NOW THAT YOU HAVE GRADUATED, LET'S GO A LITTLE FARTHER AND PUT WHAT YOU LEARNED INTO PRACTICE.

YOU CAN EASILY SEE THAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE ARE CLASSIC EXAMPLES OF THE  BATTLES BETWEEN DAVID & GOLIATH AND GOOD & EVIL.

BUT ALL IS NOT LOST FOR US; THERE STILL IS HOPE OF WINNING.

IF YOU READ BELOW YOU WILL NOT ONLY SEE HOW YOU CAN GET YOUR MONEY BACK, BUT BE PART OF STOPPING DELTA FROM CONTINUING TO RIP OFF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

JUST AS AFTER PANDORA OPENED THE BOX ENTRUSTED TO HER AND UNLEASHED ALL FORMS OF HORRORS ONTO THE EARTH, WHEN THE AIRLINE DEREGULATION ACT WAS UNLEASHED, THERE WAS ONE THING LEFT THE FLYING CONSUMER, AND THAT WAS HOPE.

IN THIS CASE, "HOPE" COMES IN THE FORM OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

WHILE STATE COURTS HAVE NO JURISDICTION TO REDRESS THE WRONGS DONE BY DELTA, THE DOT DOES HAVE REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER DELTA.

HERE WE GET TO THE "GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS SITUATION. THE BAD NEWS IS THAT THE DOT IS UNDERSTAFFED AND UNDERFUNDED AND DOESN'T HAVE THE FACILITIES TO ADJUDICATE OR DO ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT INDIVIDUAL INSTANCES OF WRONGDOING.

THE GOOD NEWS THOUGH IS THAT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE MAKE NOISE TO THE DOT, IT CAN ISSUE AN ORDER DIRECTING DELTA TO CEASE AND DESIST, AND AS IT HAPPENS, THERE IS A SPECIFIC SECTION OF FEDERAL LAW THAT GIVES THE DOT AUTHORITY TO STOP AN AIRLINE ENGAGED IN UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES, AND WHAT WOULD BE MORE UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE THAN WHAT DELTA IS DOING TO EXEMPT PASSENGERS GOING TO MEXICO? FOR YOU LAW BUFFS, THIS CAN BE FOUND AT TITLE 49, SUBTITLE VII, PART A, subpart ii, CHAPTER 417, SUBCHAPTER 1, SECTION 41712(A).  Now ain't that a mouthful!

CLICK HERE to see a good form letter you can send to the DOT about Delta's scam.

ONE LAST OPTION, and this is for those of you who are crosses between Robin Hood, the Lone Ranger, Superwoman, G.I. Joe/Jane, and maybe a touch of Don Quixote de la Mancha.

When I said the courts were closed to you for your complaints against Delta, I didn't mention one exception, and that is because it takes, time, some money and a willingness to fight for what you believe in.

Without going too deep into law and procedure involved, there is a court decision that says you can sue Delta for breach of contract for taking your money when it had no right to and then refusing to give it back. You can also sue the DOT and ask the court to tell it do do its job and stop Delta from continuing to rip off exempt travelers.

As a matter of interest, you can see one of these lawsuits by clicking here.

Hope you enjoyed the class.

DAVID

U.S. Transportation Secretary
Mary E. Peters