I'd really be more concerned about what Delta's safety record is compared to other airlines. All seats are cramped in coach -- okay, American has added a few extra inches, but in general, all airline seats are cramped and uncomfortable. Food is generally lousy, and you get what you pay for. <BR><BR>Think of it this way, the IRS suggests a reimbursement to business travelers that use their cars at 36 cents per mile, or there abouts. When you fly, you're travelling at approximately 10 cents per mile, and that includes a meal, snack, unlimited alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages and free movies (when flying internationally). And besides, you are waited on and someone else is doing the driving.

scarlett doesn't fly Delta<BR>

The horrors of it all!! Delays of an hour or two, small seats, cramped legroom and gasp ... no individual TV screens. How did they survive the horror of it all???<BR><BR>How people can fly a couple of times on an airline and denouce the entire airline is beyond me. Do you not realize that delays can be caused by a multitude of causes including those that have nothing to do with the airline itself. I have been on a flight that was delayed because the passengers had brought so much crap on board that we had to wait to get it all stored. Maybe I should blame America West!!!!<BR><BR>If you can't handle life's little problems than don't travel. Travel much like life is not perfection.<BR><BR>Any flight that gets you from point A to point B in a safe manner is a good flight. GET A GRIP.<BR><BR>And for the goodness sake don't eat dinner at Tavern on the Green (see US postings) and check your coat. Now that's a nightmare!!!!

For kkj: Why is it that people who draft a post such as yours never give a real email address? Interesting!<BR>FYI - Have flown Delta seveal time and finally just reached the boiling point. Have not had similar experiences with other airlines. Re cramped legroom etc You must be one of those 5'5" folks who find the seats very comfortable - good for you, but for those of us on the tall side it is agony.<BR>A PS to my wifes sisters flight. Thought she was finally departing at 6:30 - no such luck, sshe did finally depart at 7:30 and was told she would not be going to San Diego but LA and ground transportation would be furnished to SD. NEVER NEVER AGAIN.

To kkj: Well I'm sorry it is "beyond you" to understand that someone can make 2 flights and "denounce an entire airline". How many trips should I make with them before I have the right to form an opinion? I have flown many other airlines - some I have liked much better than others - but I have never had the nightmare experiences I had with Delta. <BR><BR>And no, I was not rude. I know that every trip is made much easier by being as cordial as possible to all airline personnel. I will again say that they were the rudest people I have ever encountered.<BR><BR>I certainly understand flight delays and if that were the only problem I could easily overlook it. And I could understand if there was only one individual who had behaved badly. But unfortunately that was not my experience with Delta.

Terry, true, so true. For years, every time I've been stuck with Delta, I've asked myself, "When did they forget how to run an airline?" The first time was 10 years ago, and I've never had a good experience with them. Avoid Delta while you can - they may soon be our only choice in the south.

Having lived in Atlanta and having had to use Delta too much for my own good, I learned that DELTA stands for Don't Ever Leave the Airport. 'Nuff said.

When DL took over PanAm's European routes, they absorbed many of the PanAm cabin crews who initially thought their new employeer was great and indeed flying conditions improved over the PanAm days.<BR><BR>However, within a few years, the PA crews I knew - I was travelling to Europe ~10x/year back then - gradually disappeared and in their place came DL trained cabin nazis and their counterparts in the terminal.<BR><BR>I gave up on DL back in 98 and haven't regretted it for a moment.

Well.... being an Atlanta naitve I have flown Delta literally hundreds of times on business (Used to work for a Canadian company and cover whole U.S.) and since 1995 have flown them on 12 trans atlantic rt flights for personal traveling... maybe a couple of bad experiences in the 30+ years I've been flying them, but basically when I get on a Delta plane I feel I am "at home"!<BR><BR>You want a truly horrible experience? Fly Air France! 4 really bad trans atlantic flights (and in Business Class I might add!) and a "whole bunch" of horrible experiences on inter-european flights. To be perfectly honest, they don't seem to give a rat's ass whether they take off on time or not... or whether the flight gets cancelled or not... or whether they lose your luggage (twice)... or totally tear your luggage up (only once thank God!)<BR><BR>But then, of course they are French and do use CDG as a base so I suppose the rudeness, the lack of caring, and the lack of urgency concerning an on time schedule is to be expected ;&gt<BR><BR>Barry

Sorry that you had a bad experience with Delta. No one can satisfy all customers all of the time. ALL airlines have there share of good days and bad days, great flights, and not so great flights. <BR>As for me, I travel almost entirely on DL. Have for years. Have I had a few bad flights ...yep..Have I had a few late flights...yep..BUT...on balance and given as many flights as I have been on both domestically and internationally I would have to say that they do a dang good job of serving the needs of their customers. I for one am extrememly satisfied with DL. Just booked 3 different tickets a few minutes ago. And no I do not work for DL.

Just flew on Delta to Italy and back. Will never fly on Delta again unless it's business class. Not one of our flights EVER left on time. Our flight from Atlanta to Rome was the "Flight from Hell". First it left an hour and a half late because they had to wait for some folks that were late. My husband is 6'8",sons 6'5" and 6". They are not overweight,just tall. Do you think we could possibly get the bulkhead or exit rows, NO! But small children were sitting there. The policy is that no one under 15 can sit in the exit row. This was an older,smaller MD 11 and even I at 5'4" felt squished. My husband ended up standing for much of the 9 hour flight. On the way back we were assured, even at the gate that yes we had the exit row seats. But when we boarded we found that they had switched planes at the last minute and so that changed the seat assignments. So again my tall guys were so uncomfortable for hours. And again children were seated in the exit rows. And the flight attendants said there was nothing they could do. Never again!

We usually fly Delta. They are often a bit late, but probably not moreso than most airlines - especially these days. <BR>Last year we flew Swissair into Europe. They refuse to sit travelling parties together. Also, they always seat small children in the exit rows, then just before taxiing out, the fright attendants panic, suddenly realizing that the child is not supposed to sit there. This causes another delay whilst they find a person willing to switch. They also lost our luggage for 5 days. I think you can be in the wrong place at the wrong time for any airlines.

Gayle "Will never fly on Delta again unless it's business class. Not one of our flights EVER left on time."<BR><BR>Did the folk in business class get away on time? ;-)

Just joined the Delta Millionmile Club. Have had a few bad flights but overall Delta is my airline of choice!!

I fly Delta frequently, (though not quite exclusively), usually economy class, and find them to be generally as crappy as every other airline around(including international carriers). But certainly no worse than average, and not the authors of any of my all-time worst experiences. <BR><BR>We flew round trip Atlanta-Gatwick earlier this week and had no problems either way. Both flights left on time, and both arrived early (the return flight the obvious beneficiary of a particularly light headwind). Flight attendants pleasant and helpful, lots of water and other beverages on offer, food the usual dreck.<BR><BR>