18 months? How about 3 years!

To me the main issues are (in order of importance):

1. PMUs + exorbitant M-fare requirement for TATL/TPAC, which is uncompetitive compared with the SWUs on AA & UA/CO for 100k+ fliers
2. Uncompetitive DM level, especially compared to 1k or ExP
3. Devaluation of skymiles (more and more are needed for the same award)
4. Horrible award engine
5. Very little advanced low award BE availability (even several months in advance)

I've noticed that DL has created some perverse and counterproductive incentives for elite line agents. In particular, many seem to make up answers to questions when they don't know (and will be penalized for the time spend trying to find out), they refuse to spend the time needed (i.e., for complicated and expensive paid tickets as well as award tickets) with DL's best customers, and at times if rudeness doesn't work, they just hang up. This results in additional calls, more time spent explaining the problem again, etc., as well as lost business when customers simply take their travel needs to other carriers. Is Delta planning to analyze this from a cost-benefit perspective or to revisit their training and incentives, as well as hiring criteria, for elite call center agents?

Also, why can't DMs opt to route calls to Chisholm? Why can't the recording estimate wait time and ask if we want the next available agent or if we prefer to be queued for a dedicated DM agent? In fact, why can't DMs have a specific person assigned if they want someone for concierge-like treatment or to handle problems and complicated situations? (This is what I expected for the Diamond VIP line privileges.)

OK, here are a couple IT issues that bug me...

[1] Fifteen minutes before departure, GIDS shows "on time" departure but there is no plane at the gate. What will it take to get real-time info? An aside here: Sometimes GA's know more than they are telling us; sometimes they are in the dark, too.

[2] Related to #1 - When can we expect the DL IT system to let us know where a flt is coming from? For example, if we know our plane will be arriving 30 min late, we can plan accordingly instead of relying on GIDS which we know to be wrong. BTW, CO has been offering this service for years with great success.

And one not IT-related:

[3] "Job Well Done" certs are great but only three are given out, and then only to PM/DM. Why not make these available at ticket counters, gates, SC's, etc so all passengers will have access to them and reward DL's best?

i would prefer to pay for an international ticket to earn miles but would like to upgrade with miles....perhaps a sliding scale of $/miles not just $3000/80,000
miles to europe.thanks for listening.

The general question I would like to ask is do the executives feel frustrated like I do that Delta has absolutely no ability to be very nimble in anything it does.

It takes years to fix an award booking engine.

It takes years to convert a total of 8 777-200ERs to the lie-flat arrangement.

When promotions come out with flawed or ambiguous terms, it takes weeks to get any sort of clarification out to the front line.

And so forth. It just seems like Delta is this whale of a carrier which has all the potential in the world to be quite good, and which we all want to be quite good, but even the most simple message takes forever to get to the frontline, and even the most important fix takes months to years to complete.

Do the execs feel frustrated by this like we do? Or, is this the way it's supposed to be in their view given the size of the airline? (And what I don't want to hear is about how complex this merger was; the merger is done and many of these things predate the merger anyway).

Thanks. That, of course begs the question how did Delta select particpants in the ATL DO?

DL didn't select anyone. It was open to all FTers but unfortunately only available to the first hundred participants. For more about it, see this thread...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...24-2010-a.html

I'm very glad that this opportunity has risen upon FT again.

If someone could ask on my behalf as I will not attend, I would greatly appreciate it:

1. What's the retirement plan for the MD-88's?

2. What's in store for BOS in terms of destinations, Terminal A, etc?

3. What's in the future for SkyMiles?

I'll be there and I also want to know plans for BOS, especially with the two proposed LHR flights next year. If it's not covered during the open session, I'll try to find out one on one.

My #1 concern is SWUs like many already have pointed out. But to add to that:

* Why have so many Delta employees stopped posting, officially and unofficially, on FT? The forum is obviously void of any official DL voice these days, and many of the unofficial voices dare not post.

* Quality of service on the Elite lines needs improving. Yes, the SLC folks are very nice, but they seem tethered at the neck when it comes to creative problem solving or going above and beyond. I have had to call three times and demand a supervisor on the last try to get a quote for changing a return flight (the previous two transferred me, and I waited on hold 30 minutes). That really should not be the spirit in which DL deals with its Elites. The Elite agents need to be empowered to think creatively, and assured they won't be disciplined for doing so. I am sure fear is a factor right now.

* FEBO or not to FEBO? Choose a strategy and go with it, every flight.

Good to know someone is going to be there asking that...

In regards to FEBO...I don't recall ever seeing that system in place on a DL flight. All flights should have front to back service. Flight numbers shouldn't have anything to do whether you get your food first or last.

When will one-way awards at one-way (not round-trip) redemption levels be available?

I'll be there too and I'd like to get a feeling for what plans Delta has for their route network and hubs, both internationally and domestically, over the next few years. Where do they see the growth opportunities and where will they likely be pulling back?


Concerning aircraft, what are the plans for new aircraft and what current aircraft types or styles are likely to be phased out?

When might the expected roll-out of PerkChoice return? That was the NW way of selecting half of a RT as an award and the other one way as a revenue ticket???

The revenue ticket earned miles and both were eligible for UG in your window..

I'd ask myself, but it is likely I will not have arrived in ATL early enough on Thursday.

Thanks.

I don't think the execs would have much of an answer for that, so -- and I can only speak for myself -- I'll opine.

FT can be a hostile environment for employees. :) There have been a lot of accusations, assumptions, misconceptions posted in the past, and sometimes when an employee has stepped in to try and clarify, it isn't always left at that as the responses are further challenged and debated.

Some just don't want to deal with those potential situations.

Ah, thanks. It would have been nice if Delta had sent an e-mail about that, instead of more Delta Vacations spam :)