Many of you have expressed concern about a Washington Post blog account about a Marine who had a negative experience on a recent Delta flight. We too are unsettled by this incident.
We attempted to reach the customer as soon as we became aware of the situation, but so far have been unsuccessful in speaking with him directly.
An internal review is already underway to understand what occurred and take appropriate action. What is clear is that we did not care for this customer the way we should have. This incident doesn’t reflect the care with which Delta people serve our customers every day, and it doesn’t reflect the high regard we hold for those who do and have served our country.
We have the utmost respect and admiration for our active duty military and veterans who make tremendous sacrifices to protect and sustain the freedoms we enjoy every day; and our Delta team is typically very good at showing their respect through various means of recognition. Unfortunately, we failed in this situation. We strive to exceed expectations with every customer, and particularly regret when we fail a member of the military or person with a disability. We are taking this isolated situation very seriously and doing what we can to make it right with the customer.
Our efforts to do better for our customers are constant, but incidents like this one always make us pause to revisit service standards. We are doing that now; and will make this as right as we can for this customer, which will help to prevent situations like this in the future.
Thanks for voicing your concerns,
Allison Ausband, vice president – Customer Care
December 14th, 2012 at 8:52 pm
This is corporate mumbo-jumbo – please spare us, Allison. A lot of us veterans are VERY upset with Delta right now. I don’t think we’ll be taking your airline anywhere at any time in the future.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:57 pm
“isolated situation” – really? All other airlines let troops returning from a combat zone travel with as much ease as they can – Delta was charging for extra baggage. You screwed up royally, admit it, fire some people, and give this soldier free flights for life on another airline. I am one of those veterans who will make sure all of my family, friends and total strangers are aware of this “situation”, as you put it, and strongly encourage them to fly another airline. Even if it costs more, I for one will gladly pay the extra price to make sure I am paying an airline that makes sure our service members are treated with respect. Even though I am Army – Semper Fi to this soldier, something Delta has no idea what this means.
December 15th, 2012 at 1:48 am
[...] Friday, Allison Ausband, Delta vice president for customer care, used a company blog to offer Brown a dual mea culpa and an olive branch after he swore he’d never fly the [...]
December 15th, 2012 at 8:59 am
All evidence of Delta caring to the contrary: The Captain, the First Officer, the flight attendants. If Delta was serious it would give this Marine a lifetime First Class pass on any Delta flight.
December 15th, 2012 at 1:52 pm
[...] Friday, Allison Ausband, Delta vice president for customer care, used a company blog to offer Brown a dual mea culpa and an olive branch after he swore he’d never fly the airline [...]
December 15th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
The Delta response on this matter is entirely inadequate. The conduct of the aircrew was clearly unpatriotic. The persons responsible for this must be discharged. Delta must make provisions for proper treatment of injured individuals part of its normal proceedures.
Veterans, especially those who have given so much for their counrty, warrant our most profound respect. If Delta intends to operate in American airspace, Delta must show real patriotism.
Respectfully,
R. Gummere
December 15th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
…”We attempted to reach the customer as soon as we became aware of the situation, but so far have been unsuccessful in speaking with him directly.”…
What is a matter with you people?
Create a SkyMiles account for him (you have all the data you need on every passenger already, remember?), load it up with a couple hundred thousand miles (as in 200,000), get his home address (you have that too), pick out a Delta management person (maybe one that’s a Veteran so you don’t blow this again) AND HAND DELIVER IT TO HIM!!!!
What in the h*ll do they teach in business school these days Miss?
December 15th, 2012 at 6:51 pm
This is appalling. There isn’t an excuse nor justification. How could a corporation do this to a wounded veteran. For the sake of humanity, I really hope you go above and beyond for this man. How could your staff make a veteran cry. Heartbreaking, uncompassionate & ungrateful for his service. How could they?
December 16th, 2012 at 12:52 pm
Allison,
Thank you for providing more information on this story, please continue to update as soon as possible. I must say though I find it hard to fathom how after two days Delta Airlines cannot speak directly with Lance Cpl. Christian Brown. There are many ways of communicating these days, including in person, if the situation warrants it.
Knowing that the holiday season is about to begin in earnest, I imagine that a weeks’ time is sufficient to get the entire story out. If of course customer relations are as important as Delta claims, both sides of the story and any remediation if needed can be provided by Wednesday (19 December 2012).
Please know that I am reserving any conclusion until hearing what both sides have to say. I do find it difficult to believe that any other findings will be made contrary to the first-hand account provided by Col. Nickey Knighton.
After flying Delta for as long as I can remember, it would be difficult for me to forgo history and chose another airline to fly me. But I will. I will not stand idle and do nothing when one of my brothers or sisters in arms is so gregariously humiliated if such a case did occur.
Patiently waiting,
Steven Townsend
December 16th, 2012 at 1:55 pm
I’ll be somewhat satisfied with a personal, sincere apology directly from that entire flight crew to this veteran who was treated with such disrespect. He deserves a public apology directly from them. You won’t win me back, but you may win some people back with that.
The public deserves to see this apology because of the upset is has caused citizens this Country, especially the ones who gave so much to defend its existence, and the freedoms we all, including you and that flight crew, enjoy.
December 17th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
Ms. Ausband, Because your airline is the current “awarded” vendor for my company, I have no choice but to fly with Delta for business. Your statement above “This incident doesn’t reflect the care with which Delta people serve our customers every day” is not accurate. I have seen on several occassions where your flight crew unprofessionally treated customers with disdain and disrespect. I suggest you take the time to anonymously ride on a few flights in coach to see for yourself.
December 17th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
I am appalled at reading about Marine CPL Christian Brown, of Mumford, TN.
As a small business owner, I certainly understand that this type of situation can and will pop up from time to time, especially dealing with actions of your employees.
If Delta IS the Airlines of the United States of America, I think there should be a special upgrade policy for anyone who has served in the Military, when 1st class seats are available. It should be automatic if they are in Uniform to 1st class seats that are unused.
I hope you contact CPL Brown personally and extend your apology directly to him.
He’s a HERO to the people of USA, to Delta and to me.
December 18th, 2012 at 10:00 am
[...] Delta Airlines official conceded Friday that “we failed” Marine Cpl. Christian Brown, the double amputee prevented by a flight crew [...]
December 18th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
I flew Delta almost exclusively during my days with a manufacturing company. When I graduated college Delta was a Southern Airline who unabashedly offered Southern hospitality. They only offered Coca-Cola products (no Pepsi thank you) and smiled graciously while serving their customers all during the day and late into the evening. In my observation after acquiring Northwest Airlines (we in the air travel circles referred to them as Northworst), they began to assimilate their acquired partner’s well known arrogant flight attendant ways, and the former benchmark smile and Southern hospitality began to quickly to fade away. In return (it seemed to me) the flying public reciprocated by treating the airline employees with same lack of respect, and public temper tantrums on planes and at ticket counters became far more common. The nearly non-existent customer service these days combined with the increased security screening protocols, added to the delayed and/or cancelled arrival and departure times, makes flying the dreaded chore that it is today. This recent display of disrespect for wounded warriors just adds insult to injury.
December 23rd, 2012 at 4:39 pm
[...] the airline issued a response: Allison Ausband, Delta vice president for customer care, used a company blog to offer Brown a dual mea culpa and an olive branch after he swore he’d never fly the airline [...]
December 26th, 2012 at 10:04 pm
Dear Ms. Ausband,
As a traveler on Delta Airlines and having a major Hub in the Minneapolis St. Paul area I’m greatly distressed in the lack of professionalism from your subordinates. I just think if my son who is also in the military/Navy were treated in that fashion I would be taking him and his whelchair to the front of the local media outlet and professing how disingenious Delta airlines is with their service. This act by your staff is unconscionable. I would suggest a more approriate response and soon. Maybe we should share the information where it would hit home in your backyard.
Father of a Naval Aviator
December 30th, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Dear Allison:
Please change your job title to: Allison Ausband, P.R. Stooge
What bs.
Its bad enough that Delta every year is voted the worst run airline on planet earth.
Its bad enough that your airline routinely screws its customers with flight delays, fee overcharges, rude service, overbooking, lost luggage and dirty planes.
This is the absolute lowest of the low, you have outdone yourself. I am sure Allison that you wont read this or if you do you will laugh about it, but here is what I am going to do.
I am going to contact ths soldier and recommend he hire a top shelf attorney to sue Delta for intentional infliction of emotional distress. I will advise him that his attorney should not settle the case but rather insist on daily press conferences and a full blown trial before a jury.
How do you think your airline will fare before 12 jurors eh? I’ll tell you. Millions in damages and they will make an example of you as they should
Your letter is pure pr bs and nobody buys it, not the soldier, not the military, not the American people, not even your dog. PR Buuuuuuuuuuuuuulsht.
You should be ashamed of yoursell for being such a disingenuous flunky. I am sure your mother is.
Bottom line: Delta sucks and so do you.
neverflydeltagain
January 2nd, 2013 at 11:11 pm
Dear Ms. Ausband-
I read your remarks regarding the treatment of the disabled United States Marine Veteran on the Delta Airlines Blog. Further, I read the comments from Delta Airline customers. I ask, is that it? Is this case closed in your mind? I cannot believe you and your associate’s lack of respect for our country’s Veterans. You left your phone number for him to call you back? Marine CPL Christian Brown; of Mumford, TN has far more class and integrity than Delta Airlines Employees collectively. He probably won’t be calling you back.
January 14th, 2013 at 8:06 pm
It all comes down to Delta management issues.
Cabin crew, pilots, ground crew, etc., work very hard to keep management happy (and keep management bloated salaries paid). But management pushes employees to impossible levels of stress. In this case, a crew focused on management pressing for on-time flight schedules unfortunately lost the human touch that I so often encounter with them, again no thanks to inhuman policies pushed down from above.
Delta is actually rated highly by organizations like J.D. Power, again due to the incredible efforts of the folks one encounters in the people-to-people positions. Then we have to endure a smarmy “welcome” from Richard Anderson as a lead-in to the pre-recorded safety information, something that does little more than turn people’s attention off and perhaps result in the safety video not taken seriously. (You do realize that Anderson makes well over 200 times the income of just about anyone and everyone you encounter at Delta, right? It takes the fares paid by 30,000+ passengers at $300 each just to pay him.)
So, it’s very regrettable that the crew was so blind to the Marine’s needs and customer offers to move. Just don’t stop at the crew, look upstream to management policies and blindness to human need in an effort to monetize anything that’s nailed down or not.
January 15th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
Have there been any other efforts made by Delta to rectify this deplorable treatment of one of America’s protectors? Unfortunately, despite Delta’s failure to show appreciation and protect CPL Christian Brown’s dignity in return, Allison and the rest of the Delta clowns on the flight that day still enjoy the freedom Marine CPL Christian Brown and many other service members fought so hard to secure. Do you really believe that leaving a phone number for him to call is the proper way to go about this? What is it that he should say if he were to call you back? This is a subpar effort from subpar people who rather than going out of their way to make this obviously ill first-class war hero comfortable, force him to endure humiliation and physical distress to the point of tears. Shame on you Delta, and especially you Allison for thinking that leaving your phone number for him to call you back is sufficient. That’s absurd!
February 1st, 2013 at 6:39 pm
“our Delta team is typically very good at showing their respect through various means of recognition” — Really? How come Delta is the ONLY major US airline that DOES NOT allow uniformed military personnel to fly same-day stand-by??? Based on my experiences, from policies to employees, Delta is the least military-friendly airline.