Global airline’s people-first approach continues with landmark moves that boost loyalty rewards, simplify travel and reignite the experience
Delta customers can now look forward to industry-first
loyalty rewards, digital tools that make it simple and seamless to satisfy
travel requirements, more seats to more destinations, and new and classic
onboard refreshment options.
Consumer confidence and demand for travel are growing as COVID-19 vaccinations
accelerate, and Delta is welcoming customers back with new travel experiences –
all while enhancing the Delta CareStandard health and safety commitment the airline has become known for during the pandemic.
Delta is launching new digital resources to
make travel planning easier, including an interactive map that is searchable by
price and destination type; offering SkyMiles Members the ability to earn up to
75 percent more toward Medallion Status on most ticket types, including Award
Travel, in a first for the industry; reintroducing onboard snacks and
beverages; and extending the validity of all tickets expiring in 2021 – as well
as all new tickets purchased this year – through the end of 2022.
“Our customers have always been the voices that guide us at
Delta and that was amplified during the pandemic,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian.
“During the past year, we transformed our service to ensure their health,
safety, convenience and comfort during their travels. Now, with vaccinations
becoming more widespread and confidence in travel rising, we’re ready to help
customers reclaim their lives.”
More available seats to
choose from starting May 1
“While Delta’s decision to block middle seats has given many
customers a reason to choose Delta over the past year, the signature the hospitality of our employees and the experiences they deliver to customers
every day have also deepened their trust in our airline,” said Bastian. “The relationships we’ve built, together with the knowledge
that nearly 65 per cent of those who flew Delta in 2019 anticipate having at
least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1, are what’s giving us
the assurance to offer customers the ability to choose any seat on our
aircraft, while also introducing new services, products and rewards to support
the journey. We take great pride in the trust we’ve built with customers by
listening and delivering on what they said was most important, and that is the
approach you can continue to expect.”
Since Delta introduced its middle seat block in April 2020,
consumer behaviour and vaccination rates have been the baseline for Delta’s
decision to remove or extend the block throughout the pandemic. While scientific studies showed the risk of transmission onboard a
full aircraft with everyone wearing a mask is nearly one in a million, Delta
was the only airline to continue its middle seat block for an entire year to
give customers peace of mind.
Masks will continue to be required and Delta’s
industry-leading cleanliness standards will remain in place. Experts at Mayo
Clinic and Emory, as well as our own Chief Health Officer Dr. Henry Ting, are
helping to guide our way back.
More digital
planning power, less guesswork for
ever-changing travel landscape
Customers can use a new interactive digital map to search by
price or destination type – or use miles to discover somewhere new. This tool
is at the centre of Delta’s streamlined digital Travel Planning Centre, a
one-stop guide to resources to manage travel restrictions, testing requirements
and everything else along the journey as the carrier continues to add service
to popular leisure destinations including Alaska,
the Mountain West, beaches and abroad.
More rewards with
industry-first Status accelerators and
more time to enjoy Card benefits
Delta is making each flight count for
more. Starting April 1 through the end of 2021, customers can earn up to 75
percent more toward Medallion Status on most ticket types, including Award
Travel – a true industry first. These offers follow Delta’s pace-setting status
extension program and ensure Medallion Members can continue to enjoy Status and
benefits for flights now and in the future. Members also have more time to plan travel with select Consumer and
Business Delta SkyMiles American Express Card benefits extended through June
30, 2022. For more ways to earn Status at home or on the go, Delta also
continues to offer special opportunities to get closer to Status on Delta
SkyMiles Platinum and Reserve American Express Cards.
More to enjoy with reimagined snacks and beverages, refreshed
IFE content and more open Delta Sky Clubs
Snacks are back April 14. After an exhaustive redesign process that included flight attendant feedback and tips from our partners at Mayo Clinic, onboard food and beverage service is taking the first step toward a safe return with classic favourites and new treats. In early June, customers flying in Delta One or First Class on select domestic coast-to-coast flights will see hot food options return, and First-Class customers on other key U.S. routes will enjoy fresh boxed meals beginning in early July. Catch your favourite movies or shows while you sip and snack, and stop by more open Delta Sky Clubs once your feet hit the ground.
Strengthening our Delta CareStandard commitment
More flexibility to protect your travel plans
Delta is giving customers more time to
plan and rebook a trip than any other U.S. airline with a travel credit
extension that allows for unmatched flexibility. Tickets normally expire one
year after purchase, but Delta is extending the validity of all tickets
expiring in 2021, and all tickets purchased in 2021, to now expire Dec. 31,
2022. Additionally, to provide more protection for more tickets, Delta is
extending its existing change fee waiver for all Basic Economy tickets
purchased through April 30, 2021 – as well as all tickets that originate
outside North America. Delta has already made lasting changes to help simplify
travel into a seamless, stress-free experience, including permanently removing
change fees for premium and Main Cabin tickets (for travel originating in North
America).
More science-backed
health & safety efforts
Beginning last year, teams across Delta quickly and effectively established a new standard of cleanliness for the airline and our industry. Delta’s Global Cleanliness organization is one of the unique ways Delta continues to innovate on cleanliness as part of the layers of protection offered to customers. In recent months, the team has led efforts to: develop a strict quality assurance program with input from partners at Mayo Clinic, Emory and Reckitt, the makers of Lysol; install onboard hand sanitizer stations and antimicrobial lavatory lighting; introduce contactless payment technology onboard to minimize touchpoints during the payment process; provision Lysol Disinfecting Wipes to clean customer-facing areas at airports and on aircraft; and work with TSA to ensure checkpoint cleanliness in airports nationwide.
Delta
remains focused on delivering innovation in the air and on the ground, having
been recognized as one
of Fast Company’s Most Innovative
Companies worldwide this year. Delta also recently announced plans to
bring high-speed Wi-Fi onboard in 2021 –
a key step in offering free Wi-Fi in the future – and launched a new digital identity test in Detroit aimed at
providing a touchless curb-to-gate experience.
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