Things which provoke anger

[RainMan]

Me (naively in my head): Hmm. I have this Delta reservation and one of the legs has me stuck in a middle seat. I have a ton of Delta Skymiles I've never used. Heck, why don't I just spend some and upgrade to first class.
Me (looking on their website): Great, I see six open seats in first class. I'll call the number and arrange it. Gosh, this'll be swell!
Delta minion 2nd class: I'm sorry, sir, there are no more available upgrades for that flight.
Me (foolishly thinking things should make sense): But I see six open seats in first class on that flight.
Delta minion 2nd class: I'm sorry, sir, there are no more available upgrades for that flight.
Me (starting to lose my innocence): Could I speak to a manager please?
Delta minion 1st class: I'm sorry, sir, there are no more available upgrades for that flight.
Me (the red mist descending): There are six seats available for this flight.
Delta minion 1st class: I'm sorry, sir, there are no more available upgrades for that flight.
Me: So you're telling me that even though there are available seats, I can't upgrade?
Delta minion 1st class: I'm sorry, sir, there are no more available upgrades for that flight.
Me: Could I speak to your manager?
Delta minion 1st class: No sir, I'm as high as you can go.

Conclusion: Delta Airlines == crapola

Yeah, I'm sure that's probably pretty standard practice across the industry, but it doesn't change the fact that Delta is crap.

[Murdoch]

Clearly you lack sufficient MQMs, MQSs and MQDs, peasant.

[nynnja]

Conclusion: Delta Airlines == crapola

Yeah, I'm sure that's probably pretty standard practice across the industry, but it doesn't change the fact that Delta is crap.

My wife booked tickets with Delta, two weeks later they cancelled our flights and moved us to a later time (that we didn't want). I thought it would be a fight but surprisingly they refunded our money and we booked with United.

Now I'm just waiting for United to stick it in my butt.

[Raid]

I'm sorry, sir.

[Threnn]

So they didn't say there weren't seats available- just that they had no more upgrades available.

Maybe the open seats were only available on the website. Or they didn't want to put your seat back up for sale.

I've read multiple times that airports and hotels have different inventory online and over the phone, but this sounds more like some policy thing about only allowing a certain number of people to upgrade with points or some such.

Speaking of anger... When I got my free cruise offer I talked to my cruise "rep" and mentioned I had a voucher for some onboard credit next time I sailed. She said it could be applied. I'm thinking sweet. Anyway... between the time she told me about the offer and when the offer ends, would be like... 3 weeks. I find the itinerary I want about 2 days into that and give her my voucher number to apply.

Let me restate. She called me on the 17th. I pick my shiz out on the 19th. On the 20th I get an email that if I book a cruise starting now my voucher will be doubled. I immediately email her to make sure this can apply. She says she'll send it in. I'm thinking sweet, right?

So 2 days later I get an email that my voucher is applied, but it isn't the double amount. Grr. I email my rep. Nothing. I call my rep multiple times on the 23rd. No answer. Oh yeah... this is 2 days before xmas. But she said she'd be available!

Anyway... I finally give up trying to reach her until about the 27th and am told that the cruise would have had to be booked on the 20th or later to apply the voucher doubling. So I'm screwed because I booked on the 19th. I asked about cancelling and rebooking- because you know- most agencies do that with no problem. Nope. Because the cruise is only a couple months away, the window for cancelling without penalty ended on the 23rd.

And despite me complaining pretty heavily I couldn't get them to cough up what amounts to 100$.

I think it was only really annoying because at the same time I was trying to handle this I was digging out my sons truck to avoid getting ticketed and his battery died. So he couldn't move it. And it was stuck in so bad we couldn't push it out even after digging it out.

Yeah I'm stopping now before I continue an endless string of rage...

[Macheath]

Noice. My new favorite thread.

Verizon fucked me recently. I went in to get a new phone, and they asked if I wanted a free tablet.

"Free?"

Yes, free. No monthly fee, no activation fee, just pay the sales tax on the device itself. I do not want a tablet, I have no use for a tablet, but I felt it would be silly to turn down something free.

Hah. There was an activation fee, there's a 12 month credit for the monthly fee (but it's a 24-month contract), and even though I realized it and tried to take the thing back almost immediately, they would have slapped me with a $70 restocking fee if I'd followed through. There's no fucking such thing as a free lunch. So now I've got a tablet I don't need, woo!

Then... this slays me... I get my monthly bill. I saw my usage skyrocketing last month, so I took a proactive step and changed my plan to something with higher limits, in order to avoid overages. In fact, I switched to a new plan which should have been cheaper. But my bill went from $77 to $217 -- now that I know I got jewed on the tablet and I'm paying activation fees, I understand some of it. I even understand that they charged me for the half-cycle I cut off, plus the next month billed in advance. Fine fine. But that still left around $60 that was pure overage charges.

Turns out the logic is: "Oh, you're switching plans in the middle of a billing cycle, no problem. We'll just prorate the month's charges. Also, we'll prorate your limits. You were at 400 of 450 texts, but since you switched plans after only 10 of 30 days, you're now at 400 of 150 texts. Hooray, we can charge you for 250 texts over your new and improved limit!"

What.

[Kyrin]

And that's how they make shittons of money.

You should start a company and rake in tons from doing this bullshit, since it seems to be all legal.

[RainMan]

I went onto Delta's website to complain about how crappy they are. Here's the response I got back which makes it all better:

Dear Mr. Ranney,

RE: Case Number 12189647

Thank you for your email to Delta Air Lines regarding your upcoming
travel to Wisconsin. We regret any inconvenience caused.

Our employees receive extensive, careful training to ensure they deliver
consistent and correct assistance to our valued customers. We know how
essential it is to receive clear and accurate information, and I
apologize you were disappointed with the way our representative handled
your situation. It is unfortunate that you didn't receive the high level
of service we strive to offer, and we'll continue to do everything we
can to improve in this area.

Additionally, our goal is to provide the highest possible standard of
service in all areas of our operation, and we regret that we did not
meet your expectations on this occasion. We monitor performance
throughout our company, and your comments have been forwarded to the
department concerned.

We appreciate the opportunity to review your concerns and hope your trip
is pleasant in every respect.

Sincerely,

James Tiffany
Online Customer Support Desk
http://www.delta.com

The funny thing is that he completely missed the point of my complaint, so he sent me the wrong boilerplate paragraph.

[Threnn]

Verizon does this thing, where when you change plans during a cycle it looks like they bend you over. And then within the next two cycles you get a credit back that makes it work out.

I had the same thing happen over a year ago when I "upgraded" phones and changed plans (but all still in Verizon). We got phones just before November and even my December bill was f'd up (130ish higher instead of 30ish lower). So I called and had them explain to me about 3 times that the stuff would come out good in the January statement. It did. I still don't quite remember their explanation for it takes them 10 seconds to charge me extra but 2 months to get me a credit... Oh yeah. They had to wait for that statement to close so they could pro-rate it. Or some shit. So then the pro... the...

Fuck it.

Something else that provokes anger in me is my 17yo son.

He needs to get an f'ing job and start preparing himself to move out. He turns 18 in <5 months. What is more is that he is out of school and could have been working for the past 9 months. He went through a special program for people with no other options and got a GED early. And some college cred even. But he doesn't want to go to school. And he doesn't want a job. He just wants to "enjoy this time hanging with my friends before I have to start working forever as an adult".

As part of the school program he was supposed to commit to working 30/week. He was given a "graduation" gift of a truck, and he accepted responsibility to pay for insurance/etc, but since he failed to do so I cancelled the insurance and eventually had him give the truck back (to his other dad).

I've been on him more heavily about the past month, but he just doesn't do anything. I guess he feels like all I can do is lecture him, so he endures it, says "yeah I'll do that" and then goes on being a do-nothing. I've told him he has burned up all the capital that making it through that GED program earned him. And believe me, we were proud of him. But when you're supposed to go out and get a job and start contributing, when you won't even help out around the house without being bugged to do every single thing... it just wears out (over apparently about 9 months).

The icing on the cake is that he has minimal chores. Bathrooms. That is it. Twice a week. I grew up as a kid having chores to do- bathrooms, cat litter, garbage, lawn. I worked on the car fixing the exhaust, or changing the oil, etc. Eventually you just do the shit because you know it needs doing and that is your part in the family. I've tried giving him more responsibility. But that means that I have to go into his room more times, ask him to do stuff, and then have him slip out without doing them. "I forgot." Awesome!

I can't even get the dude to do bathrooms or do them right. Twice he has locked the cat in our bedroom and each time she rips an inch out of our carpet each time. When that happened I was totally clear that the door is not to remain closed. But see here is an example of why I'm angry... last time he was cleaning the bathrooms (we had to ask him to, of course, because it was three days after the last time he was supposed to and didn't).. anyway... last time... I was clear in saying "make sure you sweep behind the doors". If I don't specifically ask him or do it myself- it won't get done.

So a couple hours later I go to the bathroom, see the door to our room closed and open it to find more carpet ripped up by the trapped cat... when I confront my son later about it, it is apparently MY fault. "You asked me to sweep behind the doors." And also it is our fault (my wife was home too) because we didn't go check to make sure the door was open after he left.

See how fun having teenagers can be?

p.s. I asked him if he had the 3-400$ it would take to replace the carpet if I went to sell the house since it is now at the point where it won't be overlooked. Maybe next time the door won't get left open. I'm not holding my breath...

[Murdoch]

Lazy kids!

You sound like my parents at various stages of my 20s.

He lacks perspective. He's never had to take care of himself or understand the consequences of not having parents put a roof over his head. He needs to get his own place, even if its your basement, that he has to take care of or else it turns into the pit of smell and filth that he doesn't like. Then he'll have perspective and may appreciate the things you're saying.

Right now he can't relate to anything you say, and so he doesn't respect it.

Tell him he has to move out on X day, or start paying rent. When that day comes and he still doesn't believe you put his shit on the curb. You have to mean it. Then he may learn.

Or not. Fuck if I know.