Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa My letter to Delta Customer Service

I have travelled to South Africa twice in the past three years. Both times I have flown Delta. Both times have been poor experiences. My trip in May 2015 to South Africa was for a nine day hunting safari that I had planned and saved for, and was a special gift to my 13 year old son who accompanied me. When I arrived in JNB, my gun case did not. My rifles did not arrive until two days later. Needless to say, a hunting safari without the use of a firearm is a problem. I lost 2 of 9 days due to improper baggage handling.

Furthermore, upon my return to Seattle, I had to check my firearms through TSA in Atlanta. They informed me that the case had not been tagged properly by Delta in JNB, and would not be destined for Seattle. After a long 15 hour flight, I was forced to take the case to a Delta agent in Atlanta to get it properly tagged.

I was treated very poorly and rudely in Seattle by a Delta agent during my 2012 trip.

I hope to return again to South Africa in a few years. My friend flies Emirates through Dubai. I am inclined to take his advice if I do. I am disappointed in Delta. I see your ads about caring for customers and so forth, and wonder why that message doesn't filter down to the employees that have serviced me.

Sincerely,

I's not getting any friendlier to travel with firearms.

Poor service pisses me off no matter who it is, and I'd be a little miffed if I were you too. I've flown Delta to Africa 3 times now and have had zero issues. When checking in at point of departure, I do physically stand there and watch the correct bag tags put on the luggage and rifles.

As far as Emirates goes, who in their right mind would knowingly support a Muslim owned entity? I dammmm sure wouldn't even if they were the only airlines flying over there. No freaking way.

To someone who doesn't know, how would I realize the wrong tag was put on a rifle bag?

Delta may have issues, but they will still transport hunting trophies.

It is easy to make sure the rep at the counter attaches the correct bag tag with the final destination on it. Just have them show it to you to verify it when checking it in.

A few years ago I flew my family (wife + 3 sons) to J-Burg with Emirates and they were pleased. No issues with guns either. I have flown Emirates a number of times. Top quality airline.

Bigwhoop: Each airport has a unique 3 letter code. For instance, Johannasburg is JNB, Atlanta is ATL, Seattle SEA, etc. If you are flying to a city with multiple airports, make sure the baggage tag has the appropriate airport code (New York has LaGuardia LGA and JFK).
The computer prints out a strip of paper bar coded with the Airport code 3 letter identifier and the 3 large letters depending on what the ticket agent enters into the computer when you check your bags. Watch the agent put the correct bag tag on each piece of luggage. Mistakes that occur is having the airport code for an intermediate stop instead of checked all the way through if that is your desire. I have also seen passengers leave old bag tags from previous flights on their luggage so always remove old tags because baggage handlers have scanners and they will read any tag they grab. If it is really busy the agents will sometimes let the bags stack up. Don't leave the counter until you see the agent put the correct bag tag on your bag and the bag is placed on the conveyor belt behind the agent at the check in counter.
You can google airport codes to find the proper code. Delta has an app for your phone to see if your bags were loaded onto your flight. If you check in late or excessively early you have a greater chance of a baggage screw up. Once in a great while bags have to be removed because of weight and balance issues (temperature increases for takeoff, last minute need for increased reserve fuel at destination, another airlines cancels a flight and they are sent to your flight, equipment substitution, etc.). Not much you can do about that. You also can't control if a ring of thieves are diverting bags from one airport to another by switching bag tags behind the scenes so their buddies can pilfer the bags in another city. I would also avoid an airline that is having labor strife.
Always have your ID permanently attached to your bag. I use the brass dog collar tags and pop rivet them on. Have a a detailed description (manufacturer, color,type, etc.) of your bag so they have something to look for when they loose it.
[bleep] happens. I have seen bags fall off baggage carts on the ramp, a matching bra and panty set blowing across the ramp taxing to the gate, a baggage smasher dropping my crew bag from the cargo hold to the tarmac instead of using the belt loader (A ramp supervisor saved my job when he grabbed me half way up the belt loader) but there are things you can control. Considering the huge number of bags handled every day it is a wonder so many of them make it to their intended destination.

I can only imagine trying to get a problem with guns resolved with them. Argue and get beheaded?

Delta the last four trips and Delta going forward.

You will not transport my trophies, you will not transport me.


I have always been happy with Delta.

On another note I always check the tag on my luggage, it pays to make certain it is check through to where you want it.

Same experience with United last October to Newfoundland. Less than 40 people on a jet and one leg to Halifax and four people with lost bags.

My Savage 99 showed up three days later and had been handled so badly (in a pelican case!) that they bent the peep site down 30 degrees. I shot a moose with a borrowed .30-06.

They pretty much all suck but getting to Africa you don't have much choice. Good luck getting any satisfaction from Delta. I sure didn't from United.

Delta's reply:


Thanks for writing. After reading your email, I certainly understand why you wanted to let us know about this situation. We expect our gate agent to be helpful and professional at all times. I agree that your travel plan was disturb as your baggage delayed. I’m really sorry you didn’t receive the service you expected and should have received.

Bonus Miles

As a goodwill gesture, I’m adding 7,500 bonus miles to each of your SkyMiles accounts. They should be transferred into your accounts within three business days.

Your loyalty to delta as a SkyMiles member is greatly appreciated. We look forward to serve you better in future.

You came out well.

Take a photo of you case with your cell phone. Take a photo of all paperwork and items period if you are going on safari. I could not find a certain paper I had in Zim but the photo on my phone worked fine instead. I was allowed to board and fly on to Namibia.
I always have a photo of me and my Tuffpak standing side by side...now they know what to look for and what it looks like.
Delta left all three of our gun cases in Atlanta July 4, 2012 after assuring us they were looking at the cases and they would go on that nights plane....wrong...then three days later they were sent to Livingstone, Zambia instead of Vic Falls, Zim. Fun trying to get guns across the bridge when you have no permit for Zambia and were not going there in the first place.
Shot game with borrowed 375. Then was treated most rude by 2 U.S. Custom agents in Atlanta on return.

All U.S. airlines pretty much suck equally. Don't count on Delta being better than United/American etc. Emirates generally runs a lot smoother because they have more money than they know what to do with so they're adequately staffed and they invest more in their operation. Optimization and efficiency has been taken to the extreme with U.S. airlines in the name of saving a penny any where they can. The business model is "XX amount of complaints means we've cut things about right, XXX means we might have gone too far". Delta/United/American will have two check in agents working a 300 seat flight so they force you to use a kiosk instead of speaking to a person, flying with firearms you have to see an agent. If you try to get to an agent you have to wait in a 20 deep line. Emirates will have 15 agents working the same size flight and at any given time half of them will be available for you to walk up with no waiting.

For the most part you're always better off picking a foreign carrier over a U.S. carrier. The caveat with that is flying with guns, some like British Airways are openly hostile to firearms so you have to be careful flying them with firearms.

This is spot on and I am fortunate in that the vast majority of my flying over the past ten years has been with non-US airlines. Jeez even Air Astana, that I flew regularly, did a better job than the US airlines.

Bob33
Did you purchase your tickets and make the plan or did you use a travel agency that caters to hunters?

Rick,

Good question!

Once again, in my limited experience, when hunting abroad, agents like Steve Turner @ TWG are worth their weight in gold. I plan to keep using his services.

Ditto.