ecspike

Excerpt from Crankyflier.com

First up this week is my discussion with Bob Kupbens, the man who runs eCommerce for the airline. Yes, that includes the website, which many of you know and hate. But there’s good news for you. Delta actually does know what’s wrong and it’s going to be fixed. (Don’t worry, they can’t fix everything, so I’m sure there will still be something to complain about.)

But that’s only part of it, and there are still some defects from the merger integration that they’re still working through. Most of those major ones have been completed, and they can start turning their efforts to more work on enhancements.

I brought up the award calendar and he nodded his head. The team is well aware that people are not happy with it, and some improvements are already there. But more is coming, he promises. Then he started talking about things that I find more exciting.

Full story: http://crankyflier.com/2010/09/13/de...mers/#comments

itsaboutthejourney

As always, good analysis from Cranky.

What I hope is that we can see enough improvements in web experience to see if the problem with awards are IT systems not finding "smart" options or if the SkyPesos program is really limited in availability, or a combo of both.

motytrah

Former Target guy. Though, Target didn't develop their own purchasing system. They use Amazon's engine. He's obviously an outside hire post-merger. Any one have the scuttlebutt on what happened the the NW and DL folks who were the top dogs for web?

N639DL

This has happened to me many times when looking at flights...I click on one outbound, and it shows only one return that leaves at 6:45am. Only one there. I don't do early morning flights heading home. Other direction is fine. It's just ridiculous how that one outbound shows only 1 return then others will show anything and everything. I hope DL has a better booking system coming soon...

Evan!

In the meantime I suggest using kayak.com. There I can filter just Delta, time range out, time range back, connecting airports, yes/no to RJs, layover duration, flexible travel days, number of stops, and more. I wish kayak could filter by fare class (espcially V availability) and AVOD. The former would more likely be accurate than the latter.

I then click-through to delta.com and 95% of the time I get exactly what kayak offered but a delta.com-initiated search could not produce.

jeff30189

SHHHHH!!!! Keep it quiet, otherwise Delta will buy Kayak and screw it up.

But yes, that is exactly what I do on every trip. With so many great examples of how online booking systems are supposed to work, why has DL been so reluctant for so long to address the issue?

Evan!

Not excusing DL at all but do any of the biggies (AA, UA, CO, US, WN, etc) provide the kind of filtering tools that kayak.com offers?

I don't think DL will buy kayak.com but Microsoft bought farecast.com for their Bing! search engine. I used farecast.com quite a bit a few years back and I was pleased at the accuracy of their predictions on whether to buy now or hold.

TBD

Seems like all the major airlines (that I deal with - DL, UA, LH) have 'issues' with their flight searches. I can find something on orbitz (with a single airline's metal) that I can't get on that airline's website.

It is frustrating... Though, I do like the appearance of DL's website / search results. Easy to get information, even if the flights I want aren't listed.

MrAndy1369

One thing I want changed is the selection of first class fares. When I select "First/Business", particuarly for domestic flights, the results almost always display A fares, which is discounted first class. This fare can be risky, especially in IRROPs, when sometimes people experience being rebooked in coach, without compensation for the difference (as A is actually a coach fare, but an instant upgrade).

DL should offer a choice for Discounted First Class (A) and true First Class (F). Less misleading, and DL can make money off of true F fares from customers. A true win-win.

My two cents.

flymonthly

Can't you just select by Fare Class "First/Business F" instead of selecting Cabin "First/Business"? Works for me on the extremely rare occasions when I'm looking for a true "F" fare.

koreanair720

Indeed. Even when I'm explicitly searching for Delta flights, I use kayak. Pretty sad commentary on Delta's own site.

N639DL

But does it have the same price as DL?

Hawk Circle

Award calendar improvements have been coming soon for three years!

motytrah

You would have to know from Flyer Talk that First/Business really isn't First/Business on DL.com. I would say, NO. It's unfair and deceptive. They should fix it. Though, I'm not sure that a technical issue or a management issue.

MrAndy1369

That doesn't make sense to me, though. Wouldn't DL be pushing true "F" fares as they're more expensive than "A" fares? More revenue!