With almost 250 flights canceled today alone, Saturday, May 28, 2022, the customer service agents who officially represent Delta Air Lines during what is becoming a frustrating Memorial Day weekend seem to be feeling the pressure, as at least one of them allegedly snapped back at a customer who has supposedly been waiting on the telephone on hold for greater than two hours.
Delta Air Lines Unacceptable Response to Customer May 2022 on Twitter
When a person who identifies as Edo @ocarroll51 posted on Twitter the following message: “Waiting for Daisy at @delta to make things right?!?! What is happening??? @delta ??”, the response from Delta Air Lines at its official Twitter account was this message:
Can you calm down and allow me some time to work please ??
Can you calm down and allow me some time to work please ??
— Delta (@Delta) May 28, 2022
The problem was eventually resolved to the satisfaction of Edo @ocarroll51 — but not without criticism from others on how this part of the issue was handled.
@delta as an air line has lost their way. Management took their eye off the keep climbing ball and went into free fall. Issue #1 is the pilots. Kudos for whomever convinced management to reduce their schedule to a size they can operate.
— FromMyWindow5408 (@window5408) May 28, 2022
Twitter user FromMyWindow5408 wrote that “@delta as an air line has lost their way. Management took their eye off the keep climbing ball and went into free fall. Issue #1 is the pilots. Kudos for whomever convinced management to reduce their schedule to a size they can operate.”
Wow @Delta that comment sure doesn’t make you look good, and I am a loyal customer, but you guys have been really bad in the last month. Telling a customer to calm down is pretty unacceptable. Especially what most customers are going thru with you guys as of late. Poor service
— Mike Mihelich (@mihelich_mike) May 28, 2022
The reaction of Twitter user Mike Mihelich was, “Wow @delta that comment sure doesn’t make you look good, and I am a loyal customer, but you guys have been really bad in the last month. Telling a customer to calm down is pretty unacceptable. Especially what most customers are going thru with you guys as of late. Poor service”
Other reactions by Twitter users abounded — as well as in this discussion on FlyerTalk.
In the event that any part of that discussion is deleted, the screen shot of it appears below.
Additionally, service will be reduced by approximately 100 flights per day by Delta Air Lines effective as of Friday, July 1, 2022 — primarily in markets which are frequently served by Delta Air Lines in the United States and Latin America region — in order to minimize disruptions and “bounce back faster when challenges occur”; and the decreased service will be in effect through Sunday, August 7, 2022…
…so expect more problems and issues — and frustration.
Final Boarding Call
I have actually visited the social media department of Delta Air Lines in person; and the group is comprised of professional employees who have responded to customers in a timely manner. They also monitor weblogs, FlyerTalk, and various social media channels on multiple computer screens to keep track of how the airline is discussed and to mitigate whatever problems or issues may arise.
In this case, the response from Delta Air Lines was uncharacteristically unacceptable and unprofessional, in my opinion. I do not care how many flights have been canceled or how many flights have been delayed — or whether the employee in question is stressed for whatever reason. When a customer is experiencing a problem or issue that is apparently the fault of the company and not of the customer, the company has an obligation to ensure that everything is right again and that the customer becomes whole, which eventually did happen in this case…
…and a person who is employed in a position which faces customers must do everything reasonably possible to professionally resolve issues for the customer who is not at fault.
Photograph ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
