A letter sent to Glenn Beck, Orbitz, Delta, CNN, Fox, MSNBC, Consumer Affairs and many more!

How could anyone treat our soldiers this way?

04/20/09

A Marine stranded and alone by Orbitz and Delta

My son is in the Marines, stationed in Hawaii. He was in desert training in CA for six weeks and asked me to purchase flights home – as he was being deployed early upon his return on 04/18/09.

He is being deployed early on 05/15/09 - to Afghanistan, they only gave him seven days leave, 04/20/09 to 04/27/09, instead of four weeks. This meant four days of flight time and three days to visit.

On 04/04/09 I purchased his tickets and heard nothing more from Orbitz. On 04/14/09, I logged in and followed the internet instructions with regards to tickets. I left an online request for information, again on 04/17/09 – with no response. Finally I called them on 04/18/09 and was told all he needed was the confirmation e-mail I received and they would issue him tickets at the gate.

My son called me on 04/18/09, the evening of his return to Hawaii, I gave him the information and contact numbers for both Orbitz and Delta. He called me back and said he called Delta and they said they would issue him tickets at the counter. Basically Oribtz and Delta re-assured us he would be ok.

He showed up on the 04/19/09 at the Delta counter and they said there was NOTHING they could do but sell him new tickets at 1000.00+ dollars. He and I both called Orbitz and they said take the confirmation e-mail to Delta and they would resolve it. When he returned to the Delta counter, they refused to accept it. On a return call to Orbitz, a supervisor said there was nothing further they could do, except purchase new tickets, again at 1000.00+ dollars.

He instructed me to cancel the tickets and several of his friends would try to gather up enough money for a flight home, but this would reduce his visit to one or two days.

All the while worrying about getting home in a 12 hour period after returning from a six week field training period – nothing can be done.

Needless to say, the panic and pure disappointment in his voice was something no father should hear or soldier should experience.

I am working towards resolving this matter by any means possible, but since when do we treat our soldiers like common baggage.

We may not get to see him before he leaves, if he is injured or worse – killed, what reason could warrant the actions of Orbitz or Delta.

An excerpt from my last message to Orbitz.

Shame on you folks - my son is supposed to be on a flight tomorrow a 7 day leave with 4 on flights and then off to Afghanistan. I purchased the tickets, emailed twice last week and called this evening trying to make sure he could be taken care of and you can do nothing for him. He was in training for the last 6 weeks with no contact to the outside world and this is his only chance to get home before being shipped off - again - shame on you folks. I will do my best to spread this story to anyone that will listen!

I am uncertain what good this letter will do, but I must shout to the world somehow – how can you treat our soldiers this way.

I have since found him a flight, he lost two days of precious hard earned leave, but he will be home for three days.

He spent hours on hold, overseas call centers, dropped calls, one pointing the finger to the other. His voice choked with emotions wondering how he could be treated this way after pushing through the flu and injuries sustained in desert training, simple meds but no relief, never complaining. As he said, "Dad, don't worry about me, I am fine, I am doing this for you, Jess, Scotty and the rest of America - I don't want to be anything else but be a Marine.". But in my mind, I could see my son, feeling as though a child being punished for something he didn't do.

I have heard NOTHING from Orbitz or Delta while I filled out every customer form available!