Here is a little rant regarding an airline...
Dear Delta Airlines,
Hi. It's Emily. Remember me? Roanoke to Atlanta to San Diego on Sunday, June 12.
You might think this letter is concerning the delayed flight...or the missed connection...or the mechanical issue...or the person I spoke with on the phone in India who told me there was no way to get to San Diego and advised that I rebook to LA and rent a car (at 9:30pm with 2 small children)...or the person at the Customer Service line in Atlanta who honestly had less knowledge than I do about the inner-workings of airline travel (I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt that it was her first day or something).
No, no, this letter is not about those things. This letter is about our baggage. The baggage we had to PAY YOU $25 a piece to take on the plane with us.
I'm the one with the FOUR pieces of "delayed" baggage. Two red suitcases and two car seats. I'm the one who has called you every 6 hours since we returned home.
First, let me commend you on your wise choice of words in calling our baggage "delayed". I get it. The word "delayed" makes people feel better. "Delayed" instills hope that the baggage is somewhere and it is on its way back to me. The problem is, I see right through your clever word choice.
You have been completely unable to locate our luggage. No idea where it is at all. I think that would qualify our baggage as LOST, or at least grossly misplaced. All you have been able to tell me is that our bags were checked in at the Roanoke airport. Thank you, yes, I was there.
While your customer service people at Lindbergh Field and the baggage hot-line were helpful and friendly they were also totally unable to track down our luggage. It was also really weird that one nice lady basically told me to keep calling the 1-800# about the missing bags because it was job security for her. Hmmmm. Happy to help???
We took matters into our own hands this morning and found a number for Roanoke airport because, we had a hunch. After talking to a marvelous individual named Jim (who doesn't work for Delta), we were able to track our stuff down...in Los Angeles. We located our bags ON OUR OWN and had to call and tell you where it was, give you the accurate claim numbers, and ask you to please get it back to us.
Supposedly our stuff will arrive sometime this evening. Here's hoping!
I should also take this opportunity to say thank you. Thank you for the loaner car seats. Without those we would have had to convince a friend to come pick us up at 10:30pm, or broken a number of laws in order to get our children home.
While I'm on the subject, I do find it interesting that you have loaner car seats. We were told they were previously unclaimed, but I have to wonder if the (really gross) car seats we brought our children home in were "delayed" long enough that someone just gave up. Even though I was quite thankful that you had car seats for us to use, I am eager to give you back your loaner car seats because I know all too well what can happen in a car seat. And I know how hard they are to clean.
I also want to thank you for the new underwear, pjs, and toiletries. I read the fine print that said we had up to $50 per day for expense reimbursements due to delayed baggage. I read the fine print and I headed to Target. I was almost out of shampoo and face soap anyway, and Sam was thrilled to pick out new undies and Hello Kitty jammies. I grabbed some new pjs for me too. I will be sending the receipt to you later this week. Thanks.
We will be flying with you again later this summer, Delta. Back to Atlanta actually. I'm willing to give you another chance (because I have to), so let's do better next time huh?
Sincerely,
Emily, for seats 45D, E, F, and "lap" child
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