CANCUN HURRICANE and Delta airlines and Expedia.com?

Question

I spent my entire weekend getting the run around from each of these companies. Each person I spoke with gave me a different option. And one even said that the other didn't know what they were talking about. So after being on hold for most of the weekend, and being told by expedia I could not cancel until 2 hours BEFORE the plane was to take off I was a bit upset. Because the Hurricane was all over the news. I finally called Delta back and asked for a Supervisor. They put me on hold for OVER AN HOUR! They still flew as of yesterday (Aug 19th). Did anyone else experience this? Is it common for an airline to still fly people during these kinds of conditions. Because they refused to cancel the flight, I now have a voucher with this airline. But I am so angry that I have no desire to travel with them, especially after being put on hold for over an hour to speak to a supervisor.

Answer 1

Airlines are notoriously bad about handling this kind of thing.  Not just Delta or Northwest - all of them. It represents a huge loss to them.

Cancellation insurance will help, otherwise you just have to wait until the last minute or you won't get satisfaction.

Answer 2

We just got back from Jamaica, and had the very same thing basically happen with NWA - although they did not offer even a voucher.

You were lucky.  The airlines were of no help IN JAMAICA, most were on hold this long, and kept losing cell signals and overloaded hotel phones, the whole time the hotel was telling us the airport was closed (sat morning) when it wasnt.

All the airlines had in an EMERGENCY/EVACUATION was their general 1-800 numbers.  They wouldnt give out anything else.  The reason people didnt get out was because they couldnt get thru and the airlines did not do anything until the hurricane in Jamaica became a WARNING Sat am there.

Currently writing up letters now to them, and news orgs.

Answer 3

We had reservations there for Friday departure but we used a wonderful travel agent who sold us Trip cancellation Insurance and called to advise us of the impending hurricane.  Rather than sit on hold for an hour waiting to speak to someone, he called us.  That is one of the many benefits of dealing with a person called a Travel Agent versus booking with Expedia.  I tried them once and had nothing but problems and time consumption.

We have canceled our trip there and we are going to Hawaii so watch there will be another one there now!  lol  It cost us nothing as he got all the cancellations fees waived and he was the one who called us!  

I would not let an experience like you had ruin your vacation though.  Silly not to use the vouchers because you were inconvenienced for an hour.  That is spiting only you.  Understand they are dealing with an ongoing emergency of an unknown nature.  This is life threatening your hour was not other than high blood pressure.

Try to understand the circumstances and realize that at least you got a voucher from them. Better than nothing and far better than being in harms way.  I have been there before when there was a similar thing and it was no fun standing at that airport for a day.  Far better than going through a hurricane for even an hour especially a cat 5, much less Cancun.

Just wait it out and don't let this or anything ruin your precious vacation.