Delta's Reputation and Challenges in 2021 and the future (Consolidated Threads)
Dec 28, 2021, 10:18 am
#31
Join Date: May 2016
Location: ATL
Programs: DL GM, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,241
Like many things going on these days, there's very few absolutes (though the world would be easier if there were!), and I think several things can be true at once. I too would like Delta to have better service offerings on board, but like many things these days it seems like a complex calculation.
- Regardless of the severity of Omicron, there are still people who have to travel who are very anxious/cautious about covid and/or are more susceptible to Covid's effects (pre-existing conditions, lives with someone under 5 or over 80, etc). As a common carrier Delta can't just deny boarding to all of those people. From my point of view it makes sense to continue taking measures to increase Covid safety.
- Some service offerings seem like they could be brought back without affecting Covid safety - now that we now Covid is mostly transmitted by air and not surface contact, pillows and blankets in F seem like a reasonable thing to bring back.
- Some are in a gray area. On one hand offering any food and drink will lead to longer time periods of passengers being unmasked. So I can see things like reduced food offerings in Y, not consistently offering the midflight water/coffee service, etc making sense. On the other hand, if you've decided to bring back something like a drink service anyways, it seems like you might as well offer the full menu.
- The cost of providing on-board service offerings is likely more now than it was pre-covid due to increased supply & labor costs at various parts in the supply chain.
- The reasons airlines use to justify service offerings (or lack thereof) in their PR is often not the real bottom line reason
Dec 28, 2021, 12:47 pm
#32
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Wayne, PA USA
Programs: DL MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, HHonors Gold
Posts: 7,242
Trying not to drift this too far off topic. But what if someone from the medical field told you that the ICU bed situation has been that way every winter for the past decade, just not brought into focus like it has since COVID. Hospitalizations including ICU admissions and ED overflow sky rockets this time of year for a myriad of reasons, even pre-covid. The fact that bed capacity continues to decrease as hospital systems consolidate and safety-net hospitals get bought out/closed by for-profit healthcare conglomerates doesn't help the issue.
Dec 28, 2021, 12:52 pm
#33
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Wayne, PA USA
Programs: DL MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, HHonors Gold
Posts: 7,242
Like many things going on these days, there's very few absolutes (though the world would be easier if there were!), and I think several things can be true at once. I too would like Delta to have better service offerings on board, but like many things these days it seems like a complex calculation.
- Regardless of the severity of Omicron, there are still people who have to travel who are very anxious/cautious about covid and/or are more susceptible to Covid's effects (pre-existing conditions, lives with someone under 5 or over 80, etc). As a common carrier Delta can't just deny boarding to all of those people. From my point of view it makes sense to continue taking measures to increase Covid safety.
- Some service offerings seem like they could be brought back without affecting Covid safety - now that we now Covid is mostly transmitted by air and not surface contact, pillows and blankets in F seem like a reasonable thing to bring back.
- Some are in a gray area. On one hand offering any food and drink will lead to longer time periods of passengers being unmasked. So I can see things like reduced food offerings in Y, not consistently offering the midflight water/coffee service, etc making sense. On the other hand, if you've decided to bring back something like a drink service anyways, it seems like you might as well offer the full menu.
- The cost of providing on-board service offerings is likely more now than it was pre-covid due to increased supply & labor costs at various parts in the supply chain.
- The reasons airlines use to justify service offerings (or lack thereof) in their PR is often not the real bottom line reason
Dec 30, 2021, 7:34 pm
#35
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,895
Did Delta squander is reputation for excellence / customer service in 2021?
As we end the year with another bout of flight cancellations, long wait times on the phone (I am 2 hours over the promised time for a callback tonight already) and other issues, the question has to be raised. Delta seems to have lost a step in a variety of service areas in 2021 relative to its competitors. What happened?
Dec 30, 2021, 7:47 pm
#36
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,373
As we end the year with another bout of flight cancellations, long wait times on the phone (I am 2 hours over the promised time for a callback tonight already) and other issues, the question has to be raised. Delta seems to have lost a step in a variety of service areas in 2021 relative to its competitors. What happened?
Dec 30, 2021, 8:11 pm
#37
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 1,885
Never confuse "putting shareholders first" with complete incompetence. The two can never exist in tandem. Its clear from EB's bumbling political career to the operational meltdowns to the abysmal phone service to the terrible onboard experience, he has no business being CEO. He is completely incompetent and these snafus hurt shareholders, not help them.
Dec 30, 2021, 8:37 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SEA (the REAL Washington); occasionally in the other Washington (DCA area)
Programs: DL PM 1.57MM; AS MVPG 100K
Posts: 21,373
part 2 of the greater competence is the ability to incentivize and encourage employees to deliver that customer-forward culture, in order to retain and grow the customer base
Dec 30, 2021, 9:07 pm
#39
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,115
As we end the year with another bout of flight cancellations, long wait times on the phone (I am 2 hours over the promised time for a callback tonight already) and other issues, the question has to be raised. Delta seems to have lost a step in a variety of service areas in 2021 relative to its competitors. What happened?
Not saying they have changed positions. But there has been a definite directional change.
Dec 30, 2021, 10:50 pm
#40
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southern California
Programs: United MileagePlus Premier 1K, Delta SkyMiles Diamond Medallion
Posts: 1,150
Absolutely…DL has made countless consumer unfriendly moves since the pandemic, that has made this weekly DM flier change all loyalty and frequent travel patterns over to UA, with its PDB and hot meals on midcon flights
Dec 31, 2021, 1:10 am
#42
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Airline free agent; Starwood Platinum; Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 286
Y'all take one flight on AA or UA and you'll come crawling back begging for DL's service. It is quite simple the best run US airline there is. If you disagree, then you have options and should take them.
Dec 31, 2021, 3:00 am
#43
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
DL is probably the carrier I fly the least, but I'll offer this: during flights where it's essential to minimize potential IRROPs from JFK to SFO/LAX, I generally pay DL's asking price, though I have higher elite status with their peers.
Dec 31, 2021, 5:25 am
#44
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,268
No one was stellar during 2021, though UA was doing reasonably well until the past week. My big metric is flight reliability and while I did have more issues than previous years (too many Airbus 319/320 tech issues) I still find it better than the ongoing dumpster fire that is AA.
Dec 31, 2021, 8:08 am
#45
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Nashville
Programs: DL DM 3 MM AA PLAT HH Lifetime Diamond Marriott Plat AMB lifetime titanium Hertz PC
Posts: 6,187
I think DL took several hits, the biggest being the lack of phone support even for elites, followed by boxed lunches and no pre-flight drinks. I should make DM by late February, since all I need to do is make MQDs, rolling over 600k of MQMs. I will definitely be calling AA for a challenge since I can not blindly give DL 90% of my business. The grass may not be greener, but trying AA presents no risk and I will know the answer.