Guest Column: Delta's unfriendly skies

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By BRENDA WRISTEN

I returned from a fabulous vacation in Italy on July 27 — a truly life-altering, wonderful trip. 

Unfortunately, my final leg — on Delta airlines — was a new low in my domestic airline experience, far outstripping the canceled flights, lost baggage, and overcrowded gate areas that most of us who fly have come to expect.

Upon loading onto the plane in Atlanta for the flight to Omaha, I noticed a strong stench that became progressively worse.  The pilot announced that there was a problem with the lavatory and that technicians were attempting to fix the problem. 

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Brenda Wristen (Courtesy Photo)

Brenda Wristen (Courtesy Photo)

About 15-20 minutes later, the pilot asked us all to go back out to the terminal “for our comfort” as the toilet was overflowing onto the floor of the aircraft.  After the techs fixed the problem, the flight was more than two hours late getting in, and it still smelled strongly of sewage during the flight.  When I picked up my bag (a brand new Delsey suitcase on its first trip), I noticed that it was wet, and strea ked with stains. 

In my jet-lagged state, I assumed perhaps it had gotten splashed in a puddle.  I scrubbed it with a towel before putting it away.  Three days later, I opened the closet where the suitcase was stored—and was hit by a strong smell of urine and chemical toilet treatment.  I noticed that my business card in the luggage tag had also turned toilet blue!

I called the national number for Delta baggage — which I had to search for assiduously on the website as it wasn’t easy to find.  There, after waiting out the typical automated voice system, I spoke with a representative who spoke barely intelligible English, and had difficulty understanding me.

My guess is that Delta, like so many American companies of late, has outsourced its customer support to India. The representative told me I would have to drive from Lincoln, where I live, to Omaha to show the bag to a Delta representative, a round trip of over 120 miles.  I would have done this, but the representative was incre dibly dismissive.  He was also rude, raising his voice when I asked him to repeat his questions, which made no sense in the context of the conversation due to his poor command of English.

I called the Delta baggage representative at Eppley, who listened politely to my concerns, and then advised me to call the national number again because she, as the local baggage agent “had no authority.”

The second national representative referred me back to the Eppley representative!  I eventually called my travel insurance to file a claim, which led me to call a local cleaner, and then the Delsey luggage manufacturer in order to get the name of a local repair shop.  I was advised that I could try power washing the luggage using white vinegar.  I did this—twice!—using  vinegar, a powerful disinfectant, and pet odor reducer.  I was surprised and very pleased when the bag did eventually come clean.   This speaks to the high quality of Delsey luggage — not only did the suitcase come clean,   but the books, clothing, and other items inside the case remained dry and contaminent-free during this entire unfortunate episode.

 This incident does not, however, say much about the quality of Delta airlines.  I do understand that our domestic airlines have had to cut their service and equipment resources as they tighten their belts. 

However, sewage overflowing onto an airliner floor is not merely inconvenient for passangers, it is a serious health concern and would seem to be a good reason to change aircraft.  This is particularly true when, clearly, the contamination was not confined within a small area -- the problem was clearly serious enough to contaminate the baggage area in addition to the passenger cabin.

Every effort should have been made to assure that passenger health and safety was at the forefront, including provision for the baggage transported by Delta that goes home with the passenger.  I don’t have much sympathy for the American airline industry.  As they find themselves in dire financial straits, these carriers should reflect on and address their treatment of customers, rather than merely pointing the finger at high fuel cost and the declining market since 9/11.

High prices are not the only reasons Americans are not flying! 

As customers, we should expect and demand better treatment from the carriers we patronize, which are subsidized by our Federal tax dollars.  It is high time for a Passenger Bill of Rights!

Brenda Wristen is associate professor of piano pedagogy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she directs the piano pedagogy and keyboard skills programs.  Wristen said her views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of her employer.