Question for Diamonds
Jan 22, 2018, 5:47 am
#16
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Canada
Programs: FB Platinum, SM Diamond
Posts: 645
I'm confused, did Delta suddenly become a not-for-profit business? How much free stuff do you think they should be giving away? Your profile says you are a platinum medallion, according to this page: https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...on-status.html you are already getting a significant number of benefits such as your choice benefit, bonus RDM, no award redeposit fee, no same day change fees, and priority support, free preferred seats, not to mention upgrades (granted they seldom happen). Ultimately they have an expected value they want to give to their loyalty program and have to draw a line on what they want to give away for free to meet that value. If you want them to add free drinks into then they would need to offset that somewhere else in their program, which I'm guessing people wouldn't be happy if their preferred seat selection went away, or had to pay same-day/award ticket change fees.
From an operations standpoint it also makes it easier on determine who pays instead of having to check a list to see if they are a status flyer, and avoids awkward situations if you are sitting next to someone without status who has to pay for their drink while you are getting it for free.
From an operations standpoint it also makes it easier on determine who pays instead of having to check a list to see if they are a status flyer, and avoids awkward situations if you are sitting next to someone without status who has to pay for their drink while you are getting it for free.
I will even add one (very important) "benefit", ... lounge access on intl flight...
How much you think is the cost to Delta for support all this lounge (and paid for your lounge access when you are abroad). Staff, food/drink, space, I prefer not see the "invoice" for this.
If Delta can only continue to give the actual benefit, they will see me in 10 years as member of their FFP.
Jan 22, 2018, 5:56 am
#17
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
As much as I dislike AA these days (ahem US Airways) they blow DL out of the water with this service aspect. If I’m ever in coach I’m always greeted by my name and asking whatever I’d like.....on longer flights if I want a refill and try to pay my CC is turned away.
Jan 22, 2018, 6:54 am
#18
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: DTW
Programs: DL PM, Natl-Exec Elite, Hertz-President Circle, Marriot/Starwood-Gold, HHonors-Gold
Posts: 678
Jan 22, 2018, 8:06 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: SEA, BOS, SFO, DFW, ATL, DCA
Programs: DL DM 1MM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, UA PS, VX, Natl EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 117
I've had more than a couple of trips in Y where the FA took my a) credit card, or b) drink coupon, and didn't scan it. Including once or twice where I watched her swipe the credit card of the person sitting next to me.
Jan 22, 2018, 8:15 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,013
This is a published benefit for EXP's on American. We get a free fresh food item, snack, or drink. Does Delta not publish this benefit for their Diamonds? Does it basically rely on if the flight attendant is in a good mood?
Jan 22, 2018, 8:19 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
There is no published benefit for a snack or free cocktail that I am aware of.
Jan 22, 2018, 8:52 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2017
Programs: DL DM, UA Gold, Alaska MVP, Bonvoy (lol) Ambassador
Posts: 2,994
It is a published benefit on United as well (free drink and snack item). Snacks are better than what you get in Delta C+ as well. I lose 1K at the end of this month so won't get this anymore but it was a nice gesture (they only added it about a year and a half back).
Jan 22, 2018, 12:15 pm
#24
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: IND
Programs: DL DM, SPG AMB, National EE
Posts: 1,301
Jan 22, 2018, 12:17 pm
#25
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
Have that first world problem that i never was able to use them or will be able to use them in the next couple of months. As a consequence there are currently 12 drink vouchers sitting in my app/wallet.
First 4 are only valid thru: 02/02/18
If it is not against the rules OP can have some of them.
First 4 are only valid thru: 02/02/18
If it is not against the rules OP can have some of them.
They only gave me 4.........
Jan 22, 2018, 12:25 pm
#26
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
Programs: DL DM 1.929MM, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, IHG Platinum, Avis CHM, Marriott Titanium (lifetime gold)
Posts: 7,860
Jan 22, 2018, 1:27 pm
#27
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Twin Cities
Programs: Delta DM MM, IHG Plat, Hilton DM, Marriott SE, Emerald EE, Oakdale Gun Club, NRA & GOA Life Member
Posts: 3,870
I was given a free double Woodford a few months ago when the FA had trouble reading my vouchers. A few years ago, the woman sitting next to me on a CR2 and I were talking about how it sucks that you don't get a HOOU voucher unless you print out your BP at home/work. The FA must have overheard us because she offered us a free drink because of our status. I think we were in 1C, 1D and we were both DM. Otherwise, I've never gotten free drinks in Y.
Jan 22, 2018, 2:53 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Pagus Bracbatensis, Kingdom of the Netherlands
Programs: DL SPlat, KLM Bump, Privium Plus, GOES
Posts: 2,066
Jan 22, 2018, 6:44 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,279
Free drinks doesn't do anything for me, but I think that your argument is a little weak. The diamond medallions that sit in Y a lot tend to be Delta's highest revenue customers (besides very frequent international J flyers). They tend to sit in Y a lot because they book relatively last minute paying high fares - meaning cabins are already full.
Most of my fares exceed $1K. I don't recall the last time I paid less than $800 for a ticket. And yet I sit in Y- while the Platinum that bought a $450 V ticket 2 months ago sits in C+ and gets the extra legroom (and free drinks, which admittedly I don't care about).
You would think that Delta would want to protect my business - but they don't. I opt to fly United (and less frequently American) whenever I can because they have more Economy+ seats on their planes and there is usually one available.
Most of my fares exceed $1K. I don't recall the last time I paid less than $800 for a ticket. And yet I sit in Y- while the Platinum that bought a $450 V ticket 2 months ago sits in C+ and gets the extra legroom (and free drinks, which admittedly I don't care about).
You would think that Delta would want to protect my business - but they don't. I opt to fly United (and less frequently American) whenever I can because they have more Economy+ seats on their planes and there is usually one available.
Adding more benefits has a cost to them and while at an individual level is small adds up to a not insignificant portion of the bottom line. Delta runs close to 5k flights a day on average. For the sake of argument, lets say each day, 40% of the flights have 1 DM in Y who want a free drink and the actual cost to Delta for that drink is $1. Across an entire year that comes out to 730k in additional cost, kind of hard to justify, unless providing that benefit is going to bring in significantly more revenue than the cost of implementing it. If Delta felt that was the case, then they would have already implemented it. Clearly in their cost-benefit analysis it doesn't benefit them as a company to offer that benefit. They obviously aren't hemorrhaging frequent flyers to UA/AA because UA/AA has free food/drink, and for every skymiles member leaving for UA/AA for the free food/drink, they are likely gaining members leaving UA/AA due to some other facet of the FF program. And lets be honest, the majority of Delta high-value frequent flyers are the ones who are going to fly Delta regardless, either because they are located at a hub which gives them non-stops, or they are on a corporate contract.
Jan 22, 2018, 7:22 pm
#30
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM & 2MM™, Lifetime HHonors Diamond
Posts: 20,889
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Adding more benefits has a cost to them and while at an individual level is small adds up to a not insignificant portion of the bottom line. Delta runs close to 5k flights a day on average. For the sake of argument, lets say each day, 40% of the flights have 1 DM in Y who want a free drink and the actual cost to Delta for that drink is $1. Across an entire year that comes out to 730k in additional cost, kind of hard to justify, unless providing that benefit is going to bring in significantly more revenue than the cost of implementing it. If Delta felt that was the case, then they would have already implemented it. Clearly in their cost-benefit analysis it doesn't benefit them as a company to offer that benefit.
Adding more benefits has a cost to them and while at an individual level is small adds up to a not insignificant portion of the bottom line. Delta runs close to 5k flights a day on average. For the sake of argument, lets say each day, 40% of the flights have 1 DM in Y who want a free drink and the actual cost to Delta for that drink is $1. Across an entire year that comes out to 730k in additional cost, kind of hard to justify, unless providing that benefit is going to bring in significantly more revenue than the cost of implementing it. If Delta felt that was the case, then they would have already implemented it. Clearly in their cost-benefit analysis it doesn't benefit them as a company to offer that benefit.