Does anyone remember this program and/or know if and how I can get more recognition cards?

A few years ago, DL sent me a supply of "Customer Recognition Cards" that were intended to be given to particularly helpful DL employees. The cards were designed as post cards and could also be mailed to "Above & Beyond" at an address in ATL.

Since I had only a dozen or so of the cards, I used them very judiciously (mostly in HNL since that was my home base for 12 years), but now I'm down to my last one. I hate to use it, because I want to save it for the truly deserving employee (of which there are many).

The employees to whom I've given the other 11 or so cards were all familiar with the program and very thankful to receive the card and the recognition for their excellent service. I was never sure what the employee received from the company in exchange for earning cards from their customers, but one employee did tell me that it earned them a higher priority when traveling standby. There may have been other incremental benefits (seems a logical assumption although I have no way of knowing).

Anyway, I enjoy having these cards at my disposal to give a really helpful employee and knowing that my recognition translates into something tangible for that employee.

I don't know how to post a scan of the card, but am willing to learn if someone wants to teach me. Alternatively, I can email a scan to anyone who needs to see it.

Any help with a re-supply? UDH?

I haven't received any in years.

Probably earns them a demerit now. Either that or Virginia Ave starts monitoring them more closely to make sure they aren't doing something crazy like actually assisting an elite member.

DL ran this a couple times at least in the early to mid 90's. I think we received a half dozen certificates to hand out to employees who were truly exceptional.
But this program was pre-Leo and as we all are painfully aware, he's strictly focused on $$'s and not service.

I remember the cards too, though I always thought that this sort of thing should have been built into the delta ticket envelope given to a passenger at check-in. (That way, one could simply tear off the card and hand it to the person--not have to remember to bring the things along on the trip, or have to find them once back at home.)

In any case, one can always send a quick e-mail regarding excellent service (using the Delta web site). These e-mails will be acknowlegded. Once, after sending an e-mail in recognition of a flight attendant's excellent service,I subsequently received a gracious thank you note from that same person.

IIRC, the Above & Beyond program was discontinued at the end of 2001. I gave out my last one in early 2002; the FA who received it was grateful for the recognition even though the program had ended and it wouldn't result in any tangible benefit.

AA discontinued its similar program (You're SomeOne Special, or "SOS") at the end of 2002.

In my mind, both moves were a mistake. Who better to recognize and reward great service than frequent customers? But as the other posters have mentioned, the airlines aren't focusing on either great service or frequent customers anymore these days.

I gave out my last card, a bit tattered looking at that, at the beginning of 2003 to an exceptional FA whose courtesy and consideration should typify the spirit of Delta (I wrote that on the card). She was very grateful. I believe it was a big plus to receive these, can our resident FA on the board confirm the importance or unimportance of these little cards?

You know, with the demise of such programs across the airlines and a proven requirement for customer service still existing, perhaps an idea would be to create a FlyerTalk-endorsed recognition program. That, being a third-party, would have as much importance, as, say a recognition card published by ASTA, or the FAA, but at least backs a huge number of frequent flyers.

Does anyone else see where I'm going with this?

I love the idea...But with Leo out there, the recognized individuals could possibly get fired

Something in the deep dark recesses of my fading mind tells me that I once heard that there was a cash bonus given when an employee received these cards.

If that's true, then it's no wonder that receiving a card made the recipients smile; AND it explains why the program no longer exists!

The last one I used was June. The agent in the DCA CRC worked a small miracle for me in spite of being plenty busy after two flight cancellations. He acted very pleased by my recognition of his efforts and gave no indication that the card was useless to him or that the program was terminated. Of course, that kind of 'service with a smile' attitude is what garnered him the praise in the first place.

Don't forget that you can always send an e-mail through the web-site praising a person who has gone above and beyond. I have done this on several occaisions and in each case received a very nice thank-you e-mail from the employee lauded telling me that Delta does notify the employee and makes it appear to be a worthwhile thing us to do.

I am so disgusted with the lack of response that normally follows any written note to DL, that I won't waste my time on the off-chance someone there actually bothers to read let alone act on such a communication.

Well put.

Someone mentioned this program in a post earlier today, which reminded me to update this thread. On March 3rd, I sent the following letter to DL Marketing Proposals:


Approximately 3 weeks later, I received a call from Greg Ingram, who identified himself as Jerry Grinstein's Executive Assistant. He told me that DL would soon be introducing a new, yet similar program. The cards will not be mailed to SM members as before, but will be placed in special holders near the exit(s) of each plane near where you might expect to find the Timetables (remember those?). These holders are to be installed as part of the interior refurbishment each plane will undergo beginning this summer (his paraphrased words, not mine).

According to Mr. Ingram, employees singled out for recognition via these cards will benefit directly in various ways. For example, recepients would receive additional "points" when being considered for a promotion (again, his paraphrased words).

Although I look forward to soon being able to once again recognize exceptional employees at point of service, I have one concern that I shared with Mr. Ingram. If the only place to find these cards is on the planes, it would seem to discourage their use to recognize ground based staff. In my experience, it is employees working in the CRC, or as ticket agents, SMS agents, gate agents, etc. who have the most impact on how my day with Delta is going. He seemed interested in my suggestion to make the cards more readily available at the various points of service, so I guess we'll know the answer when we begin to see the cards.

Will someone please post an update when you first see these new cards?