sxf24

Obviously those who criticize the use of two words, rather than the content of the post have a hang up.

Lets stick to the meat of the issue rather than superficial attacks.

stevenryals

Well of course he wont be back for quite some time... every time he posts, he gets lambasted by all of you.. you may say he's spinning.. but he's all we've got right!

Nothing we can do to change much, but we could be nice enough to keep him around so he could answer some questions... instead of crashing down on him.. good grief..

AndyTLe

He doesn't come back for quite some time. He hits and runs. If this were a dialogue instead of a simple posting of DL changes, the DL FTers would be more receptive.

Evan!

I don't really believe this. I think if we, the flying public, and we, Delta's loyal customers, speak up there is a possibility that we will be heard and changes, in our favor, made.

Why should we candy-coat our opinions? Jeff is not one of the rank-and-file employees on the front line. He can put through our dissent to the right lap, unlike the front-liners. WE are the customer and WE pay for their services. He has a tough skin I am sure. Answers to question should not be the sole purpose of his presence on this board.

spgaston

All of them. This is why I don't understand how anyone can see the new three tier award structure as a positive enhancement. Sure, it will be easier to get seats on fuller flights, but for 40,000 or 60,000 miles. It will be even more difficult to get a saver 25k seat (as if it isn't hard enough already). In the past, if a flight wasn't full you could get a last minute saver for 25k, now it will likely be 40-60k.

GUWonder

The content of your post was criticized, but that matters less than that DL is on a trajectory with SkyMiles which does not serve most SkyMiles members well at all.

GUWonder

His posts will be criticized just likes the rest of ours. That his posts deal with communicating DL's official positions means that the approach from the FT community will be different in some regards unless and until the posts are more representative of what we've gotten on FT from COInsider, Starwood Lurker, etc.

GUWonder

If it's to be all of them after the massive award chart changes, then this is a much worse change than even I had initially thought it to be. It would effectively mean that DL is worse than all other major US airlines when it comes to the flexibility of standard award tickets issued by an airline for its own flights.

Global_Hi_Flyer

Or you charge a hold fee, that is refunded if you actually ticket -or you call and cancel - the itinerary.

sxf24

Would you rather DL take a trajectory that puts it out of business?

RobertS975

Jeff, I agree with AndyMo 100% on this... while appreciative of you participating on this board, you are getting to be a kind of "drive-by shooter" where you show up suddenly, throw a Molotov cocktail out the window, start up a bunch of valuable discussion which you undoubtedly read but do not comment on.

AndyMo and I have been PMs for many years, and we would both appreciate more frequent participation by either you or a representative of the company.
We realize that things are changing rapidly at DL and for the entire industry, that a business plan that was established when oil was $60 a barrel cannot work at $110 a barrel. But the basic point is still the same... we need to hear from you more often and address specific areas of concerns/suggestions etc.

spgaston

Umm, they have already done that to themselves. It's not our fault that their business model is not successful (selling piles of miles to anyone and everybody, and providing few reasonable redemption possibilities). I could have told you oil would be above $100/barrel after they emerged from bankruptcy, why couldn't the MBAs?

They will just continue to dig their hole deeper by alienating frequent fliers.

Beckles

I'm not sure how finding SkySaver seats can be any harder than it has been for the past few years. I see no reason to believe DL will not continue to offer Saver seats on flights close in if they're not full, what makes you think that practice will be discontiuned?

rylan

But those same MBAs are saying that Delta will make millions of new revenue by charging for baggage!
Sure sounds to me like they're ignoring the lost ticket revenue due to some of those passengers with extra bags going to other airlines or LCCs.

spgaston

Well, that depends and it is just conjecture at this point. In the past, DL might have had SkySavers made available at the last minute if they had, say 15 empty seats. Now it will be tied to fare bucket. Who knows how rev. management really works, but let's assume those last 15 seats are only being sold at YBM rates, then that ticket that might have been a SkySaver in the past will now cost you 60k to get in that seat.