[glencorgi]

I am going to repeat what I said at the end of the last post:
This happened on one of the best airlines to fly pets and keep in mind it was one ticket counter in one airport the airline served, so a blanket indictment of the airline is not called for. Plus this happened months back, so not something to incite anyone to go on a rampage about, it has been handled. Puppy, it was not a corgi puppy, is fine and was placed in a home more local.

Subject: Major airline screw up

Last Friday had to be one of the very most frustrating days of my entire
life.* Never have I encountered , all at once, such a group of
un-co-operative
uncaring people all working at the same company.* The company is Delta
Airlines.

Looking back, I should have realized that something was different.* I have
shipped puppies with Delta for over 30 years.* This time, when I called the
Pets
First desk to make the reservation, at about 6 am one morning I got a
recording telling me that it was closed and that I should call back during
office
hours.* The recording did not say what those office hours were.

When I finally did get through to them later in the day after being on hold
"waiting for the next available representative" for 25 minutes I made a
reservation for last Friday, Feb. 3, 2006 for a puppy to go "Pets First"
from Ft.
Myers FL to Bloomington , Illinois, with a change of planes in Atlanta.* I
specifically asked them to check that the planes were big enough for a 200
crate,
and was assured that both were full size Delta jets.*

I went up to the airport cargo on Thurs. Feb. 2 to do the paper work ,
surrender the health certificates, etc. since the flight was at 6:55 on
Friday
morning and this would simplify .* On Friday morning, I took puppy , crate,
newspaper, towel, stuffed toy, baby blanket, an unopened bottle of water ,
dry food
in a zip lock bag, and plastic dishes attached to the door of the shipping
crate.* Every inch of the crate and all items were examined, approved , and
placed
in or taped to the crate.* This was at 5:30 in the morning.

My name and number, owner to be's name and number , were on at least 3
pieces
of paperwork attached to the crate.* My name, address, and telephone number
are on the crate side in black laundry marker.

Puppy was to arrive in Bloomington at 11:30.** At that time the new owner
called me.* The puppy was not on the plane. She was frantic.* No one had
called
either of us.* The airline did not know where he was.* An hour later he was
located in Atlanta.* They informed us that he was not on the plane because
they
had used a different plane that did not allow dogs.* So they just let him
sit
there.* THEY NEVER CALLED TO LET US KNOW!.

No other flight with appropriate plane was scheduled that day.* It was then
arranged that he would fly (at 2:40 pm) to Peoria, Illinois and arrive there
at
3:20 (change of time zones) .* OK - things happen.* Not happy, but puppy
would get there and new owner would drive to get him in Peoria.* Then 3:20
arrived, so did the plane, and THE PUPPY WAS NOT ON THE PLANE.*** THEY NEVER
CALLED
EITHER ONE OF US TO SAY THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ON THE PLANE.* I had called the

Pet First Desk and been on hold for 60 minutes one time before giving up and
50
minutes another to make sure he was on the plane and never contacted a real
person.* The tracking site on the Delta web site would not show anything.* A

real person told us later that they DO NOT TRACK DOG SHIPMENTS, ONLY PLANES.

It took two hours for them to find him, still at the Atlanta airport.* I was

FRANTIC - I am 10 hours away from Atlanta.** The new owner (at the airport
in
Peoria) was frantic.* Once they located him ( I am going," has he been out
to
potty, has he got water, was he offered food?" - oh yes, he is fine, right
here in front of me wagging tail)

Arrangements made to put him on a plane at 8:40 pm.* Got through to the pet
desk at 9:00 - NO - THE PUPPY WAS NOT ON THAT FLIGHT - HE WAS STILL IN
ATLANTA.
Told to call a "logistics" number I found that he had not been put on that
flight because it was carrying dry ice.* BUT THEY NEVER CALLED EITHER OF US
TO
TELL US-------------WHY WHY WHY------------silence.* Now, they told me, he
would have to go to a kennel as they couldn't keep him at the airport for
over
four hours.* I am to the screaming stage - he has already BEEN at the
D------
airport for over 12 hours. Is the puppy OK , is he dehydrated?** Has he been

allowed out of the crate, does he have water?** Puppy, they said , is fine.
Will
go to a kennel.* I will be billed.* They have no idea when puppy will fly to

Illinois.* ALSO TELL ME NOW THAT HE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN SHIPPED OUT
WITHOUT
A FAX FROM ME CHANGING HIS DESTINATION.* NEVER EVER MENTIONED THIS BEFORE
ALL
DAY LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I tell them to hold* - using cell phone I call Kitty Cahoon who is at dog
shows in Atlanta.* Kitty immediately agrees to go and get the puppy - I
convey
this to the idiot that I am talking to who then transfers me to another
idiot
who says that they won't release the puppy to anyone without a FAX.* I stop
trying to reason with them and scream that it is now 11:30 at night and I
don't
have a bloody FAX machine.* No budging them.* A rule.* A contract that I
signed
that morning giving them jurisdiction over the puppy.* I tell them that the
contract has already been broken by THEM - that it was to deliver the puppy
to
Bloomington 12 hours earlier.* I finally told them I would find a FAX
machine
if I had to drive 100 miles to do that - to not send the dog to a kennel.* I
am
terrified that I will never see this puppy alive again.* Finally my daughter

gets hold of someone in the newpaper office that she knows and a FAX is
sent.*
Kitty picks up the puppy.* He is, thank God, alive.* He is also dehydrated,
un- watered, un- fed* and in a kennel with urine and stool, dirty paper,
bedding , and toys.* To her it seems he has never been taken out or fed or
watered.*
In that shipping crate for 18 hours. They go back to the show grounds to
her
RV and I sink to the floor crying and threatening to sue Delta for the
inhumane and callous way they have managed to lose this pup and cause trauma
to us
all.

This is Sunday.* Puppy was not in good enough shape to try to fly him
yesterday.* Fluids have helped and he is now back to acting good.* Delta
wants to
"start over" to get him to Peoria.* They also want me to pay another $200 to
do
so.* Guess what - I have called my credit card company and that charge
already
there will be disputed until the day I die.* I WILL NEVER USE DELTA TO SHIP
A
PUPPY AGAIN.* I will tell everyone I know of the horrible way we were
treated.
I will contact every Delta official that I can get a name/address for.* Any

other suggestions?* I WILL FOLLOW THROUGH.**

All through this whole thing not one employee of Delta ever apologised for
the problems.* Not once did anyone, except for one ticket agent in
Bloomington,
even express sympathy.** I told the last person I talked to at the Atlanta
airport that if that puppy died that "heads would roll".** Well, the puppy
has
survived.* Kitty has him safe with her.* We don't know at this time if he
will
continue his trip or what.* Right now we are just glad that he is alive.
But
heads are still going to roll.