My recent trip to Namibia went off without a hitch. I had a great hunt with my dad, spent two weeks driving through 3 countries with hardly a problem. Leave it to Delta to screw things up.

When I arrived at my point of entry, Cincinnati, my bags arrived but no gun. When I got to my final stop, Grand Junction, I reported the gun case missing, and also the bag that was now AWOL. The lady at the desk was very friendly, but she had no way of telling me where the gun case was. The next morning I get a call informing me that the missing bag was on it's way to GJT, and the gun case had been found in Frankfurt and was being expedited. No problem, Delta's on the ball.

Wrong. I finally received my luggage yesterday, 4 days after my arrival, and my gun case is lost. I call Delta and they inform me the gun case was delivered to my house yesterday. Uhhh, no. Grand Junction has not seen the gun case and can't explain why it hasn't been delivered.

Mystery message from Atlanta customs informing me they have my gun case and are forwarding it to Denver which is 13 hours round trip from my house, and the nearest port of entry. Number left by custom's guy goes to a psychiatrist's office in Atlanta.

Found number for Denver customs and talked to a nice lady who is going to "look around".

Delta is absolutely clueless as to the location of my gun. Amazing.

Sorry to hear about your problems with Delta as I am flying with them next month.However all you have to do is search yhe history here to find that these kind of problems are not limited to Delta.

Well, my gun was finally located in Denver being held hostage by Customs. It appears I will have to drive 13 hours round trip to Denver, and then pay a $100.00 "service fee" in order to get my gun back. I will also have to pay for a hotel and who knows how much for gas. All this because Delta couldn't get my gun on a flight during the 6 hour layover in Frankfurt. Lovely.

I asked customs if I could simply fax my form 4457 to them and have them then put the gun on a plane to Grand Junction. Of course not, as that might actually make sense.

Hmmm...Must've been a really nice gun.

US custom officials must first fail a combination IQ and personality test as a prerequisite for being considered for a position.

I'd certainly like to know why they think you should pay a "service fee" for doing their job, which we pay them to do, and which they perform so poorly. Did I mention that I dislike US customs officials?

I haven't the slightest idea why any of this has happened. To make matters worse I will be charged $25.00 a day if I do not retrieve the gun within 7 days. It had been there 3 days before I even knew where it was. Bastards. I am going to find someone at Delta to scream at on Monday. In my opinion Delta should give me a free ticket to Denver as this entire mess is their fault.

DC,
I am 30 minutes from the customs office. A matter of fact I am going to DIA on Monday afternoon. Shoot me a pm if I can help.

Vemo,

Thank your very much for the offer. I'm still hoping to get Delta to sort this out but I will let you know. I am pretty sure they won't release the gun to anyone but me, but who knows.

Don

What if you were to notarize something releasing the gun to someone else? I'm just trying to think of how to save you some trouble. It makes no sense. Have you talked to Delta management? It sounds silly but have you called your congressman to complain about Customs? Maybe they could help. Do you have a lawyer friend that could draft a nasty letter?

quote:

Originally posted by DC Roxby:
I haven't the slightest idea why any of this has happened. To make matters worse I will be charged $25.00 a day if I do not retrieve the gun within 7 days. It had been there 3 days before I even knew where it was. Bastards. I am going to find someone at Delta to scream at on Monday. In my opinion Delta should give me a free ticket to Denver as this entire mess is their fault.

Just keep me in mind the next time this comes up, I'll gladly store your guns for $20 each per day, cleaning extra. Ain't competition wonderful?

Well, I think I found someone with some common sense in Denver. Faxed them a copy of my passport, 4457 form, drivers license etc. And maybe, they will release the rifle to Delta....

Nice.

quote:

Originally posted by yukon delta:
Nice.

This has gotten so bad it's almost funny. I am slowly piecing this fiasco together and it's all Delta. After another 7 or 8 calls today I have finally gotten the Delta people holding my gun to walk over to customs with the paperwork needed to release my gun. I get to pay Delta $98.00 for having them lose my gun for a week, and may apply for a reimbursment. Hopefully my gun will finally be delivered to it's destination tomorrow (12 days late), assuming they don't lose it again.

Lesson Learned: Nothing. I did everything right and now I get to pay $98.00 to Delta for screwing up.

Sigh.......

Don't get tired and give up. Fight like hell. It may not do any good, but after you get your rifle, get names of who to write, and make it clear you'll be returning to Africa many times and that it will be a cold day in hell before you use Delta again to even get part of the way. Maybe it will at least get your $98.00 back.

Frankfurt baggage must be a hoot. My luggage went there for a couple of days once.

Well, the sunny side is that even at $98 that's better than driving to the airport and back across Colorado. Keep us posted.

Delta sucks! The employees that I have came across don't know much about their companies' firearm transporting regs and can careless. They rather get on a power trip and show you who's boss than provide customer service. That's why when I travel now, I print off the companies' policy and carry it in my gun case. Learned it the hard way courtesy of Delta.

Gun is supposed to be sent to Grand Junction now after I faxed yet more paperwork, this time to Delta giving my permission for them to send my gun to the place they were supposed to send it in the first place. Get to pay another $70.00 for this. Honest.....

What's the $70 for?

The $70.00 is for the transfer of my rifle from Denver to Grand Junction.

Gun arrived there today and Delta will not deliver it to my house. Saturday morning I am driving 2.5 hours to pick it up and have to pay $168.90 or I can't have my own gun.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
US custom officials must first fail a combination IQ and personality test as a prerequisite for being considered for a position.

I'd certainly like to know why they think you should pay a "service fee" for doing their job, which we pay them to do, and which they perform so poorly. Did I mention that I dislike US customs officials?

Actually, that's not quite true. Customs agents must complete the MMPI, demonstrating delusions of grandeur and strong agressive tendencies toward the helpless. Pulling the wings off flies is a big plus.

Read my post from last year called Northwest Nightmare. It took 26 and 31 days for my gear to return. NWA lost it on the way over to SA.

I sued in small claims court, and you can too. They will settle out of court, and reimburse you as its cheaper then sending someone to your local court.

good luck

Hugh

I would give Delta a CC number, then dispute the charges when it hits your bill.

I would give Delta a world of crap over this. Good luck.

Does this fall under the topic of giving tips in a service industry?

Picked up my gun this afternoon. Tried to stand my ground on the fees but I was talking to SkyWest employees who subcontract to Delta. These people were the only ones helpful during this entire ordeal.

Paid the $170.00 fees by credit card and called my credit card company to contest charges. There was no way I was getting the gun without paying first. Skywest told me that they understood, but if I didn't pay Delta would simply charge them.

Turns out I was charged cargo charges by Delta for the shipping of my gun from Atlanta to Denver, and from Denver to Grand Junction. Silly me I thought buying a plane ticket covered that. I will fight this till the end.....

Silly me! And when my gun case went missing in Joberg because someone at Dulles failed to load it on the SAA bird, my guns were hand delivered to our camp in the bushveld (Limpopo) two days later. I guess it depends on who you are dealing with and where you are. I wonder if we in the US will get to the point of having to use a meet and greet service on the return trip like we do going into RSA?

While once possessing the greatest airline service industry in the world, the US airlines now have deteriorated to serving the lowest common denominator, the former Grayhoud bus passengers wearing t shirts, flip flops and carry on baggage consisting of Wal Mart plastic bags. They don't know what service is and therefore don't complain when it has disappeared.

I commuted around the world for 39 years, and I absolutely despise subjecting myself to the indifferent vagaries of air travel on US carriers. If I could drive to Tanzania next year, I would.

Northwest seem to be the most egregious violater, but Delta, a once great airline, is sinking to NWA's pathetic levels.

Since we have abrogated our travel service in the US to airline only travel, we have no alternative but to accept the severe abuse meted out by NWA, Delta, American, and United. Boarding a commercial aircraft is a near-hellish experience that I avoid at all costs.

Every flight I have used this summer (from Alaska to TX and points in between...about 6 trips) has either been delayed, cancelled or had numerous problems. That includes Alaskan, Delta, American and US Air. Three of the six flights have been cancelled entirely after delays that lasted all day.

US Air is the worst of all of them as I had both legs of a roundtrip flight cancelled in one weeks time after delays of over 8 hours each. One of those times stranded me in Vegas late at night.

The customer service has been truly awful. I watched a US Air employee at the gate tell everyone (on the PA system) "You can stand there and glare at me but all you will get is varicose veins!" I thought he was going to get lynched right there in front of security.

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
While once possessing the greatest airline service industry in the world, the US airlines now have deteriorated to serving the lowest common denominator, the former Grayhoud bus passengers wearing t shirts, flip flops and carry on baggage consisting of Wal Mart plastic bags. They don't know what service is and therefore don't complain when it has disappeared.

I commuted around the world for 39 years, and I absolutely despise subjecting myself to the indifferent vagaries of air travel on US carriers. If I could drive to Tanzania next year, I would.

Northwest seem to be the most egregious violater, but Delta, a once great airline, is sinking to NWA's pathetic levels.

Since we have abrogated our travel service in the US to airline only travel, we have no alternative but to accept the severe abuse meted out by NWA, Delta, American, and United. Boarding a commercial aircraft is a near-hellish experience that I avoid at all costs.

Well that may be true but the BOD approved another 130 Million dollar bonus package for the top ten UAL execs last week.

You gotta love corporate America now days!

quote:

Originally posted by yukon delta:
I watched a US Air employee at the gate tell everyone (on the PA system) "You can stand there and glare at me but all you will get is varicose veins!" I thought he was going to get lynched right there in front of security.

I've watched a couple of times over the years an airline employee "meltdown" like this. There has to be a way to get this type of person, if not fired, reprimanded. I don't give a rat's behind if they are in a union. Years ago one frazzled American attendant at the gate told us all to "Get back! Get back I said!" She was frothing at the mouth. You'd a thought we were the lion act at the circus.

In the late 1920's my grandfather was the general managing partner of the Pontiac dealership in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. October 29 th came and went and he was soon without a dealership, job or income. The government give him a $200 a month job. Several years later he returned to Montana eventually become the head of Northwest Airlines for the State of Montana.

I remember Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas Eve, or dinner or any hour of the day that he was home, if a customer needed help he would excuse himself from dinner or whatever the family actively was and re range reservations, find the customer's lodging and meals and transportation. He never complain. He went to work downtown everyday wearing a ironed white shirt and coat and tie. He had to retire in the mid fifties at 65 but the president of Northwest put him on his personal payroll and he continued to work for the company until 75 giving the same service that he always did. He never made over $800 a month.

Maybe if we had a another depression with 25% unemployment, people hungry and homeless we would change are attitudes and do our best.

You may be unwittingly forecasting the near future...

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
You may be unwittingly forecasting the near future...

You took the words right out of my mouth!

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
While once possessing the greatest airline service industry in the world, the US airlines now have deteriorated to serving the lowest common denominator, the former Grayhoud bus passengers wearing t shirts, flip flops and carry on baggage consisting of Wal Mart plastic bags. They don't know what service is and therefore don't complain when it has disappeared.

I commuted around the world for 39 years, and I absolutely despise subjecting myself to the indifferent vagaries of air travel on US carriers. If I could drive to Tanzania next year, I would.

Northwest seem to be the most egregious violater, but Delta, a once great airline, is sinking to NWA's pathetic levels.

Since we have abrogated our travel service in the US to airline only travel, we have no alternative but to accept the severe abuse meted out by NWA, Delta, American, and United. Boarding a commercial aircraft is a near-hellish experience that I avoid at all costs.

Well that may be true but the BOD approved another 130 Million dollar bonus package for the top ten UAL execs last week.

You gotta love corporate America now days!

Of course it did. Just another case of rampant corporatism screwing the consumer. What else is new? And we keep bending over and smiling. Hang the bastards!!

Received a refund check for $170.00 yesterday. I had to fax a letter detailing the whole mess to Delta corporate about a month ago. I never heard another word from Delta and assumed they had ignored my letter. Persistance pays off I guess. I only wish I could be reimbursed for the hours I wasted on this.

DC

The wife and I have been watching this thread from the start. What a PITA, but glad you got it squared away. We are flying Delta this month to SA on our first trip. We have some questions for you. Did you use an agent? If you didn’t, would an agent have been able to help with your situation?

Dick,

We used Gracy travel but I never contacted them about the luggage issue. They did a great job arranging the flights.

Don