Tag Archives for delta air lines.
Over the summer I told you about indications of improved business class check-in and a business class lounge planned for LAX. Now there’s leaks out of the Port Authority of New York New Jersey about a planned Delta One lounge at New York JFK. Delta appears to be matching Untied and American with a dedicated business class lounge product.
A brawl broke out on Delta flight 1136 from LAX to Memphis as a man – whom an eyewitness said “appeared to be drinking” upset other passengers by being loud and “not keeping his mask on.”
This prompted another passenger to get snarky with the man, and this escalated into a fight. Which escalated into a bigger fight. And soon several people were involved ostensibly to break up the fight by fighting themselves.
Delta Air Lines wants to know if they can save money staffing check-in counters with agents for elite travelers. For years they’ve pushed general passengers to self-service kiosks, while maintaining full service especially for their most frequent customers.
They’re surveying their customer focus group, made up generally of a group of elite customers, about whether they use kiosks in areas outside of air travel, what features they want from kiosks, and whether the pandemic has made them more open to a shift to kiosks (less human interaction).
Last month a passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight from Syracuse to Atlanta was breastfeeding a cat. This actually happened. In real life. A flight attendant on board even dished on the whole thing.
Record producer Stevie J – a Grammy winner for Puff Daddy’s debut album and known for his work with Mariah Carey, Notorious B.I.G., and Jay-Z – was kicked off a Delta flight from Los Angeles to Atlanta over to go alcohol in the airport on Friday. He and his son were told to toss their drinks before boarding. And things escalated.
After receiving around $10 billion in direct payments from taxpayers, the airline is spreading its cash around the world. Delta is investing $1.2 billion in three airlines where it’s held an equity stake:
Before the pandemic Delta saw the U.S. market as mature and limited, but it had opportunities for growth around the world. Instead of focusing on alliances, it took stakes in foreign carriers to give them tighter control and greater participation in upside.
It’s not ‘unfair’ of Delta, they can reward whatever they wish. There’s no bait and switch here. In that sense it’s “reasonable.” But defenses of Delta complaint ‘not baiting and switching’ with a recommendation that consumers accept the move.
Realize the bundle of value that Delta is offering on the cheapest fares is falling, and factor that when comparing their alternatives
An African American man on a Delta Air Lines flight went on a rant about being enslaved by white men, before assaulting a flight attendant and an air marshal on board the Washington – Los Angeles plane on Thursday evening.
After being attacked, the air marshal called for passenger assistance and together got the situation under control – zip-tying the man – as the aircraft diverted to Oklahoma City.
Delta devalued SkyMiles awards twice during the pandemic and now calls it a sale when they offer 350,000 and even 400,000 mile-plus business class roundtrips to Europe. They’ve also gutted international upgrades with top elites getting confirmed from coach to premium economy only and no longer business class.
The other shoe has dropped at the reverse end of the spectrum, mileage-earning on the cheapest fares. For new tickets purchased (as of December 9, 2021) and travel starting January 1, 2022, Delta’s basic economy fares will no longer earn miles or elite status credit. Period.
Delta is gutting confirmed international upgrades awarded to top elite customers. Top tier SkyMiles Diamond members can select confirmed global upgrades as a ‘choice benefit’. These have moved a customer on a coach ticket to business class on any Delta flight where upgrade space is available.
However starting February 1, 2022 that’s changing.
Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel -- a topic he has covered since 2002.
Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »
