trixi

Flying Delta, jfk to vce and wonder if us poor people in the cattle ca.. oops, I mean coach get blankets, pillows and that cute bag with socks, toothbrush, eyemask?

How is the food? I bring water and light snacks but wonder if I should add more food? Say it isn't so? Is it true that I have to pay for wine and the earphones?

dj917

Don't forget your seat!!!

P_M

And don't forget your oxygen tank. If cabin pressure gets low, it's only First Class that gets oxygen.

Oh, and make sure you bring a seat with a cushion that works as a flotation device.

Postal

I flew from Orlando to Rome and back last month on Delta, and yes, it was terrible. You pay for any liquor but not for movies. You get a blanket and pillow but that's it. The food was terrible going over but better coming back. Both flights were overbooked and jammed. On the return flight, which was 13 hours long after a two hour wait to leave (while sitting in the plane at the gate), the people in coach (184 of us) were told we could only use the aft lavatories, not the ones near first class as we were allowed on the way over. One of the aft lavatories broke a few hours into the trip, and then we were down to only two for 184 passengers. Then they announced that "for security reasons," no passenger could wait near the galley. One flight attendant actually told me twice that I couldn't wait for a bathroom!

The return flight was truly the worst I've ever taken and I sent a written complaint to Delta - with the flight attendant's name on it - but I never even received an answer.

Guess they're not too worried about keeping customers.

P_M

Postal, that's awful, sorry you had such a bad experience.

I haven't flown Delta since way before 9/11, but it sounds like the amenities on Delta are no different from any other US based carrier these days. But trixi, look at it this way--you're still going on a trip, and that's something to be excited about!!

barbmike

NO !!!

peppermintpatti

RATS!!!! I am flying Delta in 3 weeks! Someone, anyone, PLEASE tell me somethin good!!!

HeatherMG

Me, too! Flying Delta in a month JFK to Manchester and dreading it. We usually fly United, but this was so much cheaper...I kind of wish I hadn't read about the cute bag with the eyemask and socks...I wouldn't have known what I was missing!

LoveItaly

The good news..Postal obviously arrived in Italy and arrived home again all in one piece. I swear that is all one can expect from airlines nowadays!!

ILUVPARIS

Sorry but another Delta horror story!

We flew Delta 3 weeks ago from BOS-JFK, then Air France from JFK to Paris. First, I was just so grateful that they weren't on strike. I never imagined that anything could go wrong since that was my biggest fear.

The agent who checked us in when we arrived in Boston actually CANCELLED our reservation on Air France from JFK to Paris!

I called Delta the week prior to our departure date to confirm the seat assignments we had on the JFK to Paris. Air France told us that we had to do this w/Delta because it was a codeshare flight on Delta. I spent a half hour on hold w/Delta and the agent confirmed the seating we had originally requested (aisle & window). When we checked-in in Boston we were told there were no prior seat assignments and all she could issue were center seats. I knew enough to take them--thank God I did! She then told me to try changing our seats when we got to JFK. So, when we tried to change at JFK the Air France agent told us that we didn't have seats at all (even though we were holding boarding passes for the center section) and infact, our reservation had been cancelled. After 1 hour 45 minutes, the agent reinstated our reservation and finally got us seats. We were literally the last people to get on the plane before the door was shut! For the first time ever, I can't tell you how grateful I was to have a 2 1/2 hour layover!

The flight home was the same situation, I had seat assignments issued by Delta but when we checked in for our Air France flight, no seat assignments what-so-ever.

Not a big fan of Delta these days. Oh, and just try to book a Frequent Flyer ticket on them. Do they EVER have flights to offer to ANY destination??? I've tried both Domestic and International. The one and only time I even got close, the agent had found me flight (I swear I'm not making this up) to Nice with literally 4 connections. BOS-ATL-AMS-MXP-NCE. No one in their right mind would do such a thing! I swear they do it just to p*ss you off! I think total flight time for that flight was 15 hours. Seriously, I work with people who fly all the time and I've never talked to anyone who's been able to secure a reasonable flight using Skymiles. It's absurd! You can call 331 days in advance right at midnight and you still won't get anything!

I know all airlines have their issues but I'll take AA anyday!

IrishEyes

I fly Delta frequently internationally. Sometimes it is business with the champagne, blankets, pillows and the cute bag with goodies and the best lip balm ever. Sometimes it is coach without the free liquor, the bag and blanket.

Food is typical airline food in either cabin. In coach you must pay for wine but not earphones. There is a movie (or two) on the overhead screen but no choices like business. Seats in coach weren't too bad but the flights were not full. I actually don't find the seats in business very comfortable but there is a foot rest that pops out slightly to make it seem like a recliner. United is much better with seat comfort.

What I really HATE about Delta's new planes is no air. Well you don't turn blue but there are no individual air vents. There is cool air milling around near the ceiling (I could feel it when on tiptoes putting up my suitcase) but it can get really hot and stuffy down where real humans are sitting. On a full flight it is very uncomfortable not to have an air vent. The flight attendents set the temp and if they like it warm, break out the swimsuit. If you complain they may make it one degree cooler. Next time I am taking one of those battery operated fans so I can at least move the hot air around. Now, if only we could open a window! That's really my only Delta gripe.

knoxvillecouple

Sorry to see these bad experiences. Ours have been good for the most part. Two years in a row now we've used FF miles to get business/first class seats from Knoxville to Rome and back (2005) and to Venice and back from Barcelona (2006 - actuallly in about a month). In neither case did I obsess about doing the 331 day shuffle (maybe 240 days?), and in both cases I found a reservationist who would simply work and work and work to get us our flights/reservations.

Our only problem last year was that Air France, the Delta codeshare, put me in first class and the DW in business - there were no more seats available in 1st class (despite what our reservation said), so I gave up my seat in order to sit with my DW in business. On the other hand, we made our flight back home with connection at CDG with maybe 3 minutes to spare, so who's complaining.

KC

Intrepid1

Is it true that Delta will soon try out pay toilets in coach?

wally34949

Check the type of aircraft Delta is using. It is probably a 767, which means all you get is a blanket, pillow and earphone. (heard American Airlines were charging for the earphones now).

No individual television monitor, just a projection in the front of the cabin and they played a lot of commercials. Wine, Beer and spirits were $5.00. For breakfast, expect bread and coffee. The headrests looked so dirty, I thought of little creepy things climbing in my hair.

padams421

We're flying Atl-Cop next month in coach. Not looking forward to it but we are using FF points.

ellenem

I flew the JFK-VCE Delta flight last month. It was a 767, with only large screens, no private monitors in coach. Free headphones which you are encouraged to take with you for other purposes (Mine worked great for my friend's iMac). Blankets and pillows, no other goodies. I like the 767 for its 2-3-2 seating--traveling pairs need not share a side row with an extra third person.

Legroom? No better or worse than any other coach carrier. . .

Food? I don't fly to dine well; I fly to get someplace to dine well. It was not inedible, just so-so. Alcohol? I never drink alcohol on a flight in any case, but if you wanted it you had to pay. (I really don't get why people get so upset that they might starve on an 8- to 9-hour flight. . . )

One thing I appreciated: there was an extra beverage service during the return flight during those doldrum hours.

I think all major US carriers are about the same and that some flights go well and some horribly--there's no way to predict.

SuzieC

USAir charges for liquor and head phones. We flew to Germany - and the attendant announced that wine or liquor was 5 Dollars or 5 Euros...gee...which one should I have used?

peppermintpatti

Alitalia served us free wine and beer on a flight to and from Italy 3 years ago, but I have heard alot of negative comments from people about them. I guess you can take it better with a few down the hatch!! hee hee

Luisah

<<Flying Delta, jfk to vce and wonder if us poor people in the cattle ca.. oops, I mean coach get blankets, pillows and that cute bag with socks, toothbrush, eyemask?>>

I've been flying Delta for years and never got the "cute bag" when flying coach. However, they used to give eye masks and ear phones. I guess you'll have to bring your own eye mask if you want one.

UNCalum

My last flight to Europe on Delta was a nightmare. We were given only some headphones, a pillow, and a questionably clean blanket. Fortunately, the blanket was not needed as the cabin temperature was in the tropical range. For that matter, the headphones were not needed either since no in-flight movie could be shown because of computer problems. The food was not very good, but its service at least gave us something to do. If you can avoid Delta, it might be a good idea.