If a “RAPID TRANSFER” tag helps my luggage make it on a tight connection, then I might start wearing one too.
When I saw a newspaper headline about Taco Bell customers purportedly getting “explosive diarrhea” from eating at this chain, I thought it would make for an excellent blog post about how it’s really bad PR for your restaurant to be mentioned in the same sentence with those words (regardless of whether or not it’s true).
It would have also included my commentary on how Taco Bell’s official company statement from its PR crisis communications team did little to defuse this crisis (it was very self-serving and hit 0% on the “we’re sorry” meter).
But Leticia strongly encouraged me to find something else to write about this week. So, scratch any mention of that topic this week.
Email Hacked
Then I thought I would write about my business email being hacked last week. The hacker not only emailed hundreds of my contacts a project request bid, but also set up an away-on-vacation auto-responder — as well as flooded my inbox with countless subscription notifications to various websites, newsletters, etc.
If you received such an email stating it was from me, it wasn’t. And don’t click on any links. Just delete it.
But that didn’t sound like a very intriguing topic since email accounts get hacked all the time. Suffice it to say it’s important to assure you have two-factor authentication set up on ALL your logins.
How Delta Dealt Us a Raw Deal
Instead, this week I’ll share my bad PR (or customer) experience with Delta Airlines.
My oldest granddaughter and I just returned from our annual Cousins Camp, this year held in northwest Arkansas.
The July 20 weather had caused widespread delays for many flights, including ours. Our flight was so delayed that we were going to miss our connecting flight in Atlanta by several hours.
So my daughter rebooked us on a 5:11 p.m. flight to Minneapolis. It would give us over an hour to catch the connecting flight to Cincinnati.
Not only was our departing flight delayed an hour, but the connecting flight also left five minutes early.
Now, how much sense does that make? We already had a tight connection.
The Race to the Gate
Even though Delta’s system had automatically rebooked us on the first flight out the next morning, my 7-year-old granddaughter and I ran all the way to our next gate with our carry-ons.
It must have been a mile away.
She never stopped. She really wanted to be reunited with her parents after being away for a week.
I was impressed, and it took all the endurance I had to keep up with her. I was slowed up a bit when my computer bag had become partially unzipped, and I had to stop and gather several items that had fallen out.
We were hopeful we could still make the flight.
When we arrived at the gate we saw our plane on the tarmac, but there were no attendants at the gate, and the door to the jet bridge was closed.
And the jet bridge was pulled away from the plane.
It was just heartbreaking to see her looking out that window, processing what was happening.
Like a good Nonno, I assured her it would all work out.
The Delta Dis-service Desk
Our next stop was the Delta Airlines service desk. I waited about 30 minutes before I was helped.
It was now about 10 p.m.
I was told that since the delay was weather-related, Delta would not take care of overnight accommodations or meals, but that we could submit receipts later via the website and they’ll likely reimburse us.
That meant we’d have to wake up about 4:30 a.m. to make it back to the airport on time.
After grabbing a quick bite to eat, we hopped on a shuttle to a nearby hotel, slept about five hours. We had to wake up at 4:30 to return to the airport.
My One Question for Delta
Maybe I don’t know enough about how the airline industry operates, but why couldn’t Delta hold our connecting flight for 15 minutes?
If you can delay a flight because of weather, certainly you can do likewise for passengers needing to catch a connecting flight — especially if it’s the last one of the night.
I don’t get it.
Luggage Over Passengers?
Even though my one checked suitcase was tagged “RAPID TRANSFER,” I was told I could pick it up at the Delta luggage office.
At the office, I was told it may take an hour for it to be retrieved.
But then, upon further research, I was told it actually made it on the connecting flight.
That was surprising.
Does that mean had we taped a “RAPID TRANSFER” tag to our foreheads, we could have made our connecting flight as well?
How in the world does luggage get preferential treatment over passengers?
I can’t figure that one out.
All I can say is it’s a good thing no Taco Bell was served on the flight.
The 3 Big Takeaways
- People should be prioritized before objects.
- Don’t even get me started on how much food costs at airports.
- When flying, always pack in your carry-on the essentials you’ll need for one day.
I bet you have airline customer experience stories. Do share!
Stay authentic… and on time!
Jeffery E. Pizzino, APR (seen here in a vintage photo circa 1983 serendipitously doing a Clash impersonation in a since-forgotten location) is a spin-free public relations pro who is passionate about telling the why of your story with clarity, impact and authenticity. He began his PR career in 1987 at Ketchum Public Relations in New York City but has spent the majority of his career as a solopreneur. He’s the Chief Authentic Officer of the Johnson City, TN-based public relations firm, AuthenticityPR. He also functions as the fractional CCO for his clients.
Jeff has an MBA in Management from Western International University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications — with an emphasis in PR — from Brigham Young University (rise and shout!). He’s also accredited in public relations (APR) and an adjunct media and communication faculty at East Tennessee State University. This Milwaukee, Wisconsin native holds an Italian citizenship and plans to live and work there someday. Jeff and his storyteller wife Leticia have four children and four grandchildren. In his extremely limited nonwork hours, he studies Italiano, practices guitar, write songs, gardens, works out, disc golfs, reads, listens to New Wave music, serves as an assistant communication director in his church, watches BYU football, enjoys watching the original Mission Impossible TV series, and plays board games (mostly Dominion and Seven Wonders). No, this guy’s never bored and looking for something to do. Email Jeff.
