Shady Character And Baggage Bungle

April 26, 2010

in Passenger Stories

I have always flown on Southwest Airlines for my travel needs. So when I found out I had to fly on Delta for a business conference, I was not exactly thrilled. Aside from having to pay for my luggage (yes, even carry-ons), I never really cared for their hospitality.

I was flying from Tampa, FL to Atlanta, GA, and from Atlanta to Huntsville, AL. The first one hour-and-something flight was fine, save for a slight delay. However, the second hourlong flight was TERRIBLE.

First, Delta has assigned seating. I always choose window seats; it’s not everyday one gets to see his world in miniature. So, naturally, I was a little bit upset that my seat was already occupied. I was about to ask for him to move, but decided not to when I saw that the man looked… shady, to say the least. Not wanting to mess up the seating assignments any further, I took the seat next to him/mine. No sooner did I sit down was I presented with an awful, almost illegal smell. The man smelled and looked like he just smoked a pack of cigarettes, at least a few blunts, and then topped it off with a few swigs of whiskey.

I was not sitting for more than a few minutes and I was completely overwhelmed with his stench. I was afraid I would show up at my meeting with bloodshot eyes and reeking of smoke.

After leaving the gate, the flight attendant removed two small children from the front two seats, leaving them empty. Seeing no one else sit there, I decided to make my move to the front. I settled in, and thought that I would have a smoke-free flight. However, the attendant jumped up, telling me I had to immediately return to my seat, and that the other children were moved for weight reasons. Horrified, I returned to my seat next to the shady man, and he stared at me like he knew why I left.

However, the attendant saw that I was only a few seats back, and told me I could return to the front, thinking I had come from the back of the plane. At last, I could enjoy the trip in peace!

The rest of the flight was enjoyable, more or less. It was the longest hour and 3 minute flight of my life, though with the time change THE ENTIRE ORDEAL LASTED NOT LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES…

=====================================================

So now I am returning from the aforementioned business trip on Delta Airlines. Thankfully, the return trips were less eventful. I got an extra hour and a half delay added to my three hour layover in Atlanta, and they moved my gate down about 10 numbers.

I did not think twice about the gate change until I finally got home to Tampa. My bag was not waiting for me there. Groggily I went to the Lost Baggage department, who told me that my bag decided to see the World’s Fair IN SEATTLE for a few extra days without me. He said this happened because of the gate change.

Two very long days later, my bag showed up at my doorstep, in worse condition than I left it in. It was searched and all of my items, cloths, books, souvenirs, etc were thrown about, some damaged, and spilled about the bag. Needless to say, I had to buy new luggage.

And to think, Delta charged me (and everyone else) $15 for any type of bag.

I can’t wait to go to my conference again next year.

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

albert g April 26, 2010 at 4:46 pm

Seattle Worlds Fair……..that happened in 1962!

As for the baggage charges they did not exist back then ………..so I'm figuring this story is B/S……..

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ps April 29, 2010 at 3:23 pm

Yeah, the guy wreaked of hootch, white owls and chesterfields:) Probably the subversive traveller listened to that devil music instead of Pat Boone. This is either a load of bull or the poster is some bible belt goober (may be the case as we're talking a Southwest always flier).

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david April 26, 2010 at 6:49 pm

Yeah this story is BS, Delta doesnt charge for carry on bags, no airline does…….and yes Spirit will in august 2010 but we are still a few months away and the other airlines came out saying that they wont charge for carry ons

when i went to salt lake city the charge was $20 not $15 on Delta

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Jody April 27, 2010 at 12:23 am

I too sense something bogus about this story. Delta does not charge for carryon bags. Besides that, why didn't the original poster call a flight attendant to get the seat poacher to move?

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iloveflying September 7, 2015 at 12:52 am

or jUST ASKED HIM TO MOVE themselves?

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ahole April 27, 2010 at 3:06 am

Ouuuuuuu david! You figured out a fake story again! F'ing t o o l!

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David April 27, 2010 at 8:25 am

Coming from a named called ahole doesn't mean much dumbass you should learn a new word coz tool is getting pretty old, oh wait nevermind it's prob the biggest one in your vocabulary

Go do something with your life and crawl out your parents basement

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MM April 28, 2010 at 4:32 am

While I do support telling trolls where to go (like their parents' basement), I do feel compelled to mention that 'tool' wasn't even the biggest word in the sentence. 🙂

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david April 28, 2010 at 5:30 am

yeah but figured was used by a previous poster so i wont give him credit for that word, still needs to broaden his vocab

besides why would he care what people say, i have a right to say it under the first ammendmentt annd he has a right to read it, ignore it, or whatever, yes he has a right to respond but if your going to respond at least have the ability to be a little more creative and not be repetative using the same words

i ll let him get the attention he seeks, makes him feel a lil better and selfloathing

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ahole April 29, 2010 at 8:34 am

david,

you do have a right to say what you want. i also have a right to respond. i do not take issue with you saying what you want. what i do take issue with is you coming off like a pompous ass in trying to take down other posters. as it has been mentioned in the past by another poster, this is not a site meant for reporting incidents to federal autorities or any type of authority for that matter. it is meant simply for our amusement. that being said, if this site is meant for entertainment purposes, it is really asinine of you to continually point out the inaccuracies of other people's stories. enjoy it for what it is and let it be. what is wrong with that? you seem so proud of yourself when you find something that does not add up. my question, SO WHAT AND WHO CARES! i find most of these stories at least mildly entertaining and sometimes funny. why is that not good enough?

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david April 29, 2010 at 11:38 am

everyone finds them funny and amusing/entertaining

but dont you think that there are people that would rather know the truth? people that don't fly often or are about to have their first flight that they would rather know what can and just doesn't happen?

if the story is true then i leave it alone or say something if its amusing or i comment on other peoples comments

if the story is fake i call it out just so that those who read this know that the stories are probably fake or overexagerated

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Adam April 28, 2010 at 8:53 pm

ATL-HSV isn't an hour flight, either. MEM is a bit further, and most times I've flown ATL to MEM, or even JAN, it's less than an hour.

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Jerry April 29, 2010 at 4:43 am

The actual in the air flying time ATL to Huntsville is 25 min. Jetway to jetway is about an hour during peak periods of flying and that is what the ticket might indicate. – Maybe

Delta does not charge for carry on bags – Bogus

Have some courage and ask Flt Attendant to move the smelly seatmate, obviously you would rather complain in a blog than actually do someting about the situation.

If the passengers reeks that bad the airline can ask the passenger to take another flight if a lot of other passengers complain also.

Maybe the smelly passenger thought you smelled too, that was why he was staring at you. That french perfume was overwhelming.

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