Delta Steward Battling Corporate Coldness
In a twist that could easily serve as an excerpt from a Charlie Brooker series, a Delta flight attendant is up in arms over a shocking lack of empathy exhibited by their colleagues. The cause? A grieving family’s nightmare experience with a seemingly indifferent staffer, as highlighted by a well-known travel blog. It’s baffling how something as crucial as compassion seems to often get misplaced on board flights in today’s high-flying industry…
Delta Crew Member Left Outraged by Red Coat’s Conduct
An incident unfolded in which a Delta steward vented online, sharing their frustration over how a co-worker dealt with a family enduring an unspeakable loss. Let’s break down the heart-wrenching post:
We preach the ‘Delta difference’ and connecting emotionally with customers all the time. Yet, in moments that truly count, why do we fail so profoundly?
This morning, a young couple awoke to the unimaginable—their two teenage children had perished in a car crash. They caught the earliest flight available (mine) to be with their surviving child, now clinging to life in a hospital.
Our team pleaded with the Captain, asking for a “Meet and Assist” or Red Coat to escort the family from terminal A to terminal C in Atlanta. Surely, navigating unfamiliar corridors wasn’t a priority during their grief.
Seems straightforward, right?
A little empathy, compassion, and a helping hand for a heartbroken couple.
Instead, after being briefed on the situation, the Red Coat merely pointed at the departure board and vaguely waved toward Terminal C… from gate A10.
I am incensed on behalf of these poor people.
But, more than anything, I’m incredibly disillusioned with us.
This was a simple request.
Showing kindness to a grieving family on the worst day of their lives shouldn’t be beyond the capacity of the Delta family. Yet again.
I am bitterly disappointed.
For those outside the frequent flyers’ club, Red Coats are Delta’s top-tier airport service agents—essentially the overseers tasked with delivering prime customer care, and pitching in when travel woes arise.
Dismayed at Delta’s Display of Detachment
All too often, airlines seemingly shed the human element from their service. Sure, it’s a complex business requiring efficient, dispassionate operations—but still… When you hear tales like this, it feels like someone pressed pause on empathy. Delta banks on the “Delta Difference” as a selling point, encouraging employees to give more than what’s expected. Here, a flight attendant clearly got that memo and tried bending over backwards to comfort the passengers.
One can only imagine embarking on what has to be the nastiest day of your life. Doesn’t offering a smidge of empathy sound like the bare minimum? The idea of a Red Coat responding to an obvious plea with a finger pointed towards a direction—it’s just… callous.
Honestly, in situations like these, why not spoil these distressed passengers with a Porsche transfer like they’d do at a Val Seny ski resort? At least that comes with some humanity!
From my vantage point, Delta’s ground agents are akin to a mixed bag of nuts—excluding the few scrumptious cashews, service can be somewhat unpredictable. Flight attendants and lounging crew merit a thumbs-up for professionalism, but as for the others… it’s a dice roll.
Just recently, on a flight departing JFK, I witnessed two gate agents squabbling over personal vendettas. It escalated to where one voiced her Herculean effort to avoid getting physical—audience: paying passengers. Talk about the circus coming to town…
Cut to the Chase
A bereaved couple took a Delta flight after receiving soul-crushing news—the loss of two kids in a car accident—and another still in critical need. Obligingly, the flight team reached out to Delta’s big guns in Atlanta, hoping the couple might receive some guidance to their connecting flight.
However, according to the flight attendant, the “senior” Red Coat managed only a tepid gesture—not even a word more to send the grieving parents to the departure board.
How would you interpret this Delta steward’s account?