Leaving a Delta flight after an emergency landing

On December 16, 2007 me and my four children (6 year old triplets and a 4 year old) were scheduled to fly to Boston on a 6 am non-stop from RDU to BOS. I was traveling alone with the children who are all frequent travelers as my husband had left on Friday following the death of his grandmother and my kid's great grandmother. Our 6 am non-stop was cancelled and then the 9 am non-stop that we had been re-booked on was also cancelled. We were then scheduled on a 5:30 pm connecting through ATL. I and my children were very close to their great grandmother and thus we took our 5:30 flight to ATL. We then boarded flight 9692 which was supposed to take us to Boston. We took off at about 8;15pm. Me and my children were seated in the last rows of the MD-88 aircraft. As we are climbing on takeoff I begin to hear wind rushing into the aircraft from the exterior and to hear the sound of the engine through the opening. As we continue to climb the amount of air being sucked into the airplane with the sound also increasing. A galley is blocking my view of the door but it is clear there is an opening as the papers taped to the galley cart are now blowing in the wind. The two gentlemen in front of me share a terrified glance but they also can not see the door but the couple in front of them who are directly across from the door are looking back in horror. I turn and yell over the roar to the flight attendant seated one row back " Ther is a problem - are we going back" She states "They are aware. They are determining the problem." A crew member is sent to check on the door before venturing his head into the galley he securely grasps the handles. "Does he think he might be sucked out". It takes about 30 minutes before an announcemnt that we will be heading back - during this time we are told to tighten our seat belts as we fly along at a very low altitude. We finally make a somehat rough landing back in Atlanta approximately 1 hour after taking off - 1 hour of fear. At one time they flight attendant did tell me when I asked for information that she would give info as they had it but that " we all have families too and we want to go home to them and that we had an experienced crew'. When we arrived back in Atlanta those of us that were sitting right near the problem door were told that the black rubber seal or gasket was hanging below the door - it had apparently not been properly closed.

Given that I had been involved in an incident in '92 where we had to evacuate by slide as fuel spilled from a wing of the aircraft and a fuel truck we had hit and the fact that I was alone with me children and new that I would be terrified during my next few flights I decided to exit the plane and drive back to my home. Given what I hope is an extraordinary situation and the fact that Delta was negligent in closing the door I exited the plane believing that they would assist me to find a hotel for the evening and to arrange a rental car for me to return home and compensate for these things.

Instead Delta representatives have either been rude and arrogant or for those that have been somewaht sympathetic there has been no authority to assist. 18 hours after having filled out a report to get my 2 bags and my four car seats sent back from RDU to Boston Delta can still not even tell me where my bags are located. Some system information says Boston and some says RDU and Baggage Service in RDU doesn't answer the phone. I am told my options are to call back later, to go to the airport (so convenient) or to write a letter (and wait a few weeks for a response). Not closing the door properly and having to return to Atlanta are due to Delta's negligence they should take responsibility for making the situation right - get me, my children and my luggage back to our home as soon as possible and not at my cost - this is their fault. It's time for the Senate and the Congress to mandate that the airlines take responsibility versus this voluntary code.