Festive1512

Got an interesting survey from the Delta Customer Insights Team today. It was focused primarily on C+ offerings. It asked 13 questions about how I would select my seat offering based on domestic long haul for business. I was taken back at the costs and the offerings that were on the survey. Asking about C+ and DPS with "Seats assigned after check in" and 50% MQDs. I really hope this doesn't indicate the future of what Delta is offering for their "premium" products.



I get that this is probably the way they figure out that I value 100% MQDs at $80 or so, but I left this survey with a bad taste in my mouth.

tardyturtle

Just tell them you’ll book Main Cabin

Btw, do they think we really believe they have a “VIP Phone Line”?

dw

Based on those options, I can’t see why anyone would pick anything but Main Cabin!

Pianoman109876

this honestly makes me viscerally angry. Like SERIOUSLY? you're going to nit-pick our options THIS MUCH and then price gouge us? Good god.

dw

On a serious note, some airlines in other countries have already started unbundling premium cabin fares, and DL certainly made a reference to that last fall around the time all the SkyMiles changes were announced.

But for that to happen in the US market, if DL made the first move, I think UA or AA would have follow to make it stick. The backlash from last fall shows that DL
doesnt necessarily have the extent of the “pricing” power they think they do.

VFR

I think Ed Bastian did say something like that Basic Economy was quite effective at market segmentation and they were going to try to do more of that to the premium products.

The idea is obviously to extract more money from business travelers for whom Comfort+ is within policy. Basic Economy might be the most effective fare increase in history, so DL is considering applying the same concept to Comfort+ – if you want to not wind up in a middle seat you have to pay the upcharge.

I think this will backfire though, if only because some travelers will buy Basic Comfort+ and almost certainly end up in a middle seat and shut out of the Sky Club. Those customers will get a bad taste in their mouth for both Comfort+ and Delta, which will cause them to both (a) not buy up to Comfort+ again and (b) not engage with ancillary products like credit cards.

Oh and this is an extra slap in the face to tall people that actually need the extra space... hopefully they can snag an exit row while it's preferred!

MSPeconomist

If the hypothetical travel is a business trip, I would think that most employers would only pay/reimburse the main cabin fare. Moreover, being able to select a C+ seat at check in would probably mean a middle seat, which most of use reject as an "upgrade."

emma dog

Exactly this. My employer does not pay for anything other than Economy.

Firstboss

I think that due to high inflation and high interest rates the airline industry is close to the end of the profitable cycle with ridiculously high global demand for travel.
The marketing ideas for increasing profit margin will soon lose priority to promotions to bring demand back.

shoodawg

Delta’s no longer just “sitting on ham sandwiches”. Appears they will soon be pricing for every type of ham sandwich.

chipbennett

I'm one of those business travelers traveling under a corporate policy that requires we book in Main Cabin, so it's all moot to me. Nevertheless: WTH?!? Is this an attempt to split Comfort+ into "Basic" C+, normal C+, and "Premium" C+? To whom on earth could this over-stratification ever possibly appeal?

Clearly, no PM/DM is ever going to choose anything other than MC here (travel policy restrictions or otherwise). So, this model has to be targeted at non-status business (or other) travelers. Which if true, means that DL is trying further to dilute the complimentary upgrade benefits of PM/DM travelers. (More C+ seats taken as "Basic C+" by non-elites = fewer C+ seats available for upgrades - just as DL has very effectively done for FC.)

Pianoman109876

Apparently Delta just removed the ability for Medallions to receive comp C+ upgrades to Europe. I just started another thread on this but this now tracks with what this survey is about.

chipbennett

It's still a ham sandwich. DL will just be offering a range of sad boxes in which to serve it.

Orange County Commuter

They are assuming that some of you, in spite of the screaming that will ensue, that a lot of you will keep spending on Delta Some of us long ago realized it's a business transaction and that spending more to "feel important" was really not required. My personal self image is not related to my status on Delta

Festive1512

Oh no, really? That's a shame.

One thing that has always irked me is the way Delta codes C+ as W. I can only book premium economy for really long hauls. But that fare code means I can book an actual premium economy seat through American or United in the same category, so why settle for 3" of more legroom in an economy seat?