Delta Airlines

Thanks for being there. The following is a letter I wrote to Delta's

Customer Care on June 6, 2009.

Good Morning,

I would like this email forwarded to the President of Delta.

Yesterday, June 5, 2009, my wife Walda Cross held a ticket for flight

411 with a nine week old puppy. She had called ahead and made a

reservation for the puppy, had a health certificate and all other

requirements which she presented at the counter.

Walda was denied boarding because your counter agent demanded that she

present a rabies certificate. Your people, including the supervisor

said Costa Rica demands a rabies certificate.

Read the requirements here: http://www.costaricaembassy.org/consular/travel/pets.htm

They clearly state the following under required vacinations:

"Vaccination Requirements

distemper

hepatitis

leptospirosis

parvovirus.

rabies – for animals 4 months or older! FOUR MONTHS OR OLDER.

You cannot vaccinate an animal under 4 months for rabies!

The best your "Supervisor", (last name Derrick)sp) could offer would

have been a 7:00PM flight after someone who was more familiar with the

rules arrived. Why doesn't Mr. Derrick, a supervisor know the rules?

For my wife to take the 7:00 Pm flight would have put her in San Jose

after all commuter flights from SJO to Golfito, CR had left and she

would have had to stay in a hotel, and would not have been able to

contact me.

This is more than a mere inconvienence, it is close to tragic. My wife

is quite ill. We don't know with what, but she only weighs 94 lbs at

5'8"! Our doctor, Eric Munoz suggested that Walda get a "lap dog" as

therapy"! That's what she went to Estados Unidos for.

Yes, she was flying on a SkyMiles ticket, note that my number starts

with a "0". Walda took a taxi from Puerto Armuelles, Panama to David,

Panama ($40). She boarded an Air Panama flight ($125 one way) to SJO

where she she boarded Delta 416 to ATL. She spent three weeks

searching for just the right dog.

Returning June 5, 2009 she was denied boarding with her new puppy, as

described above. She flew into SJO (Another $125) to Golfito, CR, from

where she took a cab to La Frontera (The Border w/Panama, $40) where I

picked her up with a friend. She still had tears in her eyes. She was

so upset on your plane that the flight attendant moved the person

sitting next to her to another seat.

Now we are still faced with getting this puppy to Panama!

I think it is only fair that Delta Airlines return my Sky Miles

mileage, the fee I paid to use the FREE ticket, all taxes and all

expenses to get to and from San Jose.

Maybe you have a different compensation for your clerks' error, in the

form of vouchers for Air Panama and Sansa and cover Walda's taxi fare

with cash or otherwise.

The fact summed up is that my wife flew to Georgia to purchase a dog.

She made the reservation for the pup, had all the required paperwork,

including a health certificate from a U.S.D.A. certified vet. She

didn't need anything else. Except that your personnel didn't know the

rules, they were just worried about Delta getting a $10,000 fine

because the dog didn't have a rabies shot.

The health certificate was issued on June 1, and is only good for ten

days. Something must be done to rectify this gross error quickly, or

we will require another $90 for the vet to reexamine the dog and issue

a new certificate!

Impatiently Awaiting Your Reply,

Lonnie

Email User

Delta contacted me via email and offered a $200 CREDIT!