RealDLInsider

Today is the start of what will be many more parties going on at Delta over the next few weeks, but today we celebrated the conclusion of our SkyMiles 25th Anniversary and hosted over 3,500 partners, employees and select customers here in the Headquarters Hangar. We recognized some of our longest and largest SkyMiles partners, several employees who have made a difference for us over the last 25 years, and acknowledged the customer who had earned more flown miles over the last 20 years than any other. Although I can’t legally disclose his name, he has more than 10 Million flown miles in the last 20 years and his account only has 2 million miles remaining in it. He’s been retired for a few years now, and travels on First/Business Class awards every other month all over the world. The event was a lot of fun and just the start of what is becoming a new, reinvigorated and growing Delta!

As always, I want to follow up on the some of the comments posted over the last couple weeks, and hopefully clarify a few issues. So where do I start:

25,000 Mile Partner Promotion

We heard you loud and clear in that the terms and conditions were not all that clear. We worked with our Legal team and several internal folks clarified the rules over the last couple days. Although there were still some different ways to interpret the conditions no matter how we wrote it up, we tried our best to be as clear as possible. Those terms and conditions have been updated on delta.com. Thus far, it’s been a great promotion and we appreciate that you helped guide us on clarifying this issue.

CVG Event

I realize a small group of you are heading up to the CVG Crown Room Club for a little gathering, and I apologize again that I can’t make it. Going to the French Open is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a huge tennis fan like me, and as I occasionally say “Gotta Go!” It sounds like we are working on potentially getting the group a tour of the CVG operations, so I hope that all gets worked out.

Expiring Miles

I saw some postings around the rule change that we made to expiring miles, and some who strongly indicated that they don’t think we provided enough notice. In all the years I’ve worked in the airline industry, I don’t think we ever worked harder to try and communicate this change to each individual customer impacted. In July, we mailed every single address on our database that had miles expiring this past year – those that were impacted by the change and even those who were not. Tens of thousands of people replied to those notices and activated in the last six months of the year. On top of this, we also emailed twice (once in October and again in November) every single customer who was impacted by this change or had miles expiring last year, and then again, many tens of thousands more responded and activated. Then finally, after we did get some complaints in January (from people who all of a sudden realize there account has been inactive for 24+ months), we gave them the opportunity to do something in February to get ALL of their miles back. This promotion was published on delta.com throughout February, and in addition to those that wrote us to complain, many tens of thousands again reactivated in February, and we gave them their miles back. I understand that some customers are disappointed with this program change, but I also don’t think anyone really believes that an inactive 24-month member is really all that “loyal” to Delta or the SkyMiles Program – particularly given the hundreds of ways you can earn miles by doing everyday things (Dry Cleaning, Charging Anything, Buying Flowers, Renting a Car, Staying at a Hotel, etc.). I may sound a bit direct on this, but it was also likely the first time in our history that we actually gave away fewer miles than what were actually redeemed or expired – in essence we are working toward reducing our mileage liability than continuing to grow it.

Leading Hotels of the World

Good announcement this past week around this one. They are a great new partner for our customers, and internally, are great people to work with. We were proud that they came to Delta proactively and wanted to partner with us, and feel good about having them as a partner in our program – the only U.S. airline to be with LHW.

“Ellen on a Plane”

You may have heard through the grapevine, but it appears like it may happen. Delta Air Lines will be partnering with American Express and the Ellen DeGeneres show at hosting a show in the sky on a B767-400 from LAX to JFK. More details are following in the next few weeks, but the show will be aired on Thursday, May 10th. By the way, they needed someone to be a part of the show and escort Ellen and her team around – and they asked Jeff Robertson. You know where I’ll be that week!!

Have a good weekend you all … I’m signing out!

Jeff

iCorpRoadie

Thanks for the update! Sounds like a fun party, too bad we coudln't be invited.

tkey75

We have already arranged for cardboard cutouts of all the Delta people we invited to CVG and cannot make it.

iCorpRoadie

do you have one of me?

RobertS975

Wow, Jeff... at first I thought you were going to announce a big Boeing 787 order!

Jeff, a week or so, there was a thread which noted that according to an article in Business Traveler magazine, DL appears to lag behind several other carriers when it comes to recognizing the long-term loyalty of some of your customers. For example, AF/KL gives lifetime platinum status for those who achieve platinum status 10 years in a row. Other carriers count more than MQMs in determining MM status.

I realize that so much of what you do is to balance off various factors, much of which we can only guess at. But unless I am missing something, there is little downside to rewarding longtime loyalty in a more generous manner than is the current practice... after all, if the customer stops flying, then they will not be using their status benefits anyway.

duchy

Hope the CVG operations tour works out. I did it some years ago and it's an interesting insight.

piyush

Thanks for the updates! The 25,000 miles partner promotion is gr8 ^ .

Piyush

SNAGuy

Jeff, thanks too for the updates.

There have recently been a couple of discussions in the forum about FC meal service to SJU. I know this issue does not pertain specifically to the SM program but does effect those members that either redeem miles or pays to sit in FC on these flights from ATL, JFK or CVG.

This destination does fit into the time/distance criteria for a meal but DL in its time of needing to cut things back removed this amenity from FC whereas the competition still provides a meal in FC to SJU.

Would we anytime soon be seeing any changes to on board services to bring DL back in line with it's peers?

Please keep these updates coming and a BIG congratulations to all the DL employees for a job well done!

obscure2k

As always, Jeff, very much appreciate the updates.
O2K

tkey75

Are you trying to say you're not coming? Totally unacceptable.

bradfordm

I don't frequent the AA, CO, NW, UA or any other Airline threads, but do other carriers have posters from within the front office? I appreciate the fact that it seems someone in Atlanta is monitoring the board and even posting responses from time-to-time.

DiverDave

The Continental board has the CoInsider, and he is a frequent poster. He even researches specific issues, for example, why somebody didn't get an upgrade when FC seats were empty.

David

FWAAA

The AA forum has several employee posters (mostly FAs and a couple of pilots), but our only self-proclaimed HQ employee is a member of the new aa.com/women page team, and they have posted to a lengthy thread about that dismal effort by AA to reach out to women. The comments, predictably, have been somewhat frank:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...ighlight=women

marais

Jeff, I totally appreciate your posts in this forum, and even as a lowly FO I get the feeling that "our" voice (as day-to-day business travelers) is being heard. Your participation here only serves to confirm my loyalty to DL and my gratitude for all your employees---they are truly the best in the air. What hard chore for you as an airline to get past bankruptcy, but a new beginning is near, and your loyal customers anticipate great things to come.

All the best to you and to everyone at DL...pax et bonum!

zoegksf

The UA board has a few FA's, GA's and Pilots about. RealDLInsider is one of the main reason's I have switched alot of my travel to DL. Any airline that has a Front Office person on this board, Mojito's, The Smith's and Absolutely Fabulous on thier inflight playlist are alright in my book. Plus I have a soft spot in my heart being ex-EA FA for a bankrupt airline trying to make a go of it. DL also got my attention with highly attractive F/C fares.