Delta To Tweak Unpopular Changes In Its Frequent-Flyer Program

Delta Air Lines is rethinking changes it already announced to its loyalty program, with the airline’s CEO saying it went too far trying to address a surge in the ranks of elite frequent flyers.

Delta said two weeks ago that starting in early 2025 it would base elite status purely on spending, instead of also counting flights, and limit airport club access for holders of Delta credit cards.

“No question we probably went too far in doing that,” CEO Ed Bastian told the Atlanta Rotary Club. “I think we moved too fast, and we are looking at it now.

Bastian promised “modifications” that the airline will announce “sometime over the next few weeks.” He didn’t give details.

Delta Is Testing Facial Recognition Technology, Plans First Biometric-Based Self-Service Bag Drop In U.S.

— Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is introducing four self-service bag drop machines at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport this summer, a $600,000investment that allows customers to quickly, securely and easily check their own bags. One machine will be equipped to test facial recognition technology to match customers with their passport photos through identification verification, a first for U.S. carriers.

“We expect this investment and new process to save customers time,” said Gareth Joyce, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Airport Customer Service and Cargo. “And, since customers can operate the biometric-based bag drop machine independently, we see a future where Delta agents will be freed up to seek out travelers and deliver more proactive and thoughtful customer service.”

The airline’s introduction of self-service bag drops and facial-recognition technology is a natural next step in its work to streamline airport processes and is complimented by Delta’s industry-leading radio frequency identification technology. Previous self-service innovations like ticketing kiosks and check-in via the Fly Delta Mobile app have transformed congested lobby areas and drastically improved customer satisfaction scores.

Delta also worked with the Transportation Security Administration to implement the first automated screening lanes in the U.S. at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Other innovations include developing a groundbreaking app that helps pilots avoid turbulence for a more comfortable flight, launching the industry’s most interactive airport wayfinding maps on the FlyDelta mobile appand strategically enhancing its boarding process.

“This is the next step in curating an airport experience that integrates thoughtful innovation from start to finish,” Joyce said. “We’re making travel easier than ever for our customers and continuing to deliver a leading customer experience.”

The airline will collect customer feedback during the trial and run process analyses to ensure that this lobby enhancement improves the overall customer experience. Studies have found that self-service bag drops have the potential to process twice as many customers per hour.

About Delta

Delta Air Lines serves more than 180 million customers each year. In 2017, Delta was named to Fortune’s top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the sixth time in seven years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented six consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 323 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeamglobal alliance and participates in the industry’s leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta.

Delta Air Lines Debuts Free Main Cabin Meals In 12 markets

Delta is introducing complimentary meals on some of its longest domestic flights, including transcontinental routes between New York’s JFK and Los Angeles/San Francisco. The airline will be the only U.S. carrier to offer complimentary fresh meals from nose to tail on select coast-to-coast routes.

Beginning March 1, Delta will offer complimentary meals in the Main Cabin on flights between JFK and LAX/SFO. On April 24, the airline will expand complimentary meals to 10 other major domestic markets from Seattle, New York, Boston and Washington, D.C. including BOS-SFO, BOS-LAX, BOS-SEA, DCA-LAX, JFK-PDX, JFK-SAN, JFK-SEA, SEA-FLL, SEA-MCO and SEA-RDU.

The enhancement is part of Delta’s ongoing multi-million dollar investment in the on-board customer experience that includes upgraded Main Cabin snacks, enhanced blankets, refreshed Flight Fuel food-for-purchase options and free in-flight entertainment. Main Cabin customers on long-haul international flights are also treated to complimentary beer, wine and spirits and sleep kits.

Delta’s new meal program will feature a variety of options for customers depending on the time of day of their flight. In the morning, customers will have the option to choose between a Honey Maple Breakfast Sandwich, Luvo Breakfast Medley or fruit and cheese plate. During the day, customers will be able to select from a Mesquite-Smoked Turkey Combo, Luvo Mediterranean Whole Grain Veggie Wrap, or fruit and cheese plate. For overnight flights, customers will be offered a breakfast bar during the pre-arrival beverage service.

Following the March 1 launch on routes between JFK and LAX/SFO, the menus on all 12 routes will be refreshed often to support the airline’s focus on offering innovative, seasonal and locally-sourced food and beverages.

This enhancement comes on the heels of a test conducted late last year, where the airline closely monitored customer satisfaction scores to determine the impact on the in-flight experience and saw a significant increase as a result of the test.

“We are all about making our Main Cabin experience the best it can be for our customers and offering free, high quality meals is a big part of that experience,” said Allison Ausband, Delta’s Senior Vice President – In-Flight Service. “When we tested this concept, our customers loved it and appreciated it so we are implementing in our most strategic markets.”

In addition to the Main Cabin meal service, customers seated in Delta Comfort+ will enjoy a pre-arrival snack basket, which will be included on all 12 routes, and complimentary beer, wine and spirits for customers 21+. Additionally, a mid-service Greek frozen yogurt bar will be offered in Delta Comfort+ on flights from JFK to/from LAX and SFO.

Travelore News: Delta Changes Policy To Prevent Pet Deaths On Flights

IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

BY CAILEY RIZZO1 HOUR AGO

In an effort to make itself more pet-friendly, Delta is stopping one of the most dangerous methods of flying for pets: As checked baggage.

According to the Department of Transportation, a total of 76 animals died aboard Delta flights over the past 10 years — the highest of any U.S. airline.

The last reported death happened on Nov. 28. Somewhere between Atlanta and Pittsburgh, a Mini Dalmatian puppy died in the cargo hold of a Delta flight. The puppy was flying from Albany, Georgia: After a three-hour layover in Atlanta, it was loaded onto the Pittsburgh-bound flight. When gate crew unloaded the plane, they found the puppy was unresponsive.

SEE ALSO: A pilot diverted an international flight to save a dog traveling in cargo

This most recent death of a checked pet on a Delta flight will be the last, if the airline can help it. Delta will no longer carry pets as checked baggage starting March 1.

The airline will still allow pets to be transported in the cabin, if they are small enough to fit in a carrier under a seat, or shipped via Delta Cargo's pet shipping Variation Live program. 

The Humane Society recommends that pet owners "do not transport your pet by airplane unless absolutely necessary," and to choose keeping the pet in the cabin if possible.

"We want consumers to be well-informed about the risks of flying," KC Theisen, director of pet care issues at The Humane Society of the United States, told Mashable. "Cargo hold is not the passenger cabin, just a floor down."

"Cargo hold is not the passenger cabin, just a floor down."

Cargo is where the majority of animal incidents happen, usually on long distance flights or flights with several different legs, Theisen said.

Brachycephalic, or short-snouted, animals, like bulldogs, pugs or Persian cats should never be shipped in cargo, according to the Humane Society. These animals can easily overheat or have difficulty breathing in environments that are not temperature controlled. For this reason, many airlines will only allow these breeds as carry-ons. 

The steps that pet owners should take before travel:

1. Crate train: It's important to crate train pets well before travel, Theisen said. By mimicking travel conditions and building up the amount of time a pet stays crated, owners normalize the experience and help pets understand that they will eventually be let out. 
2. Talk to the airline: For those about to fly with a pet, the best thing to do is get "in serious contact with the airline well in advance," according to Theisen. Because every airline has different regulations, it's important to find out well in advance what options are available:

• American Airlines permits pets as carry-ons, cargo or checked luggage — excluding brachycephalic dogs and cats, which are not allowed as checked luggage. 
• Both JetBlue and Southwest Airlines will accept cats and dogs as carry-ons only, for a $95 to $100 fee. 
• United allows cats, dogs, rabbits and household birds in the cabin, in addition to carry-on luggage, for $125. Certain United aircraft come equipped with special "PetSafe" compartments that are pressurized like the passenger cabin, for transporting pets in cargo.
• Alaska Airlines will transport pets as cargo or as a carry-on for $100. Brachycephalic are not allowed for cargo travel.

Talk to your vet: Theisen recommends talking to a veterinarian as soon as travel plans are made to get recommendations for a food and water schedule. A veterinarian can tailor advice to specific breeds and help make the experience low-stress, important for both pets and their owners.

"The vast majority of pets arrive safely and in good health, but it's important that pet owners are aware of the risks," Theisen said. "The best thing you can do is just protect against risk and take preventative measures."

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Delta Soon To Offer Upgrades To Private Jets

(Photo: Delta Private Jets)

Delta Air Lines is about to up the ante on frequent-flier upgrades, though it will be offered only to a select few fliers.

The carrier is rolling out a new program that will give some of its elite frequent fliers the chance to buy an "upgrade" to switch from their commercial flight to a private jet flight. The offer for the upgrades will go to a small number of fliers, usually within 24 or 48 hours of their scheduled flight. The upgrades will run from $300 to $800.

The program, which could begin as early as this week, was first reported by Bloomberg News.

Delta says the effort will target "high-value customers" who have already achieved elite "Medallion" status with the carrier. When schedules allow, some of those customers now could receive an offer to forgo their regularly scheduled flight and instead take a seat on a private jet scheduled to fly the same route at around the same time.

IN-DEPTH: Delta is about to offer one of the coolest upgrades yet—to very few fliers(Bloomberg News)

Delta's Delta Private Jets subsidiary operates a fleet of 66 aircraft in a business that targets big-spending corporate and wealthy fliers. However planes in such an operation must frequently fly "empty leg" repositioning flights that have no paying passengers on board. The ability to shift elite frequent-fliers to such flights helps Delta promote a premium brand image. But it could also give the company a unique method to court corporate fliers – some of whom might have the means to at least occasionally consider paying for travel on Delta's private jet unit.

"The hope is that once someone flies private, and they don't have to go through TSA, and they have the experience, then they may determine that they want to fly private more often," Cyril Turner, Delta Private Jets' CEO, said to Bloomberg during a June interview.

Turner told Bloomberg the goal is "not necessarily to break even, but to at least get some type of income" from the otherwise empty flights.

Delta is ironing out some of the last details for the effort, but it could launch as soon as Wednesday (July 29).

Still, Delta's elite customers should keep their private-jet upgrade hopes in check. Delta says only a small number of private jet flights would be opened up for upgrades, especially at first, according to Bloomberg.

For those who do receive the option, upgrades will range from $300 to $800. They'll initially be focused on private jet flights operating to or from Delta's hubs in Atlanta, New York and Cincinnati. The Delta Private Jets unit is headquartered in Erlanger, Ky., near the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

But Bloomberg warns "miles junkies, take note: There's no bonus in the upgrade, just the usual mileage accrual one would get taking the regular Delta flight."

Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY

Travelore News: The New Alitalia Reveals 4 Simple Secrets Of Future Success

After the first Board meeting for the New Alitalia, the airline called for a press conference today in Rome. The development plans for a new Alitalia was introduced. The joint venture airline started operation on January 1, 2015.

The new venture is owned 49% by the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad, and a 51% stake is owned by the Italian owned CAI. Today's press conference at the Rome St.Regis hotel was attended by board members of Alitalia and Etihad.

James Hogan, Alitalia's new VP is also Etihad's CEO. He mentioned challenges by other European airlines but has a simple solution for Alitalia.

Mr. Hogan is convinced this substantial investment by Etihad Airways into Alitalia of 560 Million Euro will be a good one.

The new leadership disclosed a simple plan for the new Alitalia to be successful.

The key for success was summarized in naming 4 priorities.

1) The people working for an airline is the most important asset.
2) Strength of the brand. With EXPO Worldwide this is already a new focus.
3) Quality of the aircraft and excellent on board service.
4) Route network

Etihad is able to add Italy as a new network center. Alitalia has access to a new network center in Abu Dhabi.

Non stop flights from Venice to Shanghai, more service to North and South America will put Italy back on the global aviation map with direct flights from points around the globe. Italy is a strong business travel and leisure brand. Asia and North American destinations will be part of an important expansion. Non stop to Tokyo and San Francisco are planned for later 2015.

Connecting in Abu Dhabi, Asia and Australian destination, as well as India will be part of a new expanded code share network.

Air France, KLM, Delta are Alitalia partners as well and this partnership will also be important in future planning.

There will be little need in the future to connect from and to Italy through Switzerland or Germany.

The linkage established with Etihad and Etihad's current partners, Alitalia is expected to be profitable in 2017.

The New Alitalia will have an expanded Cargo network. New partnerships with Avianca had been recently announced.

Re-energize Alitalia is the key for success, and James Hogan wants Alitalia to be the sexiest brand in aviation.

A winning team is ready to take on this challenge.

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport

Travelore News: US Warns Travelers Of Canceled Venezuela Flights

Contributed by Hannah Drieier and Jorge Rueda, AP.

Graphic shows reduction in available seats of major airline flights to Venezuela in 2014 compared to 2013; 2c x 3 1/2 inches; 96.3 mm x 88 mm;

Come to Venezuela and you might get a longer trip than you bargained for.

The U.S. Embassy in Caracas issued an advisory Tuesday urging Americans to be careful when traveling to Venezuela because of the steep drop in airline service to the South American country.

The number of seats on flights between Venezuela and the U.S. has fallen by more than half since the beginning of the year, according to the Venezuela Airlines Association. The three largest U.S. carriers - Delta, American and United Airlines - all slashed their service to Venezuela this summer.

The cause: A dispute over some $4 billion in cash trapped in the socialist country.

Decade-old currency controls mean that airlines need government approval to convert local earnings into dollars. And the socialist government, running low on dollars itself, has been preventing carriers from repatriating revenue, with some airlines waiting over a year.

Each successive reduction in service has left passengers scrambling to rebook seats, often for significantly more than they first paid. The scarcity of flights has sent airfares soaring; a one-way ticket to New York now costs more than $1,000.

On Tuesday, the Embassy urged U.S. travelers to leave themselves enough time to make alternative arrangements should their return flights vanish.

While most carriers have reduced service, some, including Air Canada and Italy's Alitalia, have left Venezuela altogether.

Diminishing access to the global air traffic network has many middle class Venezuelans grumbling that they are trapped in their own country.

Even Venezuela's top soccer club is suffering. It said last week it could not find a flight to an international tournament in Peru and would have to spend several days traveling to Colombia and catching a flight from there.

President Nicolas Maduro has downplayed the airline exodus, dismissing it as a crisis cooked up by the "bourgeois press." At one point, he said carriers were only temporarily adjusting schedules to meet demand for flights to Brazil for the World Cup.

He has warned that airlines abandoning the country wouldn't be allowed to return.

The Secret Perks Of Flying First Class... What To Expect In Amenity Kits On The World's Best Airlines

What Happens in First Class No Longer Stays in First Class

 

The prospect of a long international flight changes quite a bit for the rich, powerful and lucky who are seated in the front section of the plane. The land of lie-flat beds and warm cookies may seem almost mystical or a bit mysterious to most travelers. However, Cheapflights.com, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, is shedding light on this VIP experience.

On many airlines around the world, First Class travel is a true A-lister moment. The seemingly royal treatment starts with an abbreviated security line and luxury departure lounge just for you and your fellow cabin-mates. And, as if a little champagne before take-off isn’t enough, wait until you see your passenger goodie bag. Yes, goodie bag. It’s like attending the Oscars, only with no commercial breaks!

These passenger “amenity” kits are where many airlines shine in creating a first-class experience. And the team at Cheapflights has done the legwork to get the inside scoop on what’s inside the bags for 27 airlines from around the world, from airberlin to Virgin Atlantic. Our team is not only sharing the details but our take on what makes them special, who would appreciate them most and how they rank on a scale of 1 (taxiing) to 6 (fly me to the moon).

“There is so much to love about travel,” said Melisse Hinkle, site editor at Cheapflights.com. “And there’s even more to love, of course, if you’re traveling First or Business Class. These kits show that some airlines make the worlds of travel and luxury come together in ways that drive us harder to hoard our miles, scratch our lottery tickets and generally plan for our dream trips.”

Fuel your “dream trip” planning with a look inside the kits of five airlines that are taking off regularly from U.S. airports to far-flung destinations:

·       Delta – This globe-trotting American airline carries 165 million passengers each year. It has an extensive set of alliances and, if you look at their travel kit (partnered with Tumi, the premium travel, business and lifestyle accessories brand, and Malin+Goetz, the skincare product brand), you'll see that it mirrors the airline’s strong global presence.

o   Best bit of kit? The functional packaging. The eye mask is wrapped in a red card saying “sleep.” The hand wipe is labeled “clean,” the ear plugs “quiet.”

o   Star rating? Five stars. This is a refreshing “does what it says on the tin” kit.

o   Best for? Atlantic-hopping businesspeople who know the value of money and who like to switch off once they get on a flight.

·    British Airways – The British flag carrier lets you hop to the U.K. and from there the world from well more than a dozen U.S. airports. And, along the way, it does a classy job with kits tailored for both men and women, highlighting the best in British design. Kits for both First Class and World Club come loaded with luxury products. The First Class kits come in soft-sides “washbags” while the World Club goodies come stashed neatly in an attractive drawstring bag that could easily be a laundry bag later on.

o   Best bit of kit? The skincare products. But we’re fond of the bags too.

o   Star rating? Five stars.  Dependable luxury never goes out of style.

o   Best for? Upwardly mobile Britons, posh Americans, minor and major royals, supermodels, actors off to their next movie location.

·       Emirates – Now connecting nine U.S airports to Dubai (and one to Milan) and onward to Asia, Australia and Africa, Emirates is introducing Americans to the world of the private suite and the deluxe spa experience (in the Emirates A380 that is...). Its travel kit is outstanding, dark brown leather (ever so slightly distressed), designed by Bulgari and filled with a mix of high-end (Bulgari) and practical (Gillette and Colgate) items. It’s branded very discreetly.

o   Best bit of kit? It’s got to be the leather bag. Soft, ever so slightly distressed, like the wash bag your grandfather used at Harvard.

o   Star rating? We’re giving it six stars – fly us to the moon. It’s a kit that says “I can afford not to worry about brands.” Traditional and practical, classy but easy on the bling.

o   Best for? Elite sportsmen and businesspeople who may not have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths but who would like to appear as if they had.

·       JetBlue – For this airline, far-flung means California or New York. However, JetBlue has taken the game to the legacy airlines with its innovative premium-economy Mint class (including four single-seat suites with doors that close) and a snazzy tie-up with Birchbox, the “discovery commerce” company that sends you curated boxes of beauty and grooming products. Currently, Mint is available on the most popular air route in the USA (New York JFK to Los Angeles), but JetBlue plans to add Mint service on its New York to San Francisco flights at the end of October.

o   Best bit of kit? The ever-changing nature of Birchbox. We got Liz Earle; next month who knows which high-end treatment will appear on your low-cost (ish) flight?

o   Star rating? Four stars. High life.

o   Best for? Hipster travelers who like a bit of “discovery commerce.”

·       Japan Airlines – This direct link to Tokyo and beyond serves 36 international destinations, including seven in the U.S. (eight when you count Guam), as well as 54 in Japan. And First Class passengers are being greeted with recently unveiled new travel kits. There are two for First-Class flyers. One for flights out of Japan - a beige canvas one for spring and summer, a brown one for autumn and winter flights - and the other returning to Japan - luxe corduroy in camel for spring and summer, and moss green for autumn and winter. This is the Japanese carrier’s first collaboration with Loewe, the Spanish luxury brand that has been in business since 1846.

o   Best bit of kit? The bags. Japan Airlines has thought of everything. They’re beautifully engineered with an innovative zip / strap on the camel corduroy one and a hanger in the canvas bag. We’re dying to see the moss-green corduroy bag. We’d book flights for it. 

o   Star rating? Six stars. Fly me to the moon. We expect cutting-edge design, function and a general “wow!” factor from the Japanese and these kits deliver it. In spades.

o   Best for? High-net-worth creatives for whom form follows function.

To get the full inside scoop on these kits and to check out the complete reviews and rankings (images too) for all 27 airlines, visit Cheapflights.com’sUnveiled: The secret perks of flying first class at http://www.cheapflights.com/news/unveiled-secret-perks-flying-first-class-airline-amenity-kits.

Airlines Change The Carry-On Rules

Recently I had a very unpleasant surprise in the TSA line at New York's JFK airport. No, they did not do a touchy-feely pat-down or confiscate something.

Just before actually getting to the TSA agent's podium, a red-jacketed person (who I believe was hired by American Airlines as a subcontractor but not an actual employee) insisted that I put my beloved Rimowa four-wheeled suitcase in a bag sizer. Keep in mind that I was flying in business class, and that I've taken this same 21-inch suitcase all around the world on almost every major airline and quite a few not-so-major ones.

To make a long story short, it was rejected as "too big." What I didn't realize, because it's never become an issue, is that American (as well as Delta and United) have fairly new carry-on bag limits, including a 14-inch maximum width, and my Rimowa is 15 inches wide, as are many carry-ons. Even though it's an inch shorter than the 22-inch length limit, and an inch shorter than the official 9-inch depth limit, back to check-in I went. And the line was so long I almost missed my flight. I was then told that this is a new "FAA regulation" but I doubt that's true, since some airlines still have more generous allowances.

One of my colleagues insists that this is a revenue ploy by the airlines: enforce the limits to the letter, and they'll get more checked bag fees (since I was flying in business class I didn't pay a fee, but others might not be so lucky).

And these size limits are fairly recent policies. In fact, United made the change on March 2, 2014. Their previous policy was that no dimension could be over 22 inches and the total overall dimensions no more than 45 inches. So these very specific measurements really change the game, and will be causing a lot of headaches -- and heartaches when people learn they will have to leave their very expensive (in some cases) favorite bags in the closet or sell them on eBay.

Or change airlines. It's interesting that not all airlines have the same size limits. Southwest and JetBlue have a more generous 24-by-16-by 10-inch carry-on limit, which, again, makes that "FAA" claim suspect.

If you're looking for the "perfect" carry-on bag, here's some advice.

First, obviously, make sure it's small enough to comply with even these new, more stringent size limits. Second, four-wheeled suitcases (so-called "spinners"), I've found, are easier to handle than two-wheeled models (and should you ever have to check your bag for whatever reason, spinners are treated more gently by baggage handlers,as this explains). But surprisingly, there aren't that many rolling carry-ons that meet the new Delta/American/United guidelines. The issue isn't with the 22-inch length because there are plenty of those available; where they fall "short" is exactly where I got nabbed: in the 14-inch width. In fact, I couldn't find a single suitcase from my beloved Rimowa brand that qualified, nor could I find a current model from Samsonite.

And third, consider getting a suitcase with a good warranty.

Some of the four-wheeled carry-ons that do fit all airlines' limits are the Briggs and Riley U122CX Baseline at 21 by 14 by 7.7 inches and 8.9 pounds (approximately $469) and the Travelpro Platinum Magna at 21 by 14 by 9 inches and 7.6 pounds (approximately $239). Although the Briggs and Riley is more expensive, it does come with an unconditional warranty: no matter who's at fault (you, the airline, or any other party) they'll fix it for free for as long as you own it.

A great budget choice is the hard-sided CalPak Valley 20-inch Carry-On Spinner at 20 by 13.5 by 9.2 inches and 7 pounds (approximately $60).

With a little research, you'll find that several other carry-on bags meet the new size requirements, but many current models are too big by just an inch or even a half-inch. And don't assume that you'll be able to sneak by just because your bag is an inch too big. As I discovered, that may not happen.

George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com 

Follow us on Twitter: @TraveloreReport