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Detroit News:Delta soaring, pushed by fliers, auto business

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Old May 26, 2016, 10:07 am
  #1  
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Detroit News:Delta soaring, pushed by fliers, auto business

Interesting article here. I especially like this piece:

“Detroit is the best airport in North America,” Bastian said in an interview Wednesday at Metro Airport.
Take THAT Atlanta. (former DTW resident here...)

Delta soaring, pushed by fliers, auto business
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Old May 26, 2016, 10:22 am
  #2  
us2
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You may have buried the lede here. Did I miss an announcement or did Bastian say that Economy Comfort would become a separate cabin? The article mentioned wider seats specifically, so it doesn't sound as though he was misquoted. From the article:

Delta plans to introduce a redesigned, and separate, “Comfort Plus” section between its luxury Delta One service and its main cabin. Unlike today’s comfort plus seats — identical to economy seats except for a few more inches of leg room — the new sections will feature wider seats and more space more akin to “Premium Economy” already available on Lufthansa’s transatlantic routes.

“The international world really demands that,” Bastian says, acknowledging Delta’s chief competition to be Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, key Asian carriers and their U.S. partners American and United Airlines.
Anyway, he's right about Detroit, which I view as an underutilized asset compared to the overutilized Atlanta. It really is a first-rate facility.
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Old May 26, 2016, 10:23 am
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That line was the most telling. Wonder what future expansion he has in mind for DTW and what that will mean for CVG and MSP. When do the MSP subsidies end?
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Old May 26, 2016, 10:32 am
  #4  
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C+ will eventually be a separate cabin with better seats for international. Was discussed in another thread, just forget which one.
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Old May 26, 2016, 11:32 am
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Originally Posted by rylan
C+ will eventually be a separate cabin with better seats for international. Was discussed in another thread, just forget which one.
Delta has already announced a true premium economy product will launch on the A350.

http://airport.blog.ajc.com/2016/04/...ional-flights/

This is for international only, not domestic C+
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Old May 26, 2016, 11:49 am
  #6  
 
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I may be biased because I am Detroit based but yea, DTW is by far my favorite major airport in the country if I'm flying Delta. Never have issues with security lines and the improved food / bar options have been great.
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Old May 26, 2016, 11:53 am
  #7  
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He's not wrong. DTW is a gem.
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Old May 26, 2016, 12:21 pm
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Originally Posted by AKABrownBear
I may be biased because I am Detroit based but yea, DTW is by far my favorite major airport in the country if I'm flying Delta. Never have issues with security lines and the improved food / bar options have been great.
MSP flyer here, and although I do love me some MSP, I have to admit that DTW is my favorite airport to fly into for layover or whatever. ATL feels like a dirty dank mall from the 1980s. ATL is my second-least favorite airport (#1 being MCI). ORD (DL side at least) is #3.

Looking at planning an international trip with my family so looking forward to hear more news on when this newer C+ class will be coming out.
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Old May 26, 2016, 2:16 pm
  #9  
 
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I really like DTW, as it is a fun place to change planes (I was in DTW exactly 8 minutes last night, as my inbound flight from STL parked at A70, and my onward flight to DCA was located at A21, and I connected between the two via the express train on the mezzanine level).

I also like the self-service beverages in the clubs. Also, I like the business carrels in the north and south A clubs (haven't been over the the B-C club in a while).

The only bad thing about DTW is the way the airfield is laid out, which generally requires a tedious circle around the metropolitan area, and that long taxis are occasionally required (the two east-west runways never seem to be used anymore).

By contrast, flights from DCA to MSP can fly straight only either runway 30L or 30R; only in oddball weather are approaches to other runways required.
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Old May 26, 2016, 2:45 pm
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Originally Posted by mra123
MSP flyer here, and although I do love me some MSP, I have to admit that DTW is my favorite airport to fly into for layover or whatever. ATL feels like a dirty dank mall from the 1980s. ATL is my second-least favorite airport (#1 being MCI). ORD (DL side at least) is #3.

Looking at planning an international trip with my family so looking forward to hear more news on when this newer C+ class will be coming out.
I think you can bet that the price of C+ will go up and no longer be free
for ANY companions (similar to domestic). We will be back to three class ships like the old days (First, Business and economy)
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Old May 26, 2016, 3:01 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by javabytes
He's not wrong. DTW is a gem.
This...I fly out of GSP and would gladly connect in DTW.
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Old May 26, 2016, 3:38 pm
  #12  
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I hadn't seen anywhere else about the DTW-Munich flight being announced, either, but I could have missed it.

Agree with all the praise of DTW. Sadly, DFW is now my home airport, and I rarely get to DT anymore, but at least will be able to visit the ol' girl in a few weeks. Purposely booked DL even though I am with AA now, just to spend some time in the McNamara terminal. Still looks as good as when it opened in 2002 or so.
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Old May 26, 2016, 5:48 pm
  #13  
 
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As someone who lives in ATL and previously lived in DTW - ATL is a much better home airport. I imagine it is not a great airport to connect in, but as a home airport, I'll take it every day over DTW. So many more flight options.

Prior to opening the new terminal, many of my friends called DTW a "third world airport." It has come a long way in the last 10+ years.
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Old May 26, 2016, 6:39 pm
  #14  
 
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I miss the Smith Terminal.
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Old May 26, 2016, 6:40 pm
  #15  
 
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Originally Posted by gatech_ATL_flyer
Prior to opening the new terminal, many of my friends called DTW a "third world airport." It has come a long way in the last 10+ years.
I enjoy DTW more than any other Delta-centric airport in the US. Your friends are not wrong to say the old Berry and Smith terminals (not sure NW ever flew out of Smith) were a joke for such a large city as Detroit. Macnamara has really been a pleasure to fly out of, and I look forward to every time I get to stop there.
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