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wendykhOr "What I did on My Summer Vacation"
by WENDY
So a few weeks ago I ordered tickets to go from Burlington VT to Omaha through Priceline. We went from VT as opposed to Montreal to save a ton of money. For reasons I don't understand, tickets are always a good $200-$300 PER TICKET more expensive from Montreal. Burlington is about a 2 hour drive from here and parking is $10 a day. Plus the airport, despite being "international", is quite small so there's no hour long walk from one end to another. In fact my high school was larger than this airport, and that is not an exaggeration. It's really a nice place to fly in and out of, especially with kids and/or a ton of luggage.
When ordering these tickets I marked we would have an infant under age two with us. Which means he can sit on our laps and fly free. Yay. (Yes, I know it's safer in a car seat. The price difference for this ticket would mean going or not). A few days before the flight, I called Priceline again to make sure it was noted we'd have an infant in arms with us. This was noted and they said they told Delta as well. I then called Delta to make sure they knew we had an infant in arms coming with us. They made note of this and said they knew.
September 2, 2010. I went to the airport with my family and we checked in. We checked our bags (there really ought to be a law against charging for the first checked bag) and the carseat and the desk clerks cooed over our (present, as in with us) infant in arms. We were issued boarding passes and I then at this time asked "do we need one for him?" to which they replied "oh no you're good to go."
As we had our act together and now had a good hour to kill before the flight, we went to have lunch. Please note from the lunch place to security is a two minute walk, and security to the gate was about a three minute walk. This is a SMALL airport. We were told to by both the Delta clerks AND the airport staff that going through security takes about 5 minutes (again, SMALL airport).
About 25 minutes before our flight we went down to security. Where we were promptly told we had to go back to the Delta check in and get new boarding passes that indicated we had an infant with us. My husband immediately raced back to the desk leaving me with the kids waiting to be admitted to security. There was no one in front of us. I was somewhat nervous but not panicked. I was however, extremely annoyed. There is no reason we should have had to return after they were told four times that we had an infant in arms and asked if he needed anything.
By the time my husband got back TWENTY MINUTES LATER there were 8 or 9 people in front of us. We were paged over the intercom by the gate check clerks. Why the check in clerk did not call them and say "wait, we fucked up, it's our fault, hold the plane five minutes!" I do not know. We told the people in front of us that was us being paged, asking if we could please go ahead, but they stared at us blankly, apparently assuming it was our fault for not getting there in time or something and not realizing it was Delta's fuck up entirely. My husband went through as fast as possible since he had nothing but himself, hoping to catch the plane and tell them to wait. My 11 year old daughter quickly followed him as she had nothing but a personal bag.
I went through and because I had cans of ready made formula that were larger than 3oz for our son with us I got the joy of extra screening. Never mind the clear sign saying baby food was exempt from the "3oz of liquid" nonsense. Yes I realize this is TSA and not Delta but if Delta had not royally and monumentally fucked up this would not have been a problem.
Finally I got through to find my daughter sitting with her bags by the gate. Clearly the husband had failed in his mission. I sat down and glared at the stupid check in cow who was now at the boarding gate and who was essentially entirely at fault for this fuck up of epic proportions.
I realized somehow I had my husband's wallet and passport which meant there was no way he was getting back through security without me, so I left the stuff with my daughter and wheeled the baby in his stroller back out to the check in desks where I found my husband speaking to cops who were asking him how his day was going and assuring him that yes he had every right to be pissed and yes, clearly Delta had royally and completely and entirely fucked up. Yes, Epic Fail would be entirely appropriate to describe this moment indeed.
At this point, I feel it would be useful to explain the one part where I think we maybe were at fault. See this isn't the first time Delta has fucked up with us.
Last year we were flying from Orlando to Omaha via Atlanta. For reasons I don't understand, the plane sat on the ground in Orlando for 45 minutes due to "problems at the Atlanta airport." (Said problems were never explained). I was concerned as we had a one hour connection time and I had never been to the Atlanta airport. We were assured the connecting flights would be held (several of us were in the same boat).
We got to Atlanta and for some reason it took them FOREVER to bring up the gate checked items (we had checked our baby stroller). The CAPTAIN finally came down and told them to move their asses and bring up the baby stroller as that was the ONE remaining item and we'd been waiting a good 10 minutes. Again, my husband had taken off begging them to hold the plane. This time he was semi successful. He got them to hold the plane but I was somewhat lost and had ALL the luggage with me so it was taking me a while. He came to help me and as soon as he left they took off. Leaving us with two kids and no luggage in Atlanta until the next available flight out at 10am the next morning. They gave us a $45 hotel voucher claiming it was our fault (I'm sorry but when the captain comes down and says basically "wtf move your asses these people need to get moving" it's NOT our fault!).
Apparently a lot of people were at fault that night because we went over to the hotel and it took 90 minutes for the shuttle busses to get everyone out of there (and in fact some Holiday Inn driver took pity on us and took us to the hotel Delta had assigned us to because their shuttle was slow and not coming and this guy had kids and he was appalled we were out there at midnight in the rain with two kids). Once we got to the hotel well after midnight, there was a line around the corner of the building to check in. Lots of people at fault that night. We went to Waffle House next door and spent time eating and relaxing and letting the lovely waitresses play with Junior. Luckily the KHBPs are always up for Waffle House. Waffle House is Love.
We left at nearly 2am, to find the line had barely dented. We suspect MORE people were clearly epic fails at getting to their gates on time and had bussed over while we were eating. Finally after 3am we got into a room (there were no porta cribs left so we had to fashion Junior a baby bed of sorts in a drawer on the floor) and slept a few hours until the 10am flight we'd been assigned.
At this time we swore we would never ever fly Delta again. Had they been nice and given us a hotel room and food vouchers for an incident which was, clearly again, totally 100% EPIC FAIL on their part, we might have grumbled and got over it. But no. They acted like $45 off a hotel room was some huge unreasonable request and we should be grateful to have this. So fuck them, other airlines can get our business.
Then came time for my brother's wedding. Due to buying tickets only a week before we wanted the cheapest deal and sadly, the cheapest deal was with Delta. By a long shot. I felt very uneasy agreeing but we decided we'd do everything in our favour to make things work this time. And we did. And they failed AGAIN! Teaches us, I guess.
Back to this trip.
So we were placed on a flight leaving at 4pm (it was now 1pm) heading to Detroit, where we'd be on standby and MAYBE get into Omaha that night OR we were already confirmed for first flight out the following morning. I gritted my teeth and we went to find a place to camp until our flight left. We chased the toddler all over the airport until he fell asleep (I had specifically timed the flights to coincide with the second flight being during his nap time). He woke up as we boarded the flight. The boarding gate clerk (the same desk clerk who had told us we didn't need a thing for him that morning) wouldn't look us in the eye. Dejected, we took our seats, and Junior proceeded to act like a monster for most of the trip.
We arrived in Detroit and went to the gate where the boarding clerk told us honestly and bluntly we were not likely to get on. I reminded my husband this was Delta and surely they'd make sure a good 10 people missed their flight, so not to worry. We went and found some food and came back and waited.
The last of the people got on the plane. I had already prepared everyone to assume we would NOT get on so that we could prepare ourselves and then if we did it would be a happy surprise. I am far more cynical/realist than my family members and I truly did not believe we would get on. Amazingly, the desk clerk looked and said "come on folks, I can't seat you together, but you'll be in Omaha tonight."
Phew. I was genuinely amazed.
I was also scared Junior would be a baby monster, but amazingly he drifted off again right as we took off and didn't wake until we were descending some two hours later. Bliss.
Still, there is NO reason we should have had to go through this. I really, really mean it this time that we are NEVER flying Delta again and I encourage each and every one of you to choose ANY airline but Delta. Don't get left behind!
by WENDY
So a few weeks ago I ordered tickets to go from Burlington VT to Omaha through Priceline. We went from VT as opposed to Montreal to save a ton of money. For reasons I don't understand, tickets are always a good $200-$300 PER TICKET more expensive from Montreal. Burlington is about a 2 hour drive from here and parking is $10 a day. Plus the airport, despite being "international", is quite small so there's no hour long walk from one end to another. In fact my high school was larger than this airport, and that is not an exaggeration. It's really a nice place to fly in and out of, especially with kids and/or a ton of luggage.
When ordering these tickets I marked we would have an infant under age two with us. Which means he can sit on our laps and fly free. Yay. (Yes, I know it's safer in a car seat. The price difference for this ticket would mean going or not). A few days before the flight, I called Priceline again to make sure it was noted we'd have an infant in arms with us. This was noted and they said they told Delta as well. I then called Delta to make sure they knew we had an infant in arms coming with us. They made note of this and said they knew.
September 2, 2010. I went to the airport with my family and we checked in. We checked our bags (there really ought to be a law against charging for the first checked bag) and the carseat and the desk clerks cooed over our (present, as in with us) infant in arms. We were issued boarding passes and I then at this time asked "do we need one for him?" to which they replied "oh no you're good to go."
As we had our act together and now had a good hour to kill before the flight, we went to have lunch. Please note from the lunch place to security is a two minute walk, and security to the gate was about a three minute walk. This is a SMALL airport. We were told to by both the Delta clerks AND the airport staff that going through security takes about 5 minutes (again, SMALL airport).
About 25 minutes before our flight we went down to security. Where we were promptly told we had to go back to the Delta check in and get new boarding passes that indicated we had an infant with us. My husband immediately raced back to the desk leaving me with the kids waiting to be admitted to security. There was no one in front of us. I was somewhat nervous but not panicked. I was however, extremely annoyed. There is no reason we should have had to return after they were told four times that we had an infant in arms and asked if he needed anything.
By the time my husband got back TWENTY MINUTES LATER there were 8 or 9 people in front of us. We were paged over the intercom by the gate check clerks. Why the check in clerk did not call them and say "wait, we fucked up, it's our fault, hold the plane five minutes!" I do not know. We told the people in front of us that was us being paged, asking if we could please go ahead, but they stared at us blankly, apparently assuming it was our fault for not getting there in time or something and not realizing it was Delta's fuck up entirely. My husband went through as fast as possible since he had nothing but himself, hoping to catch the plane and tell them to wait. My 11 year old daughter quickly followed him as she had nothing but a personal bag.
I went through and because I had cans of ready made formula that were larger than 3oz for our son with us I got the joy of extra screening. Never mind the clear sign saying baby food was exempt from the "3oz of liquid" nonsense. Yes I realize this is TSA and not Delta but if Delta had not royally and monumentally fucked up this would not have been a problem.
Finally I got through to find my daughter sitting with her bags by the gate. Clearly the husband had failed in his mission. I sat down and glared at the stupid check in cow who was now at the boarding gate and who was essentially entirely at fault for this fuck up of epic proportions.
I realized somehow I had my husband's wallet and passport which meant there was no way he was getting back through security without me, so I left the stuff with my daughter and wheeled the baby in his stroller back out to the check in desks where I found my husband speaking to cops who were asking him how his day was going and assuring him that yes he had every right to be pissed and yes, clearly Delta had royally and completely and entirely fucked up. Yes, Epic Fail would be entirely appropriate to describe this moment indeed.
At this point, I feel it would be useful to explain the one part where I think we maybe were at fault. See this isn't the first time Delta has fucked up with us.
Last year we were flying from Orlando to Omaha via Atlanta. For reasons I don't understand, the plane sat on the ground in Orlando for 45 minutes due to "problems at the Atlanta airport." (Said problems were never explained). I was concerned as we had a one hour connection time and I had never been to the Atlanta airport. We were assured the connecting flights would be held (several of us were in the same boat).
We got to Atlanta and for some reason it took them FOREVER to bring up the gate checked items (we had checked our baby stroller). The CAPTAIN finally came down and told them to move their asses and bring up the baby stroller as that was the ONE remaining item and we'd been waiting a good 10 minutes. Again, my husband had taken off begging them to hold the plane. This time he was semi successful. He got them to hold the plane but I was somewhat lost and had ALL the luggage with me so it was taking me a while. He came to help me and as soon as he left they took off. Leaving us with two kids and no luggage in Atlanta until the next available flight out at 10am the next morning. They gave us a $45 hotel voucher claiming it was our fault (I'm sorry but when the captain comes down and says basically "wtf move your asses these people need to get moving" it's NOT our fault!).
Apparently a lot of people were at fault that night because we went over to the hotel and it took 90 minutes for the shuttle busses to get everyone out of there (and in fact some Holiday Inn driver took pity on us and took us to the hotel Delta had assigned us to because their shuttle was slow and not coming and this guy had kids and he was appalled we were out there at midnight in the rain with two kids). Once we got to the hotel well after midnight, there was a line around the corner of the building to check in. Lots of people at fault that night. We went to Waffle House next door and spent time eating and relaxing and letting the lovely waitresses play with Junior. Luckily the KHBPs are always up for Waffle House. Waffle House is Love.
We left at nearly 2am, to find the line had barely dented. We suspect MORE people were clearly epic fails at getting to their gates on time and had bussed over while we were eating. Finally after 3am we got into a room (there were no porta cribs left so we had to fashion Junior a baby bed of sorts in a drawer on the floor) and slept a few hours until the 10am flight we'd been assigned.
At this time we swore we would never ever fly Delta again. Had they been nice and given us a hotel room and food vouchers for an incident which was, clearly again, totally 100% EPIC FAIL on their part, we might have grumbled and got over it. But no. They acted like $45 off a hotel room was some huge unreasonable request and we should be grateful to have this. So fuck them, other airlines can get our business.
Then came time for my brother's wedding. Due to buying tickets only a week before we wanted the cheapest deal and sadly, the cheapest deal was with Delta. By a long shot. I felt very uneasy agreeing but we decided we'd do everything in our favour to make things work this time. And we did. And they failed AGAIN! Teaches us, I guess.
Back to this trip.
So we were placed on a flight leaving at 4pm (it was now 1pm) heading to Detroit, where we'd be on standby and MAYBE get into Omaha that night OR we were already confirmed for first flight out the following morning. I gritted my teeth and we went to find a place to camp until our flight left. We chased the toddler all over the airport until he fell asleep (I had specifically timed the flights to coincide with the second flight being during his nap time). He woke up as we boarded the flight. The boarding gate clerk (the same desk clerk who had told us we didn't need a thing for him that morning) wouldn't look us in the eye. Dejected, we took our seats, and Junior proceeded to act like a monster for most of the trip.
We arrived in Detroit and went to the gate where the boarding clerk told us honestly and bluntly we were not likely to get on. I reminded my husband this was Delta and surely they'd make sure a good 10 people missed their flight, so not to worry. We went and found some food and came back and waited.
The last of the people got on the plane. I had already prepared everyone to assume we would NOT get on so that we could prepare ourselves and then if we did it would be a happy surprise. I am far more cynical/realist than my family members and I truly did not believe we would get on. Amazingly, the desk clerk looked and said "come on folks, I can't seat you together, but you'll be in Omaha tonight."
Phew. I was genuinely amazed.
I was also scared Junior would be a baby monster, but amazingly he drifted off again right as we took off and didn't wake until we were descending some two hours later. Bliss.
Still, there is NO reason we should have had to go through this. I really, really mean it this time that we are NEVER flying Delta again and I encourage each and every one of you to choose ANY airline but Delta. Don't get left behind!
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no subject
Date: 2010-09-09 04:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-09 05:19 pm (UTC)I've had nothing but good luck with Delta. I like the Grand Rapids > Minneapolis > Calgary route with Delta better than Grand Rapids > Chicago > Calgary through United Airlines.
I'm not sure you and I were friends at the time but in January I was left stranded in Chicago overnight because the plane got me to the gate late as hell and the connection was too close. I was so frustrated. I slept on the floor under a row of chairs. Classy.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-09 05:31 pm (UTC)Travel fuck ups are soooo frustrating when you have kids with you. An airline lost my MIL's wheelchair during a hurried connection and then made us wait hours and hours. This after we had traveled all the way from Rome to Montreal and then Montreal to Toronto. It was horrific. Adult woman in a wheelchair dying of cancer and a 4 year old kid did not make for great travelling.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-09 10:21 pm (UTC)Uh, you mean anywhere in Canada vs. crossing the border and flying from the nearest US airport. We do the same - go to Maine, fly out of there. Save 2-3 hundred every time, and sometimes up to $1,000 on the flight back. No lie.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-09 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-10 12:00 am (UTC)When JP was a toddler and I was pregnant (not yet showing, alas) with L, we specifically reserved bulkhead seats so we'd have more room. We get our boarding passes with the right seat numbers on them, and board the plane -- only to find 2 women in our seats, refusing to move -- and the flight attendent refused to ask them to move, saying the women were "tired" and we could have their (non-adjoining and last row on the plane) seats instead. I bitched and bitched until the gave us better seats, but after that, I've never flown them again. Wrote a letter afterwards and got no reply.
no subject
Date: 2010-09-10 01:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-10 02:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-10 07:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-09-10 07:51 pm (UTC)Sorry all that crap happened!