Originally Posted by
vincentharris
I was thinking about it on a very long transpacific flight recently, what has DL done for you? Loyalty is a two way street (or at least it should be) I aks the question in a multi level thought process. What have GA/FA/etc (front line employees) done for you? (not the normal good IRROP help but if somebody in person or on the phone went out of their way for you? Has DL corporate done anything? (examples are sending you thank you notes, gifts for being X medallion level, calls to resolve issues, etc.)
Been some medallion (FO, GM, PM, DM) for the past 10+ years and honestly cant say the times I have been "wowed" or felt like my business meant anything (especially from corporate (not front line employees)) to the company have been numerous. I am aware they are a multi billion dollar company with a global presence but they still depend on repeat business.
Just curious of peoples thoughts (both longer term flyers and newer ones)
Well, I do see the IROPS handling as part of that "two-way" loyalty. When DL goes above and beyond to help me out, they do so at another passengers' expense. At a minimum, the time required for the agent to go above and beyond to assist me takes away from time they could spend helping other customers and when DL does more to get me on a flight than they might for someone else, that means another passenger may lose out and not make that flight.
I did receive the Porsche transfer twice the year I was a DM (both times at LAX). One wasn't necessary (I had about 2 hours) while the other one - well it was the only reason my wife and I made our connection to our VA flight to BNE. Had it not been for the Porsche transfer (and the driver pulling some strings on the way as he was driving us over), we would have missed our flight and spent the night at LAX and not gotten out to the following day.
DL has also waived numerous change fees for me when I've had work-related conflicts come up (military orders). DL doesn't have to but they have. And while it's been a while since I've used it (I honestly don't even know if they still do it), DL would run a military lounge in ATL and some other hubs around the holidays for military and their families. Not something they've done for me individually but still an "above and beyond" act I was able to take advantage of.
The other case where a DL agent really went above and beyond was at a DL SkyClub. My wife and I were traveling on our anniversary. One of the employees was walking around, often talking to and engaging with kids but he approached us and said we looked like a couple traveling on our honeymoon. We said no but funny enough it was our anniversary. He then brought out a bottle of champagne on ice, two glasses, and some other treats/snacks for us.
I'm not sure it's a matter of needing to be wowed. But it amazes me at what people are actually wowed by. A handwritten card from a purser, for example, is 100% useless. It's not sincere and it doesn't help. But people will rave about it, tell their friends, and remember it forever.
Well, only the purser knows if it's genuine or not. But sometimes it's the things that are financially useless that mean the most to people. A spouse may be the same way. My wife is often more impressed and grateful by a low-cost/no-cost gift or surprise than something fancier and more expensive.