Delta Air Lines Seeks Premium Status in Asia
Oct 21, 2011, 9:01 pm
#151
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: TPE, SZX, HKG, SAN
Programs: CI: Emer; CX: Sliver; DL: PM; PC: RA;
Posts: 272
Oct 22, 2011, 5:41 am
#153
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Tokyo
Programs: NW Diamond, LH SEN, PC Spire - RA, TG PlatHyatt Diamond
Posts: 585
Yeah, my mileage values was cut off by more than halves in Feb because I exclusively use it for Intra Asian award tix for my families and friends. At least Delta does not ask for award tix fuel surcharge on its flight.
Oct 22, 2011, 5:54 pm
#156
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SE USA
Programs: DL DM/MM , IHG Plat, MR Titanium, HH Gold, EK Frequent Kettle, UA Silver, AA Hater
Posts: 2,020
Good luck, but I do not think DL's catering team or FA's are up to it.
I paid $9600 for a ticket to DXB in J and the food sucked and the service was anything but world class. The lounge in DXB was a joke. Add to that no services for immigration, customs, or priority bag handling, and I just don't see it. Oh, and then had to connect to ASA to make the last flight home. My 30 minute flight was only 5 hours late.
I paid $9600 for a ticket to DXB in J and the food sucked and the service was anything but world class. The lounge in DXB was a joke. Add to that no services for immigration, customs, or priority bag handling, and I just don't see it. Oh, and then had to connect to ASA to make the last flight home. My 30 minute flight was only 5 hours late.
Oct 23, 2011, 6:32 am
#158
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Planet Earth
Programs: | *G | STE | HGP ♦ | SPG Au | MR Au
Posts: 3,772
I am a huge DL supporter but this will not work in Asia. The GAs and especially the FAs will never, never be able to match SQ, KE, and others. Try to imagine for one second, as is the case on KE flights, DL FAs standing at attention every 30 or so feet as we enter the flight from, for example, ICN to ORD to welcome each person. Female FAs offer to put luggage in overhead campartments, AND at least one of the GAs cleans the bathrooms once during the flights.
My personal favorite is how FA on top Asian airlines will patrol the isles in Y even after the lights are off. I think they do it once every 10-20 minutes in case someone needs something. DL FA's don't practice this even in J.
They really have an uphill battle.
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3. Branded Partnerships - be it celebrity chefs, toiletries, earphones help create an image with customers and prospects. In the case of LH with its celebrity chefs, don't you think it is interesting their recent partnerships include Peninsula Hotels, Ritz-Carlton and David Burke? The basic statement is LH is committed to a high standard of catering, but provides a global perspective to cuisine (one might assume a misperception was LH mainly served German cuisine, so these partnerships do a nice job of overcoming it without taking away with the German attributes about LH customers value).
4. If DL wants to be a premium airline choice in Asia, they are competing against a competitive set that virtually all offers excellent F products (NH, JL, CX, SQ, MH, KE, OZ). DL is spending hundreds of millions on hard product in BE and from what I've seen, they have made very good choices. To use a sports analogy, DL is in the 'red zone' so with a little bit of extra investment in soft product and some good marketing and PR they might just achieve their objective. As I heard the story, the 'Singapore Girl' was the figment of the great ad executive Ian Batey trying to turn SQ's disadvantage of having a young, less experienced and predominantly female cabin crew at a time the 'great airlines' had butler like service by white suited stewards.
3. Branded Partnerships - be it celebrity chefs, toiletries, earphones help create an image with customers and prospects. In the case of LH with its celebrity chefs, don't you think it is interesting their recent partnerships include Peninsula Hotels, Ritz-Carlton and David Burke? The basic statement is LH is committed to a high standard of catering, but provides a global perspective to cuisine (one might assume a misperception was LH mainly served German cuisine, so these partnerships do a nice job of overcoming it without taking away with the German attributes about LH customers value).
4. If DL wants to be a premium airline choice in Asia, they are competing against a competitive set that virtually all offers excellent F products (NH, JL, CX, SQ, MH, KE, OZ). DL is spending hundreds of millions on hard product in BE and from what I've seen, they have made very good choices. To use a sports analogy, DL is in the 'red zone' so with a little bit of extra investment in soft product and some good marketing and PR they might just achieve their objective. As I heard the story, the 'Singapore Girl' was the figment of the great ad executive Ian Batey trying to turn SQ's disadvantage of having a young, less experienced and predominantly female cabin crew at a time the 'great airlines' had butler like service by white suited stewards.
However, I believe that the soft product is culture and it will take years to develop. Additionally, IMHO I think there is a certain eye candy appeal that they can't match up due to HR policy.
Food wise, in J class, they are leaps and bounds behind Asian carriers. In Y, it is really debatable IMHO. I've had some real bad meals on intra-asia Y class.
Last edited by DHalltheway; Oct 23, 2011 at 6:44 am Reason: grammar