Delta, You Are Full Of Surprises.

Dear Delta,

I didn't think that you, the usual cause of unexpected airport hotel stays and sprints through ATL, had room in your sleeves for anymore tricks.  Today you proved me wrong.

I called you, credit card and sick baby in hand, to move our flight so that the next chapter in my flying guide wouldn't be "Flying 1500 Miles with a 102 Degree Fever?  No problem!"  I decided that $150 was a small price to pay for keeping this from my growing list of travel adventures.

In an admittedly authoritarian tone I told your customer service rep that I did not expect to be charged the change fee because my baby was simply too sick for a plane.  I viewed this as a futile endeavor, necessary only to maintain my self-respect.

After a few minutes the fee was waived.  My jaw hit my feverish boy's forehead.

Before Mom Sabbatical, I traveled once a week, changed flights almost as frequently, and NEVER got out of the change fee.  Travel rage was your only freebie.

Here's the thing, guys.  I get it.  I used to work for a "heritage" brand where we watched the JetBlues and Southwests of our industry with envy.  They were smaller, hipper, and less bureaucratic.  Customers loved them but we saw them as minor annoyances and deemed ourselves too big to fail.  Without a paycheck to cloud my thinking, I am fairly certain the old brand will fail.  

See the analogy?

Today, however, I saw a glimmer of hope for you.  With an inexpensive gesture, you wiped away years months of Delta ill-will.  Was it so hard?

If you can, find the customer service rep who helped me and congratulate her on a job well done.  She told me she might get in trouble.  Wouldn't it be nice if she got a congratulatory call from someone important instead?

In return, I may change the way I have you listed in my phone.

First name: Delta
Last name: Shouldn't Be In Business
What I See On My Phone When I Call: Delta Shouldn't Be In Business

While this ALWAYS makes me laugh when I call from the Tarmac about a flight I am about to miss, I felt bad about it today.

Ok, not too bad.  I still laughed.  We've got a ways to go before that changes.  Good luck!

Sincerely,
annie (former super-duper mile earner turned Mom)