Delta Airlines challenges - who pays, etc?

[razz]

I was trying to understand the problems that Delta was experiencing but my heart was aching for all the travellers around the world who are struggling to get wherever they are going. Imagine having small children or compromised health issues.

Does travel insurance help with situations like this? How is being handled? Anyone going through this or able to offer info on causes, solutions?

[ToomuchStuff]

I certainly don't know all the specifics, and won't until they get back. A coworker took an extra day off, for what was to be a three day trip to Vegas. He ended up somehow, stuck in Salt Lake and (sounded convoluted), then rented a car to drive to Denver, where he was hoping to maybe catch a flight, rather then drive through Kansas back. I heard he was promised they would pay for another flight and was given around $800, and a night in a hotel (not sure if the money was for part of that, or in addition to, etc).
I expect to hear more tomorrow, as I might be working for him, if he isn't back. (twelve hours of OT, while he is losing money not working)

[jp1]

Most likely they will give refunds to everyone who made alternative arrangements, but on such short notice that is an expensive proposition. I had a couple of coworkers who ended up booking on a different airline early monday morning after they heard teh news about delta. They didn't want to miss the meetings they were traveling to so price took a backseat to just getting there. For someone paying out of their own pocket that would be a bigger concern.

Years ago SO and I were in Maine trying to get back to NJ when weather became an issue. SO works for a large hotel chain so we booked an employee rate room at the nearby airport hotel. (because it was a weather delay the airline wouldn't have paid for the hotel) The next morning the power went out, again because of the weather, so their were no planes taking off. So we called the rental car company and learned that we could drop the car in NYC for a $40 fee and ended up driving back. As we were crossing the George Washington bridge I got a text from Jetblue that our many times delayed flight had just been cancelled and explaining how to get a refund.

[SteveinMN]

Does travel insurance help with situations like this?
Depends on the policy purchased by the traveler. Some cover that kind of thing; others put time stipulations around it (for example, will pay for hotel and food only if flight is delayed more than 24 hours); some don't cover it in any practical way. It all comes down to whether the traveler purchased insurance and how good the insurance is for that particular issue.

Much of the rest of it is governed by the airline's willingness to avoid giving itself an even larger black eye. If possible, those with small children, health issues, major events (their own weddings, funerals of close relatives) will get preferential treatment even if that is not the official policy. People who behave like absolute jerks about the incident and are abusive to airline employees who are having a tough time of it themselves will not get preferential treatment, even if that is the official policy. :~) In many instances, they can book on other airlines (space permitting) or lodge people at their corporate/employee rate.

However, the airline has its own mess to handle, too, and lots of less-visible costs: the costs of crews flying largely-empty planes to position them (and their crews) where they should be the next day, contractual obligations with caterers and servicers who prepared for flights that never took off or arrived, etc. Plus the minion in IT who is going to fall on his or her sword for this happening "on their watch". This ain't pretty.

(Source: used to work at an airline.)

[razz]

That is interesting, Steve. Brought out aspects that I hadn't considered.

[ToomuchStuff]

Got the word from the horses mouth, rather then second hand from his.....
The terminal that went down in Atlanta, is their primary terminal, and was brought down by some sort of power issue. (don't know the whole story there, why no backup generators, besides basic battery backups, etc)
They had traveled from Vegas to Salt Lake, where they got stranded. Things got further delayed by an emergency landing of a plane that sucked a bird into the engine. They were scheduled to arrive back here, 50 hours before they did.
The airline provided them with a hotel one night, and gave each one a $300 voucher for a future flight. (room cost $250, plus the $300 each for $850) They are left responsible for their lost wages, and other expenses (food and such). He said there was a long line at the customer service courtesy phone. Car rental was tried, but the seven places within range, were out of cars from other travelers. The airline also told them, that there were no other flights available on other airlines (they didn't check). Couldn't get an earlier flight to any of the surrounding states, to try to rent a car and drive back.

[razz]

That is the experience still within driving distance, TMS. Imagine if one is overseas or a farther than one can readily drive!! Thanks.