Delta customers lost time, money. How to file claims, complaints. (2024)

Delta Air Lines customers who faced massive delays and cancellations after a global tech outage July 19 triggered all sorts of havoc for days must do one thing after their nightmare ends. File a complaint − and get some money back.

Maybe you think you can't do anything about it. Maybe you think submitting a complaint is a waste of even more time. A friend shared one comment on social media in which a frustrated traveler stated: "Glad we have zero consumer protection laws on the books to help everyone being psychologically abused by @Delta."

But it's not true. Actually, consumers do have many air travel rights now. Unfortunately, consumers are going to need to file for reimbursement to get what they are owed. And if they're not satisfied, they're going to need to go a step further and file complaints with the Department of Transportation.

Cruising Altitude:Why tech keeps holding airlines back when something goes wrong

On Wednesday morning, Delta CEO Ed Bastian posted a letter to customers on the airline's website as the company continued to recover from last week's CrowdStrike outage. Delta upgraded its reimbursement efforts, too.

Bastian apologized but also noted that "the worst impacts of the CrowdStrike-caused outage are clearly behind us."

Delta, he said, remains "committed to taking care of those whose flights may still be impacted, with meals, hotel accommodations and ground transportation offered through vouchers and reimbursements. We’re also providing impacted customers with Delta SkyMiles and travel vouchers as a further gesture of apology."

Delta also noted online Wednesday that it is taking steps to reimburse out-of-pocket expenses. "We know many customers have incurred unplanned travel expenses, including purchasing tickets on other airlines, rental cars, train tickets and more," the airline said on its site.

"Delta will cover reasonable costs for additional categories of expenses incurred during the duration of the travel waiver (which currently applies for flights between July 19 and July 28)."

Delta customers lost time, money. How to file claims, complaints. (1)

Another key point: "Delta is permitting customers with Delta travel booked from July 19-28 who no longer wish to travel to cancel and request a refund of the unflown portion of their trip − regardless of whether their flight has been canceled or significantly delayed."

Delta has been offering waivers, which, according to Delta, allow customers hurt by the troubles to make a one-time change to their itinerary or to cancel and receive a refund for the unused portion of their ticket upon request. The waiver applies to customers with travel scheduled for July 19-28. The fare difference for customers will be waived when rebooked travel occurs on or before Aug. 4 in the same cabin of service as originally booked.

On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced an investigation into Delta Air Lines. He noted that the Transportation Department is making sure "the law is followed and that Delta is 'taking care of its passengers' as the disruptions continue."

In this case, experts say, Transportation Department rules require Delta to refund unused flights for those who choose not to travel on alternate flights if their original itinerary was canceled for any reason, even if the original tickets were nonrefundable. That's true as long as you didn’t get on a rebooked flight at no cost to you, experts say. Some people think they can do both − fly and get a refund − but that's not the case.

Jane McNamara, of Royal Oak, Michigan, was to fly out of Detroit on Delta on Friday, heading to Newark to see her sons in New Jersey. She had heard of the CrowdStrike software failure that hit Microsoft's Windows Operating System earlier on Friday. But she had no alerts from Delta via the app or email to tell her the Friday flight was canceled.

"I drove to the airport hoping I might have a flight," she said. "Once there, after parking in the out lot and making my way to McNamara terminal, I learned it was canceled."

She was shocked by the massive lines and chaos. "You couldn't get near the (Delta) counter. It was just slammed."

She ended up acting quickly and booked a flight on United Airlines on Saturday. She paid $306, and she had no trouble getting out of Detroit on United the next day.

Delta customers lost time, money. How to file claims, complaints. (2)

She kept the return ticket for Tuesday on Delta. "I thought by Tuesday, everything should be fine."

For a while, it seemed as if it would be. She checked in Monday and had a boarding pass, the whole thing.

Then, about 6 a.m. Tuesday, she got an alert that her Delta flight out of Newark that day had been canceled.

She spotted one seat on another Delta flight, but it was quickly gone. Other flights on other airlines that day had fares that were $800 and higher. Some of those flights had layovers of three hours to five hours. Nothing seemed to be doable.

Oh, she could sit in New Jersey until Thursday because Delta had rebooked her on a flight for Thursday morning. "I couldn't hang out there" that long, she said. "My only option was to rent a car."

McNamara, who owns Jazzercise Royal Oak, needed to get back to work and ended up renting a car for $152.

"I literally just had to do a car," she said. Driving alone, she left the area about 11 a.m. and got home after 10 p.m. Most of the driving was fine, she said, until she hit the intense storm in metro Detroit. She's now reviewing how to get reimbursed for her expenses.

Even as travel gets back to normal, the shakeout for Delta could be intense in the weeks ahead.

"There will be hell to pay," said Teresa Murray, who directs the Consumer Watchdog office for U.S. PIRG, a nonprofit advocacy group that has advocated for more passenger protections.

The major IT systems outage disrupted the operations of several major airlines, triggering extensive delays and cancellations at U.S. airports.

The Transportation Department said it has determined that the delays and cancellations resulting from the CrowdStrike-related outage were “controllable" − which means the flight cancellation or delay is one that is attributable to the airline.

Murray said Delta's response in individual situations seems to have been all over the map. Some consumers, she said, complained about being offered only frequent flier miles when they needed more help getting where they needed to go in a timely manner. One young man she knows, who happens to be a magician from Michigan, had to rent a car to drive to Philadelphia to be on time for his show. Her advice: Make sure to send the bill to Delta.

Daniel Martin, a global touring magician who lives in Jackson, told me his horrific tale that involved two Delta flights vanishing.

One flight ended up being canceled Friday when he was trying to leave Hartford, Connecticut, to fly to Detroit for a show in Michigan; a second flight was canceled when he needed to fly from Detroit to Philadelphia on Monday for another show.

He said the Delta employees he encountered were trying to help, but it was out of their control.

Martin, who has a summer tour as a magician, had a show last week in New Hampshire, and he had planned on driving to Bradley International Airport in Hartford to catch that flight to Detroit. He travels a great deal, but all the regular steps, like going on Delta.com, didn't work Friday for rebooking a flight. "You couldn't even get on their site to figure out options."

Trying to call, even as a preferred customer, meant a six-hour wait. He quickly booked a Friday night flight on Southwest Airlines as a hedge. Then he headed to the airport and got in line at Delta. After turning down many bad options, he ultimately was able to get on another Delta flight, which sat on the tarmac. That flight faced so many delays that he figured he should hop on Southwest. Ultimately, he was able to get off that flight with help of Delta employees to rush to grab the backup Southwest flight.

As for his luggage? Well, it was on the Delta flight. He faced a four-hour delay in Detroit at baggage claim to get his magic equipment. "It was like the zombie apocalypse," Martin said.

Ultimately, he got home to Jackson at 5 a.m. Saturday, but he had missed his magic show Friday in Michigan.

Monday morning, another Delta flight delay, this time out of Detroit to Philadelphia. He made that show but only by spending $250 to rent a car.

Overall, Martin estimates he lost more than 35 hours in delays and about $600 in expenses. That's not including the thousands of dollars lost when he missed the show in Michigan.

Delta customers lost time, money. How to file claims, complaints. (3)

One headache after another, and, frankly, travelers will need to take their time figuring out what to do next to recoup some of their costs.

In general, PIRG's Murray said, she would not recommend that people accept vouchers or credits or miles as compensation for their hotel, meal, ground transportation and other expenses.

But the amount might matter. "If someone is looking at a refund of $200, but Delta is offering miles or vouchers worth $1,000 to the traveler, then the voucher or credit might make sense, as long as there aren’t restrictions on how or when or where it can be used," she said.

Because the IT debacle is being viewed by the Transportation Department as a controllable cancellation or delay, Murray said, consumers should try to get a hotel and meal and ground transportation accommodations taken care of by the airline. "They can’t just go out and book a hotel at a 5-star hotel or something."

But in many cases, travelers couldn't even get Delta on the phone. In those circumstances, Murray said, her advice would be to "spend what is reasonable, to take care of yourself and your family, and submit those expenses for reimbursement later."

How do you submit a claim?

Check with your airline, but typically you'd submit claims online, not by mail.

  • Where to go: Delta has an online process. See Delta.com/reimbursement for the form and some instructions.
  • What to do: Before you do submit a claim, take time gathering your paperwork and records. Make sure when you file for reimbursement with Delta or another airline that you have receipts, records and all you need to back up a claim. File everything at once, Murray said. Take screen shots from your phone if that can help document how long you were on hold with the airline. Find the names of people you talked with at the airline. Recall what was said during a conversation. Give details about how lines were backed up and you couldn't get to an airline representative.
  • Think about what expenses you faced: Did you need to rent a car to get where you were going? Back up the cost with receipts, make sure to add receipts for the gas you bought to get home or elsewhere. Delta states online that it "does not reimburse prepaid expenses, including but not limited to hotel reservations at the customer’s destination, vacation experiences, lost wages, concerts or other tickets." But Murray said she would suggest that some consumers consider submitting those claims, given the extreme circumstances surrounding the lengthy tech upheaval. It might not hurt to ask.
  • File a complaint and a claim: Murray recommends that people file a complaint with Delta as well as filing for reimbursement. See the Help Center on Delta.com to file complaints. You want some details to be fresh in your mind, like how long you waited online for help.
  • If you're not satisfied: First go through the airline when you have any issues. But if the problem isn't resolved, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation. See transportation.gov/airconsumers for the "File a Consumer Complaint" option. Complaints can be related to things like flight delays and cancellations, overbooking, disability, tarmac delays, baggage, discrimination, refunds, ticketing practices, family seating, frequent flyer programs, charter flights, privacy and air ambulance service.

Contactpersonal finance columnist Susan Tompor:stompor@freepress.com.Follow her on X (Twitter)@tompor.

Delta customers lost time, money. How to file claims, complaints. (2024)

FAQs

Delta customers lost time, money. How to file claims, complaints.? ›

See the Help Center on Delta.com to file complaints. You want some details to be fresh in your mind, like how long you waited online for help. If you're not satisfied: First go through the airline when you have any issues. But if the problem isn't resolved, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

What is the most effective way to complain to Delta? ›

If you're wondering, "What is the most effective way to complain to Delta?" calling +1~804~853~9001 is a great start. This toll-free number connects you directly to a representative who can address your concerns. For the best results, dial +1-804-~853~9001 and ensure your complaint is heard clearly.

How do I file a claim with Delta? ›

Your file reference number is an 8-10 digit alphanumeric code, which you'll find on the front of the information folder given to you by the Delta agent with whom you reported your baggage delay or damage. Delayed or lost baggage reports may also be filed by calling 1-800-325-8224.

How do you get compensated for Delta delays? ›

If you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada and you incurred hotel, transportation and/or meal expenses due to a significant delay (>3 hours) or cancellation that was within our control, you can submit a reimbursement request using the Reimbursement Request form.

How long does it take Delta to respond to a complaint? ›

Additionally, you may sign up for notifications through Flight Status, located at the top navigational bar. We will acknowledge receipt of written customer complaints within 30 days of their receipt, and will send a substantive response within 60 days of receiving the complaint.

What is the best protection against Delta? ›

Two mRNA vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer-BioNtech, performed best. They are followed by AstraZeneca, which in a trial in Canada was 68-96% effective (though a trial in England gave a worse result of 61-72%, possibly due to protection from past infections in the control group).

Why is it so hard to get through to Delta? ›

According to a spokesperson for Delta, wait times are about two to three hours. Since the pandemic began, its reservation and customer service lines have received record-breaking call volumes. Having travel ramp up rapidly hasn't helped. The airline is in the process of hiring 1,300 specialists to meet the demand.

How do I contact Delta about a claim? ›

Still Need to Contact Us?
Contact
Baggage800-325-8224
Comment & Complaint For comments or complaints after you have traveledSubmit Comment & Complaint Delta Air Lines, Inc. Customer Care P.O. Box 20980 Department 980 Atlanta, GA 30320-2980
Group TravelReview Group Travel Requirements
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How do I file a claim for airline compensation? ›

To receive compensation for delayed flights, you'll need to call your airline through its customer service line or go to the customer service desk at the airport to file a claim.

Does Delta give you money back? ›

Tickets purchased directly from Delta, including Basic Economy fares, are included in our 24-Hour Risk-Free Cancellation policy. This means you have up to 24 hours after booking to cancel your ticket for any reason and receive a full refund with no change or cancellation fees.

What is the maximum compensation for delayed flight? ›

Compensation
Length of flightCompensation
short-haul flight of under 1,500km (e.g. Glasgow to Amsterdam)£220
medium-haul flight of 1,500km – 3,500km (e.g. East Midlands to Marrakesh)£350
long-haul flight of over 3,500km (e.g. London to New York)£520
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What is the best company to claim compensation for delayed flights? ›

Our pick of the best flight compensation companies
  • Skycop.com: Top choice overall.
  • AirHelp.com: Most widely recognized.
  • ClaimCompass.eu: Superior value.
  • Flightright.com: Most adaptive.
  • Flight-Delayed.co.uk: Most user-friendly.
  • AirAdvisor.com: Smoothest interface experience.
  • Refundmore.com: Utmost reliability.
Sep 5, 2023

How long can you be delayed for flight delay compensation? ›

Airlines must provide compensation for the inconvenience of flight cancellations and flight delays of 3 hours or more and if the disruption is within their control and not related to safety, and if the airline notified you of the disruption 14 days or less in advance.

How do I escalate a complaint on Delta? ›

To escalate a Delta complaint,first contact customer service 📞+ + 1::866-560-6541 (Delta - USA line) or 📞+ +1--888-2635-020 {FOR USA Airlines} (USA) (OTA)🤳 and document your issue. Utilise Delta's online complaint form and follow up for updates.

Does complaining about an airline do anything? ›

DOT requires airlines to acknowledge consumer complaints within 30 days of receiving them and to send consumers written responses addressing these complaints within 60 days of receiving them (30 days for disability-related complaints). DOT also asks that ticket agents respond to consumer who file complaints with them.

How do I write a good complaint to an airline? ›

What to Include in Your Complaint Letter
  1. The facts surrounding your complaint. ...
  2. Ask for compensation or make a demand using clear, concise, and professional language. ...
  3. Include any law or act you are relying on. ...
  4. Include your contact information. ...
  5. Attach travel documents. ...
  6. Include a deadline.
Jul 5, 2024

How to file a complaint against a Delta employee? ›

Comments or Complaints: Any general feedback or formal complaints should be directed to the “Comment/Complaint” section of the Help Center on delta.com. If you need help with a flight, please contact us by texting through the Fly Delta App or go to the Help Center on.

Does Delta Airline have good customer service? ›

Delta was recognized as the No. 1 airline in customer satisfaction in North America by the J.D. Power 2021 North America Airline Satisfaction Study , a prestigious honor that underscores the professionalism, care and humanity Delta people delivered during one of the most stressful periods for travel in modern history.

How effective is the Delta Works? ›

The risk of flooding was reduced to one in 4,000 years. Delta Works is recognised as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

What is Delta Air Lines weakness? ›

Weaknesses. Significant focus on one particular business segment: It is good to have a focused parameter for a successful business. However, in the long run, that might not be the case. Delta has spread its wings to many international cities, but it is not enough because it will focus only on the North American market.

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