A passenger from Georgia was trying to take a Delta Air Lines flight in Bismarck, ND and had some issues with the automated kiosk. He only had 30-minutes until his flight departed, it was 5am, and the passenger got up on the wrong [...]]]>

Delta Airlines Kiosk - they can create a lot of anger

A passenger from Georgia was trying to take a Delta Air Lines flight in Bismarck, ND and had some issues with the automated kiosk. He only had 30-minutes until his flight departed, it was 5am, and the passenger got up on the wrong side of the bed. Instead of asking for some help, he decided to take his anger out on the kiosk, smashing the screen and causing $15,000.00 worth of damages.

The airport and Delta Air Lines have barred the man from contacting either one and the passenger has been charged with a felony.

On October 13, 2006, Emily Gillette was breast-feeding her daughter on a Delta Airline’s flight from Burlington, VT to New York City. Gillette, who was 27 at the time, started breast-feeding her 1 year old daughter while still at the gate. [...]]]>

Mesa Air Group-operated ERJ-145 for Freedom Airlines, which runs for Delta Connection

On October 13, 2006, Emily Gillette was breast-feeding her daughter on a Delta Airline’s flight from Burlington, VT to New York City. Gillette, who was 27 at the time, started breast-feeding her 1 year old daughter while still at the gate. She states she was in a position where her breast was not exposed and nothing was indecent. A flight attendant told her she needed to cover up with a blanket and Gillette refused. The flight attendant ordered a customer service representative to kick Gillette and her family off the plane.

Delta is not saying much. Their spokesman Anthony Black said yesterday that the airline does not comment on litigation but supports a mother’s right to breast-feed.

Gillette is suing three airlines: Freedom, Mesa, and Delta.  Mesa operates the aircraft for Freedom, who flies for Delta Connection (I know, confusing). Having all three airlines involved is causing issues. The Human Rights Commission in Vermont is also filing a lawsuit, but only against Mesa and Freedom, finding that they couldn’t hold Delta responsible for the other airline’s actions. The commission states the law is clear, “a mother may breast-feed her child in any place of public accommodation in which the mother and child would otherwise have a legal right to be.”

Thanks Jessica for the tip!

The website GoNorthwest.com has been operating for the past ten years, providing travel information for the Pacific Northwestern part of the United States.

Northwest Airlines, which has recently been acquired by Delta Airlines feel they own the rights to the name. This started when [...]]]>

A Northwest Airline's tail up in the far north, Alaska

The website GoNorthwest.com has been operating for the past ten years, providing travel information for the Pacific Northwestern part of the United States.

Northwest Airlines, which has recently been acquired by Delta Airlines feel they own the rights to the name. This started when site owner Jack High trademarked his name last year after someone stole his site’s contents and created an illegal copy under a similar name. High defends his actions stating he has no issue with any other company using the word, “northwest,” but is just concerned about protecting his own site.

Andrea James with the Seattle PI points out  that over 10,500 companies have “northwest” as part of their name, just in Washington state. There are also 366 trademarks that exist for “NW” and “Northwest” in the United States.

Delta Airlines commented  that “Northwest is a world-famous mark that is used by one of the oldest airlines in the world and that has been built with billions of dollars of investments over eight decades.”  The airline continued, stating they were concerned about the future of the site causing additional confusion of the brands. To me, this seems like a big company going a few steps too far. Here are some of my thoughts:

#1 The Northwest Airlines brand is going away. Delta is in the process of changing all their naming over to Delta. There won’t be any confusion in the future since the name will be gone soon. Why spend money on a dying brand?

#2 There is no record of people getting the two names confused.  Even searching for “Go Northwest” on Google, Northwest Airlines doesn’t show up.

#3 The look and feel of the two websites and what the companies offer GREATLY differ and it would be very hard for someone to mistake them.

#4 Should Delta go after all the companies that use the word “delta”? If one goes to GoDelta.com, it forwards you to a Delta marketing group (wow that font looks very similar). Should they be worried? How about Southwest Airlines or Alaska Airlines? When using a geographic location to name your business, you should expect there are going to be people that use part of your name in travel-related businesses.

#5  I don’t see how this is going to look good for Northwest Airlines and Delta Airlines. They should just back off now, it just isn’t worth the bad publicity.

#6  Sometimes the legal and moral lines aren’t so clear. Even if Northwest/Delta is shown to be legally right, does that make it right? Should a large, well established, world renowned airline be able to control how a very localized, small, travel website runs its business?

What are your thoughts on this? Is Northwest/Delta going too far or are they justified in protecting their brand?

It is common practice for airlines to “bump” passengers from an oversold flight. Airlines will overbook the flight knowing that statistically not everyone shows up. But when everyone does show up, airlines are required to properly compensate those who are bumped. The common practice is to seek [...]]]>

A Delta B757 at Salt Lake City

It is common practice for airlines to “bump” passengers from an oversold flight. Airlines will overbook the flight knowing that statistically not everyone shows up. But when everyone does show up, airlines are required to properly compensate those who are bumped. The common practice is to seek volunteers to take a later flight and bribe them with free flights, hotels, etc. Airlines must also submit in writing a bumped passenger’s rights.

Between January and July of 2008, Delta Airlines didn’t ask for volunteers, compensate properly, or offer rights to bumped passengers. The Consumerist lays out what rights a passenger is entitled to if bumped. Some of the interesting involuntary bump details:

* If the airline can get you an equivalent flight in an hour, no compensation.
* If the airline can find alternative transportation that will get you to your destination 1-2hours after your original time, they have to pay equivalent to your one-way ticket.
* If you can’t get to your destination 1-2hours after your original time, the airline has to pay 200% of your fare.
* Even with the other compensations, you get to keep your original ticket. You can get a refund for it or use it on a future flight.

Luckily I’ve never been bumped from a flight, but could see the sheer frustration someone would have with being bumped when they paid full price. It seems only fair that if airlines are going to gamble on passengers showing up, they need to pay up when they lose the bet.

Update: You have to read FlyingWithFishes legendary tale of the triple bump!

Just wanted to say congrats to Delta Airlines for turning 80, Virgin Atlantic making it to 25 and to Southwest Airlines for turning 38!

With Delta’s recent merger with Northwest Airlines, Virgin’s innovative vision and Southwest Airline’s long history of profit (I am sure they will return), I [...]]]>

Happy Birthday Virgin, Southwest and Delta

Just wanted to say congrats to Delta Airlines for turning 80, Virgin Atlantic making it to 25 and to Southwest Airlines for turning 38!

With Delta’s recent merger with Northwest Airlines, Virgin’s innovative vision and Southwest Airline’s long history of profit (I am sure they will return), I am sure these three carriers will be celebrating many more!

Weight equals money and when a fully loaded Airbus A380 can weigh over a million pounds, airlines don’t want to be adding any unnecessary weight. The airline industry has become very creative with adding new fees to bring in additional revenue, but they are also looking at creative ways [...]]]>

The good old airline spork.

Weight equals money and when a fully loaded Airbus A380 can weigh over a million pounds, airlines don’t want to be adding any unnecessary weight. The airline industry has become very creative with adding new fees to bring in additional revenue, but they are also looking at creative ways to lessen weight and save money.

Northwest Airlines (err, I guess Delta) is now cutting spoons on their flights to help save weight. Sure one little spoon might not seem to make a big difference, but a Northwest Boeing 747-400 holds more than 400 people — that’s a lot of spoons (why don’t they just bring back the spork?)

They aren’t the only airline considering utensil overhaul. Japan Airlines has decreased the size of their cutlery (which not only saves money in weight, but for purchase price of the actual product). Other airlines are cleaning their planes more (dust = weight), not supplying magazines and carrying less water on board.

I am sure this concept will catch on. From cutting pillows, to the type of fabric being used in seats, to having less gadgets (boo), to maybe even someday accounting for passengers’ weights (hopefully not, but RyanAir might be crazy enough), the airlines will probably continue to look for  cost-cutting measures, especially as they move toward better fuel-efficiency.

A 43 year-old man had a bathroom emergency on a Delta Airlines flight on March 28th that landed him in jail. The passenger, Joao Correa, had a meal earlier that day that didn’t agree with him and by the time [...]]]>

Dang, I wish all airline lavatories looked this good. This is on Emirates A380

A 43 year-old man had a bathroom emergency on a Delta Airlines flight on March 28th that landed him in jail. The passenger, Joao Correa, had a meal earlier that day that didn’t agree with him and by the time he was ready to take action, the food services cart was blocking his way to the back lavatory. He decided to try the facilities up front in Business Class when a flight attendant reminded him he had an economy ticket and needed to return to his seat. When he explained the situation, he was advised to wait a bit and the cart would be moved.

The cart wasn’t moved and Correa was in trouble, so he returned to the front of the plane to plead his case. Correa says he then grabbed the woman’s arm to stabilize himself, though she contends he was twisting her arm. Either way, the flight attendant told the pilot of the situation since Correa wouldn’t return to his seat, and the pilot allowed the troubled man to use the First Class restroom.

The incident landed Correa in jail for 2 days. He currently doesn’t face any charges, and admits he could have handled the situation a bit better.

I know the rules governing the airline class system are there for a reason, however I think in occasions like this, the rules can be twisted. I wonder how this scenario would play out in a one bathroom system that Ryanair is proposing?