I have two complaints concerning Delta airlines. Both occurred on the same trip. My first complaint is concerning Delta Airlines was on July 26, 2006. Upon arriving to Seattle on flight 1115, it took 1 hour and 45 minutes to get our luggage. We were repeatedly told over the speaker that the luggage would arrive momentarily and directed to a new baggage claim unit. One person was told by an airport employee that four cars of luggage had just been sitting without anyone unloading. Another delta flight arrived after ours and received their luggage 45 minutes before us.

We traveled as early as we did that day so that we could visit Mt. Rainer while on that end of Seattle. By the time we got our luggage, the time needed to make such a trip was lost. Delta's employee encouraged me to call 18002211212 as he noted that this incident was “ridiculous and needed to be reported.” When I spoke to your representative via telephone, I was told that such a wait time was “acceptable.” I hope the appropriate people at Delta disagree with her assessment.

My second complaint concerning Delta Airlines was on Aug. 1, 2006 and stretched well into Aug. 2, 2006. Delta actually added a stop to our flight home at the last minute. We were to go directly from Atlanta to Raleigh on flight 1110. At the last moment before boarding, we were informed that we would be making an extra stop in Greensboro, NC to drop off a group of teenagers. We did make such an extra stop. That is not the service I paid for. I paid for a direct flight and that is not what I received.

Since we were traveling with young children, the delays caused by Delta's choice of added stops created great hardship on our children who were not fed properly and were kept up past bed time far exceeding even the Pacific time zone.

Michelle Schrader with customer care returned a polite but completely dismissive letter to me on Aug. 24, 2006. No compensation of any sort was made.

My family has made numerous flights subsequent to the events of late July. WE DID NOT FLY WITH DELTA, AND WILL NOT AGAIN UNTIL COMPENSATION IS MADE. The experience was entirely too ridiculous and unprofessional. I have often wondered why Southwest is making money and Delta is often rumored in bankruptcy. I now know why.