Posting my letters to Delta:

Letter One (Sent to Ms. Evans after my daughter boarded her flight)

To Ms. Charisse Evans

Director of Airport Customer Service

Delta Airlines, Atlanta Hartsfield Airport

Subject: My daughter is 13 and unaccompanied and unsupervised on your flight

Ms. Evans;

My thirteen year old daughter phoned me from Hartsfield Airport today with information that Delta refused to allow her grandparents to pay the $100 to accompany her to the gate. She was also informed after waiting 2.5 hours in line that she was unable to check her baggage and would probably miss her flight.

I understand that your customer service agents at check in are under a great deal of stress. (My daughter described people crying and another lady screaming about missing her flight.)

However, my husband and I spent a great deal of time on the phone with international calls in advance of our daughter’s flight. The reason for the calls was to inform you of her unaccompanied status and to find out the correct procedures so that she could be supervised during her flight. We offered to pay by credit card over the phone in advance of her flight, but we were told that she must pay at the time of check in. We were also assured that her grandmother would be able to walk her to the gate and that my husband or I would be able to meet her at her destination gate.

Now she is in the air (ticket number 0067689376107 Flight 14 Atlanta Frankfurt 31 July – 1 August 09) and she was not supervised at all and there is no plan for her supervision.

In addition to the stress on my husband and I not knowing where she was in the airport or if she would make it to the gate. I spent a more than a half an hour stressfully calling delta customer service for help (international calls on my cell phone).

All we can learn from the customer service agents is that gate passes are routinely given to family members and minors are never allowed to travel alone. They have no explanation for what happened in the case of our daughter.

It is my desire to inform you of this situation so that you can be sure that all of your check-in agents are aware of the proper procedure and another child does not have to go through the stress that our daughter did.

Also, we request that you arrange for the supervision of my daughter during her flight as is the procedure with minor children traveling alone and for the transportation of her luggage to us as she was not allowed to check it for the flight.

I look forward to your response at this address or please call me at either of the following phone numbers: not posted on ireports

Sincerely;

Angela Cerrito and Terrill Talley

Parents of Alexandria Talley

Letter two (sent after her arrival –AND BEING HELD AT CUSTOMS-this morning)

Subject: My daughter was held almost an hour by customs in Frankfurt

Ms. Charisse Evans

I received no response to my letter below about my daughter traveling alone on Delta flight 14 from Atlanta to Frankfurt. The only response from you customer service agents by phone was that “This does not happen.” But it did happen. It happened to my daughter.

I tried to relax and take strength from the fact that my daughter was an experienced traveler.

Because the unaccompanied minor procedures were not followed, her father was not able to meet her at the gate at Frankfurt this morning.

My daughter was taken aside at customs in the Frankfurt airport and escorted to a small room where she was left alone for almost an hour. After 20 minutes she was told someone would come for her in 5 minutes… but it was nearly an hour before the airport staff was able to reunite my husband with our daughter and clear her through customs.

I want to point out that this would not have happened if Delta in Atlanta would have followed their procedures for minors traveling alone.

We are still waiting to hear from you about the matter of my daughter’s luggage that she was not allowed to check. I would also like your assurances that the members of your staff are properly trained regarding minors traveling alone, so that another family will not have a repeat of our experience.

I appreciate your assistance and look forward to your response.

Sincerely;

Angela Cerrito mother of Alexandria Talley