myShoggoth

Alitalia Update #4: Now Delta

Alitalia kicked the can over to Delta (basically saying: Yes, you're right! But not our problem, go talk to Delta since they wouldn't let you on the plane).

Delta did not respond to Alitalia's mail, I had to prompt them, and I got this response:

Dear Mr. Boardman,

RE: Case Number 3601924

Thank you for contacting us.  On behalf of everyone at Delta Air Lines,
I appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your concern.

We have your correspondence from Alitalia Customer Relations.  In order
to fully assess this matter, please let us know the exact nature of your
concern.

If you will please reply to this email and refer to case 10492324, I
will respond as quickly as possible.  Alternatively, you may forward the
information to my attention at the following address or you may also fax
us this information at 888-286-3163.

Delta Air Lines
Corporate Customer Care
Department 980
PO Box 20980
Atlanta GA 30320-2980

Or, use the following address for overnight deliveries (Fed Ex, UPS,
etc.)

Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Corporate Customer Care
1030 Delta Boulevard
Department 980
Atlanta GA 30354

Mr. Boardman, I thank you again for writing.  As a valued Delta
customer, your business is important to us and we will be in touch with
you as soon as we have all the necessary information.

Sincerely,

Kathleen P. Parker
Coordinator, Customer Care
Delta Air Lines

So of course I thought "I've already written this up, doing a blog post was a great idea, here we go!" and wrote back:

Hi Kathleen,

Thank you for your response.  This is case 10492324.

I have detailed the matter at  http://www.myshoggoth.com/2011/05/dhs-and-alitalia-ruined-my-saturday.html.

Please let me know if you need any further details,

-- Andrew

The baffling response I got was:

Dear Mr. Boardman,

RE: Case Number 3601924

Thank you for your additional comments concerning our recent exchange of
e-mails.  On behalf of everyone at Delta Air Lines, I appreciate the
opportunity to assist you with your concern.

Please know that we are unable to open the link which you have provided.
In order to fully access this matter, please address your concern in
text format.

Mr. Boardman, we appreciate the opportunity to responding to you and
therefore look forward to receiving your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Kathleen P. Parker
Coordinator, Customer Care

Delta Air Lines

Unable.. to.. open... the link? Are we back in 1996?

I wasn't sure what to make of that but instead of arguing I just pasted in the blog post and three updates into an email. This was 12 days ago, I have not heard anything since. I just sent another mail asking them for any update whatsoever.

I really wish this trip had been on Southwest, not that that would have been possible.

 

New VCHub.com release, June 9, 2011

This release was mostly about better and more detailed modeling of exits, including liabilities, adjustments, fees, and carve outs.

Take a look, tell me what you think.  Here are the details.

Alitalia Update #3

Some good (?) news!

Dear Mr. Boardman:

Thank you for your patience as we investigated your claim.

We confirm that if your passport was still after your arrival in Italy, Delta should have accepted you on the flight.  According to procedures which both Delta and Alitalia follow, US passport holder must have a passport that is valid upon arrival in Italy – not for six months afterwards. If the passenger is not a US resident this could change the requirements.

The Alitalia ticket is not refundable except for taxes.  If you were incorrectly denied boarding by Delta, they should review the matter for consideration of possible compensation.  We have copied our SkyTeam Partner Delta Air Lines so that they may reply to you directly.

Thank you.

Jessica Morales

As I read it, this means that they think we shouldn't have been denied boarding but it isn't their fault and thus not their problem, and they're kicking the ball over to Delta.

Whee.

Alitalia Update #2

I actually got this reply a day after my previous post about this situation, but I've been too frustrated by it to motivated myself to post. So here it is:

Dear Mr. Boardman:

We require 30 business days for finalization of claims. I'm still waiting for feedback from Delta and I will respond to you as soon as we've completed the evaluation. I appreciate your patience in this matter.

Jessica

So: Shut up, sit down. This isn't about you, this is about us and our policies.

I guess I get to wait until the end of the 30 business days and find out whether or not they'll do anything, without any further input from me.

Whee.