overheard: Red Coats are returning
Apr 30, 2009, 3:36 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2003
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Apr 30, 2009, 3:38 pm
#17
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: IAD, and sometimes OMNI/PR. Currently: not far from IAD, but home will always be SAN (not far from the "touch my junk and I'll have you arrested" Memorial TSA Check Point) even if I'm not there so much these days.
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Apr 30, 2009, 4:15 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
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Posts: 7,860
My how the times have changed:
1) That lockheed is long gone
2) They actually waited for a passenger
3) The stewardesses (yes, that's what they were called) were decent looking
4) That girl is probably 30 now
5) Her parents didn't have to spend $150 to send her as an UM
6) Her grandparents were able to get through security and meet her at the gate
1) That lockheed is long gone
2) They actually waited for a passenger
3) The stewardesses (yes, that's what they were called) were decent looking
4) That girl is probably 30 now
5) Her parents didn't have to spend $150 to send her as an UM
6) Her grandparents were able to get through security and meet her at the gate
David
Apr 30, 2009, 5:27 pm
#19
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And they were more plentiful than the "Supervisor" personnel who wore blue coats (and I think still do). The Red Coats were essentially relatively available, relatively responsive, relatively empowered, higher-level pseudo-management types who could cut through the clutter, engage the cerebrum, and deal with problems.
They could also serve as a spare set of hands when a flight was late or overbooked, to help the gate agent get things done more efficiently.
They could also serve as a spare set of hands when a flight was late or overbooked, to help the gate agent get things done more efficiently.
Apr 30, 2009, 5:33 pm
#20
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,427
We were always "empowered" to think AND act on our own...we never were "window dressing".
Apr 30, 2009, 9:46 pm
#21
Original Member
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It just takes someone with a) a brain and b) empowerment to prevent a lot of situations from escalating into disaster-in-a-teapot.
May 1, 2009, 4:10 am
#22
Join Date: May 2003
Location: ATL/MOO (Many Others Often)
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It was the guy who could do anything. He could save the day for weary travelers in distress. Simply put, he was who I wanted to be when I was a little non revving Delta kid growing up. The world again seems to be in order.
May 1, 2009, 6:55 am
#23
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: VPS
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The return of the redcoats is a welcome development and I hope they will be as empowered as they once were.
May 1, 2009, 11:02 am
#24
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: ABQ
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Slogan
I was watching a basketball game on ESPN classic a while back and one of these commercial came on. The one I saw wasn't a full length commercial...more of a "travel provided by Delta" kind of trailer, but it feature an L10111 in flight, in old widget livery and the "we love to fly and it shows" slogan. Brought back some memories and I'm glad ESPN left the trailer in at the end of the game.
The return of the redcoats is a welcome development and I hope they will be as empowered as they once were.
The return of the redcoats is a welcome development and I hope they will be as empowered as they once were.
May 1, 2009, 7:23 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: ATL
Posts: 406
The red coats are a very visible sign of customer service. It will be interesting to see them deployed in ATL, but JFK is an even more challenging airport so it might work out good. Thankfully red is one of Deltas colors. 
There may be other customer service developments in the works as well.
The teal coats (that you normally see on in the train stations at ATL) are employees of the Atlanta airport. They're independent.
There may be other customer service developments in the works as well.The teal coats (that you normally see on in the train stations at ATL) are employees of the Atlanta airport. They're independent.
May 1, 2009, 8:49 pm
#26
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Let me put it another way.
There are a lot of good people on the front lines at DL who know what good customer service looks like, but who... in contrast to what they could have done 5 or 10 years ago... have been dis-empowered and can no longer implement common sense solutions.
And if you elect to deny that... then that is the joke.
And... to OHDL1... you misunderstood me. I certainly did not mean that the red coats, in their previous incarnation were "window dressing". Far from it.
But, if DL puts red coats out on the concourses and constrains them with a strict "no waivers no favors" mantra, the current version of red coat will be window dressing.
There are a lot of good people on the front lines at DL who know what good customer service looks like, but who... in contrast to what they could have done 5 or 10 years ago... have been dis-empowered and can no longer implement common sense solutions.
And if you elect to deny that... then that is the joke.
And... to OHDL1... you misunderstood me. I certainly did not mean that the red coats, in their previous incarnation were "window dressing". Far from it.
But, if DL puts red coats out on the concourses and constrains them with a strict "no waivers no favors" mantra, the current version of red coat will be window dressing.
May 1, 2009, 9:25 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: DL Plat/SC 1MM, HHonors Gold, IHG Plat, Hyatt Plat, Sam's Club
Posts: 524
I welcome back the redcoats. Their uniform always signaled, "I'm here and I'm ready to help." I wish DL would return to announcing connecting gates at least when landing in ATL. This was done by the FA or on the overhead screens.
Last edited by boeingATL; May 1, 2009 at 9:59 pm
May 1, 2009, 10:54 pm
#28
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: from FL! AR for now
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Posts: 303
This would be a welcome step in the right direction.The redcoats were one reason why Delta was "our" airline, as they made things much easier and could and did resolve issues immediately.I am glad to hear this and it will show that someone is thinking again, when there have been so many problems lately.I can't remember how many times what seemed like a real problem or a near missed flight was solved by one stepping in and getting us on the plane, or quickly solving any other problem that had seemed unsolvable.
Just hope it happens at ATL soon!
Just hope it happens at ATL soon!
May 2, 2009, 3:20 am
#29
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,427
Let me put it another way.
There are a lot of good people on the front lines at DL who know what good customer service looks like, but who... in contrast to what they could have done 5 or 10 years ago... have been dis-empowered and can no longer implement common sense solutions.
And if you elect to deny that... then that is the joke.
And... to OHDL1... you misunderstood me. I certainly did not mean that the red coats, in their previous incarnation were "window dressing". Far from it.
But, if DL puts red coats out on the concourses and constrains them with a strict "no waivers no favors" mantra, the current version of red coat will be window dressing.
There are a lot of good people on the front lines at DL who know what good customer service looks like, but who... in contrast to what they could have done 5 or 10 years ago... have been dis-empowered and can no longer implement common sense solutions.
And if you elect to deny that... then that is the joke.
And... to OHDL1... you misunderstood me. I certainly did not mean that the red coats, in their previous incarnation were "window dressing". Far from it.
But, if DL puts red coats out on the concourses and constrains them with a strict "no waivers no favors" mantra, the current version of red coat will be window dressing.
May 2, 2009, 6:41 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: ATL
Posts: 406
The gates that FAs read off on the plane is information that is received about 30 mins before landing. They always warn passengers to re-check the monitors to verify the gate. If every passenger did as was told this wouldn't be a problem. But you know that lots of people don't listen, run to the wrong gate, miss their flight and then get angry at Delta for giving out the wrong information.