What’s the deal with airplane food? I wouldn’t know, because like thousands of other holiday travelers, my flight was canceled due to inclement weather in the DC area. It has been canceled, in fact, three times already. I was supposed to be “home” (home being in quotes as I’ve never actually lived there) on Saturday, but won’t now be there until Tuesday afternoon (weather permitting, of course).
I’ve been calm, cool, and collected the whole time…likely due to the fact that I’ve learned of the cancellations and rescheduled from the comfort of my own living room as opposed to at the ticket counter in a frenetic airport…and I don’t want to make a fuss, but, shouldn’t I be getting some kind of discount or future voucher of some kind?
I know you can’t control the weather. Where “you” is everyone in existence and in particular any representative of Delta Airlines…BUT, Delta is a business who makes a contract with its customers that says, “Hey, I’ll get you from here to there, safely, and on time.” And, by being in said business they take on the risk and responsibility of their planes breaking down, or their captains being too drunk to fly, or of weather changing the plan. It’s up to them to get me there on time, safely, and with a reasonably good attitude.
I work in consumer electronics and when we make a commitment to our customers (say Best Buy for instance) if we don’t meet those commitments we get penalized. “Oh no! China was closed for New Years and you couldn’t make me my 10,000 widgets in time? That’s terrible…PAY ME!”
So should Delta reward me for them not delivering on their commitment. Does this not make sense?
In all likelihood, when I make a stink about this at the airport (assuming I ever get a confirmed flight), the representative will fold immediately and give me something…but should I really have to ask?