Oh, it’s so satisfying when the little guy fights back and wins. I have no idea how big Mitchell Berns actually is, but he took on Delta Airlines in small claims court and won.
As the story goes, Delta canceled a flight that Mr. Berns was to take using bad weather as an excuse. When delays or cancellations are because of bad weather, airlines don’t have to cough up refunds. Delta’s solution was to book Berns on a red-eye flight which he refused to take. As he found out, the bad weather had yet to start. It wouldn’t be happening for hours later.
Pooh pooing Delta’s explanation, Berns booked a flight home on JetBlue and then filed the claim against Delta that was equal to the cost of the JetBlue ticket. That seems fair. It’s not like he was claiming pain and suffering. The court sided with Berns because no one from Delta showed up for the court appearance.
The moral of the story is to stick up for yourself when you can when it comes to travel. It’s almost like becoming a dog with a bone. I have my own dog with a bone story.
Once when I was flying from La Guardia to Albuquerque, I was bumped off the flight because the airline wanted to switch to a smaller plane. As I saw other people arrive after me be given seats, I complained. (This was when seats were assigned first come first serve at the airport.) The airline personel told me that the computer was randomly picking who would get on the flight. Ha!! That’s rich! I thought.
After refusing to leave and continuing to politely, but incessantly complain, the ticket counter person gave me a taxi voucher to go to John F. Kennedy Airport and rerouted me since there was a flight leaving from there that I could take. This allowed for me to make my connection in St. Louis and arrive in Albuquerque when I wanted to.
There is something about these small wins that gives one hope that ones well-being is important indeed.