just came in to hand it off to a screener. With Virgin, like most airlines, allowing online check-in, at least we didn't have to wait in the 1.5-hour line. It was well worth the inconveniece of finding an internet service at my destination for our return flight. Besides, that way, I could lord it over the fools in the long-line and feel superior to them, even tho I was in the same sardine-class cabin. |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
Herb Ludwig wrote:
We are Europeans living near Birmingham and have often business and personal friends visiting us. In recent months, we have heard from 2 couples and several single travelers that European travel agencies are warning to stay away from Delta (long waiting times at check-in and poor service, particulaly eastbound over the Atlantic) and Atlanta ( very slow arrival clearance with baggage that has to be recovered, handled and checked in again. Long lines in front of uninterested customs people etc.) Why are Atlanta and Delta singled out? The procedure of rechecking baggage when connecting from an International flight is normal all over the US. You don't usually have to do anything other than hand the bag to an airline employee just past Customs. It is normally already tagged with your destination. One thing that confuses me.. You indicate you are near Birmingham, but you posted from an AT&T dialup address in ATLANTA, 240.131.77.12.in-addr.arpa 240.131.77.12.in-addr.arpa name = 240.atlanta-04-05rs.ga.dial-access.att.net. Are you sure you aren't just some redneck in Atlanta that just doesn't like tourists? |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
In article .net,
Hilary wrote: It's not clear whether DL will keep flying It seems very clear that DL will keep flying, bankruptcy or no bankruptcy. and therefore people booking a year in advance may want to consider other alternatives. Why on earth would anyone book an air ticket a year in advance? |
Avoid Delta and Atlanta
It's not clear whether DL will keep flying
It seems very clear that DL will keep flying, bankruptcy or no bankruptcy. Since you obviously can foretell the future, why haven't you made a fortune in the stock market? No, it is not "clear" that Delta will keep flying. It is likely but hardly clear. If the price of oil takes another upwards leap, a few airlines will be in trouble. and therefore people booking a year in advance may want to consider other alternatives. Why on earth would anyone book an air ticket a year in advance? Booking a frequent flier award ticket far in advance may be the only way to ensure getting specific dates. Pete |
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