There is every reason to suggest Delta Airlines intentionally delayed a flight in order to save money. And as a result, 20 customers lost not only airfare, but thousands of dollars in non-refundable trip expenses.
One example: It was the couple’s 20th wedding anniversary gift to each other. A dream vacation to the tiny island of Bonaire. A Dutch property located not too far from Venezuela.
The island is known to have some of the best scuba diving in the world. The couple were avid scuba diving enthusiasts, but had sacrificed their love of the sport while raising two daughters. It’s expensive, but so is raising two children.
Nonetheless, they agreed to join a dive group of 16 people for what was hoped to be an adventure of a lifetime. The couple, from the small Midwestern town of Valparaiso, Indiana, met regularly with the other 14 in the weeks leading up to the trip in May.
Excitement built. Finally the day arrived. May 10th the couple left home at 2 a.m. for Chicago’s O’Hare Airport to meet up with the other group members. Their Delta Airlines flight # DL977 was scheduled to leave at 6:00 a.m.
Delta Airline check in
Checking in was no problem. Everyone had arrived. Shortly thereafter some in the group received a notice asking if they would give up their seats on the flight in exchange for $200 or so. No one who received the notice accepted. All 16 waited to board the airplane, bound for Atlanta, with a connecting Delta flight to Bonaire. It was time. Boarding the plane was normal.
About 6:00 a.m. the plane pushed back and began taxiing. It wasn’t too long before announcements were made on the plane’s intercom system “Due to weather, we are experiencing a delay in our departure. And we need additional fuel.” The craft turned around and headed back to the gate.
Time after time the announcement was made. The group began to get nervous. After all, they had a connecting flight out of Atlanta in 2 ½ hours.
Meanwhile, a couple of members from the group called Delta customer service and pleaded with a rep, who identified herself as Candy, to hold the connecting flight -- DL923 -- from Atlanta to Bonaire. Candy said "no" they could not hold the flight, but don't worry. If you miss it we will provide compensation for overnight accommodations in Atlanta and you can catch a flight tomorrow.
Problem was -- and what the group did not know -- there was no flight the next day. Or the next. Or the next. In fact, the next flight to Bonaire was the following Friday. Almost a week later.
Air Passenger Bill of Rights
In 2011 Congress passed the "Air Passenger Bill of Rights." In it is Rule 240. It basically states that if a passenger misses a connection due to flight delays, too bad. No recourse.Sure enough, the Chicago to Atlanta flight was delayed long enough -- about an hour and 40 minutes -- to miss the connection by a mere 20 minutes or so.
However, Rule 245 provides that if an air passenger is denied boarding on a connecting flight because the flight was overbooked and no seats were available, the airline must compensate the passenger(s) 400% of the airfare, up to $1,300.
There were 16 in this group, and another four with the same destination on the Chicago flight heading to Bonaire.
The weather in Chicago on Saturday was perfect. And while the weather in and around Atlanta was spotty, it appears there was no reason the Delta Airlines flight couldn't have arrived in time prior to the Bonaire flight departure. A review of the weather radar loop for that day and time seems to confirm that.
Also, a check of seating charts for that same Saturday flight from Atlanta to Bonaire through July shows that flight is virtually packed, with only 4 or 5 seats -- and sometimes fewer -- left in Business class. None in economy class.
Flight delay
So I am convinced Delta Airlines intentionally delayed that flight to save probably $25,000 or more by likely having to pay each of those passengers $1,300 because they did not have enough seats on the Bonaire bound flight.
A call was place to Delta Airlines media relations. The only response was "please send an email." Which I did inquiring about all of this. No response. In my mind, no respose is confirmation of the validity of my suspicions.
And a call was also placed to the travel agent Dawn Snow from Caradonna Dive Adventures in Florida who helped book the trip and a week at the Bonaire Resort named Belmar. No return call. And no refunds either from Belmar Resort.
Sure, a complaint could be lodged with the Department of Transportation. Does anyone realize how many thousands of complaints there are against Delta Airlines? Was deregulation of the airline industry years ago such a good thing?
Legitimate airline delays are one thing. Particularly with this past winter. But unless I am missing something, this appears to be an egregious violation of consumer rights, at minimum.
