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 horrible customer service and requesting a refund of unaccompanied minor fee
Posted Wed January 5, 2011 9:25 am, by Amanda S. written to Delta Air Lines
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My step-son is 10 years old and was scheduled to fly on Christmas day. This was the day Delta decided to cancel 500+ flights due to possible inclement weather, while most other airlines were still flying. He was leaving Dallas to arrive in Atlanta. He was bumped from his original flight on the evening of the 25th to a flight that included a layover that was later that day. We paid an unaccompanied minor fee of $100 for him to fly on the 25th. When Delta bumped him to a new flight, they did not flag him as an accompanied minor. His new flight was the last flight of the day and also included a layover. Once he arrived at the airport with his mother, they would not let him on the flight once they realized he was 10 years old and was not allowed to fly the last flight. Delta did not alert us of the original cancellation (we discovered this on the evening news) and they did not alert us through email or any other form of communication (which they had our information to do so) of his new scheduled flight. Once they realized his age when he was about to board the flight, they rescheduled him on the first flight in the morning of the 26th. For some reason, Delta did not have record of the unaccompanied minor fee that we originally paid and his mother was forced to pay another $100 to get him on the plane. After he made it to his destination, we realized that 2 U.M. fees were paid and were seeking a refund. The agents at the counter told us to call a number to receive it and that they could not process the refund at the counter. When I called the number, the agent on the phone needed multiple explanations of the problem at hand. We wanted the original fee that we paid for refunded. After being on hold for 20 minutes, she came back and told me she refunded the secondary fee. This was the fee that was used to get him on the flight, which means they did not honor the primary fee. This would mean that this unused fee should be the one refunded. Once I realized the mistake, I asked for the original to be refunded. She said that was not possible and I asked to speak to her supervisor. After holding for another 10 minutes, the supervisor came on the phone a proceeded to tell me that it was my fault that I didn't ask for the proper refund and that there was nothing she could do. She was rude and continued to condescend me while trying to explain the situation. She would repeat herself and while trying to explain to her that I already knew the information she was conveying, she would tell me that it was her turn to talk and that I needed to give her the consideration she deserved. The problem is that Delta gave their passengers no consideration when cancelling 500+ flights on Christmas and that when trying to rectify a problem that originated with what she deemed as a "glitch in the system," I was met with rudeness and condescension. She told me that once the refund was processed, she could not stop it from happening and there was no way for them to process the right refund. After dealing with the rescheduling flight fiasco, I was willing to look past their poor customer service. But after the conversation on the phone today, I am never going to fly with Delta again and will proceed to tell everyone I know how poorly they treat their customers.
I would like Delta to stop the refund that they claim they are processing and refund me the unaccompanied minor fee that we paid for on December 20th for his flight that was scheduled for December 25th. I don't understand how a company as large as Delta has no way to recall a refund request and process the proper one. The agent was belligerent and placed all blamed on me because I did not specify which card I wanted the refund on. Unfortunately, I assumed that since they didn't use the fee we paid for originally, that this was the fee they would be refunded. Two sets of parents paid for 2 different fees. We would like our money back on the right credit card, not the one the agent assumed it should be refunded to.
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by dg132001 Posted Mon January 31, 2011 @ 12:56 AM
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Maybe I'm reading into this wrong (and it's entirely possible since
it's late and your post is long) but it seems like they charged a
second fee of $100 to someone else's credit card (the same they
charged yours) and then refunded it. So is it really your intention
to force the other part of your child's family to eat the extra cost
that you already paid for? I don't see that you are actually out
anything and rude service aside don't really see the issue
financially.
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by Matt M. Posted Sat January 22, 2011 @ 3:25 PM
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While I understand you are upset, I have to disagree with the way the
agent handled the matter. You had previously agreed to pay the $100
fee on the original reservation without protest. Once the second fee
was charged, you filed the protest. I do agree that the agent should
have looked more clearly at the two fees, realized that it was your
card that processed the first fee, not the second, and refunded the
fee tied to your card. I also agree that the manager you spoke to was
rude and totally out of line.
As far as the flight cancelling, you are not going to win that one.
Delta's top priority is not getting sued (or as they call it, their
customer's safety). Now, I wasn't in Dallas or Atlanta on the night
of December 25, but I was in Birmingham that night. I can tell you
based on the snow we got in Birmingham, no plane would have been able
to get through. So for that, I can't fault the airline for not
putting themselves in that position.
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by MissNaomi Posted Tue January 11, 2011 @ 5:12 PM
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Unfortunately, Delta doesn't know about the relationship/lack thereof
you have with your stepson's mother, or any financial arrangements you
made with her, post-charge, for the compensation of the fee. It's not
their responsibility to know, nor can you expect them to consider it
their problem. Had all the charges been on the same card, it would
make sense to everyone that the last charge (the one made due to
error), would be the one credited. You don't get to pick and choose
based on arrangements that were made with another party.
My suggestion would be to drop the issue with Delta (before things get
more confusing and they end up overcharging you instead of crediting
you), and just ask your stepson's mother for the $100 back. After all,
she is the one who came out of this with extra money. If she refuses,
there is a bigger problem here, but it certainly doesn't involve
Delta. Then you might want to take her to small claims court. After
all, it would be unreasonable for her to refuse if you simply tell her
"Hey, I called Delta, and they refunded the $100 to your card. Can we
get our money back?"
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by BigShot Posted Fri January 7, 2011 @ 10:34 PM
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This is the reality of traveling via airline in 2011. Flights get
cancelled, customer service agents are often rude and unhelpful, and
the whole process is basically one big pain in the ass. My wife and I
travel to Minneapolis from Northwest Ohio a couple times a year and we
always drive. It's 650 miles and 12 hours of driving, and for
Christmas/Thanksgiving dealing with a snow storm in Wisconsin or
Minnesota is almost inevitable. But it's well worth it to me to avoid
the hassle of flying. Not sure if this is an option for you or how
far Dallas and Atlanta are from each other (each of you drive and meet
halfway?). Just something to think about.
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Forcing?
by Amanda S. Sun January 9, 2011 @ 1:45 PM
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by Lisa H. Posted Mon January 10, 2011 @ 9:11 AM
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That's pretty relevant to this! Did you mention this the Delta? It
might not have made a difference, but it might have.
In that case, could you tell her that she will be getting the refund
and ask her to return the 100 you gave her when she does?
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by Amanda S. Posted Thu January 6, 2011 @ 7:40 PM
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To clear things up, my step son was not left to his own devices
unaccompanied in the airport. Once Delta realized his age, they didn't
board him and he was rescheduled for the next day's first flight.
Secondly, the problem I have with Delta was that the agent used her
own discretion to process a certain refund which was an assumption
that was made by the Delta agent to which one was the one to be
refunded. I also am complaining about the lack of customer service,
being rude and the fact that Delta did not contact either parent about
flights being cancelled and we heard about them on the news. All I am
asking for Delta to do is to cancel the refund request that they claim
they have made and to process the refund for the other U.M. fee. That
is clearly stated in my letter.
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but we are a Continental Hub here in Cleveland and they will not even
let you book a minor on any flight that is not direct. They don't
want kids getting stuck in situations exactly like this.
While I think that SOMEONE should have realized this boy was UA and
actually, um, ACCOMPANIED HIM (I can't believe he got delayed over
night at the airport! Where did he stay?) I am a little confused why
you are more upset about the fee refund than you are that they
essentially left the boy to his own devices and couldn't be troubled
to communicate with you about the cancellations ESPECIALLY in light of
the minor.
I hope you'll stop back and let us know what the outcome was.
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by PepperElf Posted Thu January 6, 2011 @ 11:17 AM
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If your son's flight went through any airport that's been closed down,
it's not that delta chose to cancel it's that the FAA ordered it.
that means yes other airlines and other delta flights could still
operate... if they didn't go through (or near) the affected areas.
as for the refunds, you might have a better chance bringing in all of
your bill information in person to have it hashed out.
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given
by Lisa H. Thu January 6, 2011 @ 1:26 PM
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I would never let my 10 year old son or any other child of mine under
16 to fly alone, irregardless of whether it is unaccompanied or not.
Not with all the crazy people in this world. I would be a mess even
if my 17 or 19 year old flew alone. I'm a worry wart and not very
trusting of people. I'm not an over protective mom, just a protective
one.
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by Amanda S. Thu January 6, 2011 @ 7:46 PM
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by amarie4 Posted Wed January 5, 2011 @ 1:25 PM
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If I am understanding this correctly, you are upset because they
refunded the fee that was paid by the boy's mother (refunded to HER
CC), not the fee you paid when you purchased the tickets.If you
originally planned on paying the U.A fee yourself, then I don't see
why you feel you should be reimbursed instead of the boy's mother (who
was not originally responsible for the fee). I may be waaaay off here
- you are not clear on why you need the original fee (instead of the
secondary one) refunded.
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by Lisa H. Posted Wed January 5, 2011 @ 11:57 AM
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While it seems like you are right in principle, you are getting a
refund. I'd quit at that point and save the hassle.
If this all hadn't happened, who would have paid the fee? The other
person probably should get the refund, since they hadn't planned on
it.
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