So this past weekend I was in northern Michigan vacationing with my boufriend and family. My family left for the trip the Monday before Bryan and I went. They were the smart ones and took American Airlines and American Eagle to Chicago and then on to Traverse City. We decided to take Delta. The first flight was not too bad leaving from DFW going to Detroit. In fact I believe that we actually got in before our flight was supposed to. Looking back on this I should have been in shock. The only hang up of the flight was that we had to sit on the plane because Delta was understaffed in the airport and there was no one to open the door so the passangers could de-board. Our next flight was delayed do to mechanical issues with the plane, they told us a door in the luggage compartment had to be replaced. Needless to say it was a little longer than expected before we were able to board the aircraft. Then they told us that the plane had been in the hanger all day and this was it's first flight of the day. I was not sure why they told us this but we soon found out when we finally boarded. The plane was burning up. During the entire process of fixing the door they had turned the plane off and it had not cooled. By the time we got to the Pelston airport I needed to change clothes because the plane had barely begun to cool down. I understand that there are going to be issues with traveling but the fact that we had to travel over an hour in a hot plane was a little more than frustrating.
On the way back from Pelston to Deroit, the flight was not too bad, just really bad service on the plane. The flight attendant took her time withe everything and messed up the drink orders a couple of times. Once again we had to sit on the plane for a few minutes because they were busy doing who know's what until the realized that we still hadn't been able to deboard. The frustrating thing about this was that most people on the plane were like us and had a very short layover before their next flight. We were lucky in the fact that we were only a few gates away from our second flight, not that it mattered because our plane was delayed for over and hour and a half. As we got to the gate we saw that they were getting the plane ready and we sat down relieved that we had made it on time. Soon after arriving we were told that they were working on the front tire and that the change would be finished shortly. 45 minutes later we were still sitting in the airport and the passangers who had been at the gate said that they had been working on the plane for over an hour when the first made the annoucement that they were working on the plane. Finally we were able to board the plane. As we were taxing out of the gate we had to pull back in because the wheel was put on wrong. After that was finally fixed we were able to take off. The service on this flight was the worst I have ever experienced. I was sitting in the exit row halfway through the plane and well over half way into the trip we finally got our drinks, well we were able to have a drink of what the flight attendant had, which was not much. She was almost out of everything and told us that she didn't want to have to walk back to the galley to get more. Needless to say I was ready to land and it couldn't have happened fast enough.
For those who have to fly Delta, know this, Federal Law allows airlines to oversell their flights by 10 percent, and Delta does this for every flight. If you are lucky there are not enough people who want on the same flight as you and you are able to get on but I would recommend that if you really want/need to get somewhere you need to take another airlines because with Delta you could end up waiting all day in the airport in hopes that you will get on a flight.
Next summer when I travel to Michigan I will be taking American Airlines and I have no problem paying a little extra for great service that I can depend on.
