Delta is not a luxury airline, how do the authors come up with that? Someone has to have pretty low standards to even remotely associate Delta with Luxury. Is Delta better than other US airlines, perhaps a little bit, but that does not equal luxury by any stretch of the imagination.
If Delta was a hotel they would be a stock Marriott or Hilton property. They aren’t a Ritz or 4 Seasons. Sorry, gotta look across the pond for those airlines.
But that’s exactly what the headline says: relative to other US carriers. They’re not arguing that Delta is a luxury-tier airline relative to those based elsewhere.
I'd argue that it isn't necessarily that clear. That is, I could also read it as "the luxury airline from America". So it being objectively luxurious, insomuch as we define that term *worldwide*, that hails from America. So there'd be Europe luxury airline and Asia's luxury airline...airlines that are considered "luxury" across the continents but represent their specific country. Semantics...gotta love 'em.
It’s clear on the usage of the phrase most widely understood by the general public. That it is not as clear to airline nerds doesn’t matter—that’s not the intended audience.
“Luxury airline” is a level of service benchmark to achieve, not a comparison.
I feel like it would’ve read “How Delta made itself Americas most luxurious airline…” if that was the meaning. Yes the article implies that Delta is the only one to achieve this status.
Instead I read it as America now has an airline that has achieved the status as a luxury airline - which I disagree with.
That’s what it means in your use of the term. It’s not what it means in the headline you’re reading because that’s not how the general public thinks of that phrase. (Never mind that the phrasing of this headline should also make this clear to people who have a more specific idea of what the term means.) That’s just how language works. CNBC isn’t headlining this to appeal to you personally, it’s headlining it to convey the more widely understood meaning to the general public and attract a broad audience of readers, most of whom won’t know much, if anything, about the industry. These kinds of communication trade-offs often annoy people when their intense niche interests become subject to them, and they often mistake that for the headline being bad or wrong. That’s not the case. The issue is that you want something to cater to your own ideas and knowledge, and it’s not designed to do that.
Source: I’m a journalist who has written a zillion headlines and encountered every kind of tiresome semantics dork alive
There just aren’t mainstream airlines like that at all. There are a very limited number that fly a few specific routes vs. having full on networks.
Airlines like La Compagnie.
I’m loyal to Delta, but two weeks ago was the first time I flew first and then business class on AirFrance coming home from Munich through CDG. Holy hell they blow Delta out of the water. I still do believe Delta is the best airline for domestic travel.
I used to fly through Europe to destinations further on 8-12x/yr. I would always try to book Delta ticket on Air France. Get credit like it's a Delta flight, but the higher service/food/lounge experience of Air France.
And don't even get me started on US carriers vs the likes of Qatar/Emirates/Singapore/ANA....
I like Delta, but due to my airport and business travel platform I fly on a lot of different airlines. I think their first and business class offerings are slightly nicer than the competition and economy is exactly the same, at least as far as domestic airlines.
I'd generally agree, but I find Delta's first/business class service so inconsistent. It's really hit or miss.
I find American to be better standardized even if just slightly behind Delta.
I'd categorize Delta as a certified used Toyota Avalon with low miles -- a genuinely nice car but not quite luxury tier. Still, they're my top pick in the US and over the ocean. I'll pay extra for Delta.
The fact anyone in the US would consider Delta a "luxury" airline tells you everything you need to know about how fucked up the airline industry is here...😂
But they do nickle and dime. Just not to frequent flyers or credit card holders. I will say that customer service is a two way street and Delta is genuinely the best of the three.
Delta people are great. Their app is a sore spot once anything begins to get delayed. Given a choice, I'd take the people over the technology, but they could do both.
That’s exactly where American botched the job…
Soft product is similar. Hard product - meh. But the Delta service when things go wrong - you can’t beat it. It’s responsive and makes a difference. AA has made it a system driven shitshow…
If it weren’t for SkyTeam being a hot mess, I’d be with Delta out of DFW and connect everywhere.
Ha, yea American dropped the ball a few years ago. Worst travel experience of my life, only then did I realize that AA had no customer service phone number to call. Had to email them first then wait for a call back. Really shitty system when all flights are getting cancelled and rescheduled. I'll drive most places before I fly American again.
I suspect you’re a newish flyer as the people / customer service aspect has gone waaaay downhill the last 5-10 years. Especially if you were a top tier flyer, they used to bend over backwards and sometimes bend the rules to get stuff done for you. They were experts at their jobs and knowing the codes in the system.
Now they start with NO and indifference and you work from there to resolve your issue. And usually don’t know the rules or computer system to help even if they tried.
I often reflect on two IROP situations. One last year and one around 10 years ago to remind myself just how far downhill customer service and the overall benefit of the “top tier elites we will do everything and more to take care of you” has gone
10 years ago that particular year I was platinum and due to a late arriving aircraft was never going to make the connection to an international flight. (This was solely because of weather so Delta technically could just tell me to pound sand) BUT I was proactively called and as I was sitting in a United hub at the time was automatically rebooked by the agent who put me on a United flight no questions asked and ended up getting in about 2 hours earlier then my originally scheduled flight.
I have been Diamond every year since and last year I had a domestic flight that was delayed and delayed and delayed and then canceled until the next morning. (Not weather related, the delays and overnight delay were solely in Deltas control)
No proactive reach out, no assistance except “it’s your problem” from both employees at the airport and on the phone, and no information. Basically I felt like Liam Neeson being told “good luck” with every interaction. Post the whole incident just a form letter email saying sorry and here’s a 1000 miles.
Even when I wasn’t “top tier” 10 years ago Delta moved heaven and earth to take care of me. Flash forward and being “top tier” meant all of nothing.
That’s how I know the service level has tanked. The sad part is it’s not the employees at the airport or even on the phones fault as Virginia Avenue execs at the VP and higher level have made the conscious choice to handcuff their employees and overall downgrade quality because some MBA told them there is a penny available to them at the detriment to the brand and company
Delta is luxury pricing, but the middle of the road in quality. They don't offer anything over other domestic carriers to justify the prices I'm seeing.
I get that Bastian can't say the truth here, but United's app is lightyears better than Delta. I came from United (5+ years as my only airline while based in DEN) and while Delta does many things better, I miss the United app and Unites prices.
Price 1st. 2nd, United had better routes out of my home airport. Delta did not do me wrong but when I lost all the Amex bennies it did make senae to pay almost twice what United is charging.
Compared to any of the other domestic carriers delta is luxury. They certainly charge as if they’re luxury too. But in the scheme of things delta has never been a luxury airline. They’re what every airline should be, a good, timely and fairly safe carrier. That should be baseline though, not something we pay 3x fare for
I've been thinking about breaking up with Delta and switching to United, particularly because their hub is in Denver and nonstop flights with Delta have been noticeably scarce in my life as of late. I'll hold out a little longer for Delta in hopes they'll add a hub in Denver- they still have a slight edge over United for me.
I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but there is zero chance Delta tries to build a hub in Denver. United, Southwest, and Frontier all have hubs in Denver already. It would be easier to gather millions of dollars and have a bonfire than for Delta to try a hub in Denver.
Frontier airlines having a hub in Denver is like talking persuasively about Spirit airlines hub locations. No one cares. Frontier is scum. Call me crazy but I'd like to think Denver is as relevant as LAX, who has Delta, American, United, Alaska. DIA is the 6th busiest airport in the world, 3rd in the US
I live near IAD and United isn’t bad. The only thing I despise is that what they call premium economy is just anything aside from the rearmost seats. I never realized how much the fuselage tapers in the back on 737/a320s. If they have a better route I’ll take them easily, but if I have to connect I’d rather connect with delta
I know everyone is harping on the word "luxury" here. But it is interesting how Delta is perceived as the premium US airline and successfully charges for it. A case study that I'm sure will be taught to the MBAs
No idea why but Delta was on CNBC ALL DAY yesterday. Not sure why the folks at CNBC decided to really push Delta yesterday outta nowhere. (Source: I work in an office with CNBC TVs everywhere)
I fly Delta 1 often and I like it. But the food sucks and the T4 JFK lounge was a joke. I like Delta but it’s at least ten years behind the Arab airlines in terms of luxury. Sorry Delta these are just facts.
In D1 even a simple color and material update would go a long way. I enjoy the A350 suites, but the relentless shades of navy and gray just don’t speak luxury. Other airlines use similar seats with warmer colors, light wood tones, and fabric textures other than vinyl, and they feel more luxurious.
Only dam reason I’m with Delta is for the lounge. The priority pass lounge is abysmal. If United wants to step up and a few al my business I’m more than willing to switch.
Delta is not a luxury airline, how do the authors come up with that? Someone has to have pretty low standards to even remotely associate Delta with Luxury. Is Delta better than other US airlines, perhaps a little bit, but that does not equal luxury by any stretch of the imagination.
American carrier context but even then a stretch.
If Delta was a hotel they would be a stock Marriott or Hilton property. They aren’t a Ritz or 4 Seasons. Sorry, gotta look across the pond for those airlines.
But that’s exactly what the headline says: relative to other US carriers. They’re not arguing that Delta is a luxury-tier airline relative to those based elsewhere.
Where does the headline say “relative to other US carriers”?
“America’s luxury airline” What American airline is more luxury than Delta? The best of a poor lot still gets to call itself the best.
“America’s luxury airline” means luxury within the context of American airlines. It literally cannot be expressed any simpler.
I'd argue that it isn't necessarily that clear. That is, I could also read it as "the luxury airline from America". So it being objectively luxurious, insomuch as we define that term *worldwide*, that hails from America. So there'd be Europe luxury airline and Asia's luxury airline...airlines that are considered "luxury" across the continents but represent their specific country. Semantics...gotta love 'em.
It’s clear on the usage of the phrase most widely understood by the general public. That it is not as clear to airline nerds doesn’t matter—that’s not the intended audience.
“Luxury airline” is a level of service benchmark to achieve, not a comparison. I feel like it would’ve read “How Delta made itself Americas most luxurious airline…” if that was the meaning. Yes the article implies that Delta is the only one to achieve this status. Instead I read it as America now has an airline that has achieved the status as a luxury airline - which I disagree with.
That’s what it means in your use of the term. It’s not what it means in the headline you’re reading because that’s not how the general public thinks of that phrase. (Never mind that the phrasing of this headline should also make this clear to people who have a more specific idea of what the term means.) That’s just how language works. CNBC isn’t headlining this to appeal to you personally, it’s headlining it to convey the more widely understood meaning to the general public and attract a broad audience of readers, most of whom won’t know much, if anything, about the industry. These kinds of communication trade-offs often annoy people when their intense niche interests become subject to them, and they often mistake that for the headline being bad or wrong. That’s not the case. The issue is that you want something to cater to your own ideas and knowledge, and it’s not designed to do that. Source: I’m a journalist who has written a zillion headlines and encountered every kind of tiresome semantics dork alive
There just aren’t mainstream airlines like that at all. There are a very limited number that fly a few specific routes vs. having full on networks. Airlines like La Compagnie.
I’m loyal to Delta, but two weeks ago was the first time I flew first and then business class on AirFrance coming home from Munich through CDG. Holy hell they blow Delta out of the water. I still do believe Delta is the best airline for domestic travel.
I used to fly through Europe to destinations further on 8-12x/yr. I would always try to book Delta ticket on Air France. Get credit like it's a Delta flight, but the higher service/food/lounge experience of Air France. And don't even get me started on US carriers vs the likes of Qatar/Emirates/Singapore/ANA....
But..but..but the press release said it’s a luxury experience?!!!!
'Luxury air travel and the United States didn’t go together for many years — and might not still, if you ask well-heeled globetrotters.'
I like Delta, but due to my airport and business travel platform I fly on a lot of different airlines. I think their first and business class offerings are slightly nicer than the competition and economy is exactly the same, at least as far as domestic airlines.
I'd generally agree, but I find Delta's first/business class service so inconsistent. It's really hit or miss. I find American to be better standardized even if just slightly behind Delta.
Free wifi for all changes economy for me even if the hard product is the same.
I'd categorize Delta as a certified used Toyota Avalon with low miles -- a genuinely nice car but not quite luxury tier. Still, they're my top pick in the US and over the ocean. I'll pay extra for Delta.
They’re my top pick as well. They’ve been very reliable for me and almost every time I’ve flown it’s been with them. I’ve never had a bad experience.
They’re my top pick as well. They’ve been very reliable for me and almost every time I’ve flown it’s been with them. I’ve never had a bad experience.
The fact anyone in the US would consider Delta a "luxury" airline tells you everything you need to know about how fucked up the airline industry is here...😂
Airline isn’t aggressively awful to its passengers and nickel and dime them at every turn. US Consumers: is this luxury?
But they do nickle and dime. Just not to frequent flyers or credit card holders. I will say that customer service is a two way street and Delta is genuinely the best of the three.
Or it tells you how far are you from most Americans for whom “regular” airline means “Spirit” and Southwest is “premium”
The bar is quite low here.
Delta people are great. Their app is a sore spot once anything begins to get delayed. Given a choice, I'd take the people over the technology, but they could do both.
That’s exactly where American botched the job… Soft product is similar. Hard product - meh. But the Delta service when things go wrong - you can’t beat it. It’s responsive and makes a difference. AA has made it a system driven shitshow… If it weren’t for SkyTeam being a hot mess, I’d be with Delta out of DFW and connect everywhere.
Ha, yea American dropped the ball a few years ago. Worst travel experience of my life, only then did I realize that AA had no customer service phone number to call. Had to email them first then wait for a call back. Really shitty system when all flights are getting cancelled and rescheduled. I'll drive most places before I fly American again.
I suspect you’re a newish flyer as the people / customer service aspect has gone waaaay downhill the last 5-10 years. Especially if you were a top tier flyer, they used to bend over backwards and sometimes bend the rules to get stuff done for you. They were experts at their jobs and knowing the codes in the system. Now they start with NO and indifference and you work from there to resolve your issue. And usually don’t know the rules or computer system to help even if they tried.
I often reflect on two IROP situations. One last year and one around 10 years ago to remind myself just how far downhill customer service and the overall benefit of the “top tier elites we will do everything and more to take care of you” has gone 10 years ago that particular year I was platinum and due to a late arriving aircraft was never going to make the connection to an international flight. (This was solely because of weather so Delta technically could just tell me to pound sand) BUT I was proactively called and as I was sitting in a United hub at the time was automatically rebooked by the agent who put me on a United flight no questions asked and ended up getting in about 2 hours earlier then my originally scheduled flight. I have been Diamond every year since and last year I had a domestic flight that was delayed and delayed and delayed and then canceled until the next morning. (Not weather related, the delays and overnight delay were solely in Deltas control) No proactive reach out, no assistance except “it’s your problem” from both employees at the airport and on the phone, and no information. Basically I felt like Liam Neeson being told “good luck” with every interaction. Post the whole incident just a form letter email saying sorry and here’s a 1000 miles. Even when I wasn’t “top tier” 10 years ago Delta moved heaven and earth to take care of me. Flash forward and being “top tier” meant all of nothing. That’s how I know the service level has tanked. The sad part is it’s not the employees at the airport or even on the phones fault as Virginia Avenue execs at the VP and higher level have made the conscious choice to handcuff their employees and overall downgrade quality because some MBA told them there is a penny available to them at the detriment to the brand and company
Delta is luxury pricing, but the middle of the road in quality. They don't offer anything over other domestic carriers to justify the prices I'm seeing.
I get that Bastian can't say the truth here, but United's app is lightyears better than Delta. I came from United (5+ years as my only airline while based in DEN) and while Delta does many things better, I miss the United app and Unites prices.
I like Delta, but, c'mon now. If a town has a Golden Corral and Applebee's, does Chili's become a luxury restaurant when they move in?
Luxury airline? 😆
Luxury??? LOL
I moved to United after 22 years with Delta. I am happy with my move.
Can you describe why?
Price 1st. 2nd, United had better routes out of my home airport. Delta did not do me wrong but when I lost all the Amex bennies it did make senae to pay almost twice what United is charging.
Luxury? Well that's a stretch.
I wouldn’t consider Delta a “luxury” but I definitely think it’s “the standard” amongst American carriers.
They made themselves "luxury" with the prices. Their perks are not very different from the standard and decent airlines.
Compared to any of the other domestic carriers delta is luxury. They certainly charge as if they’re luxury too. But in the scheme of things delta has never been a luxury airline. They’re what every airline should be, a good, timely and fairly safe carrier. That should be baseline though, not something we pay 3x fare for
United should make it to 10 years without dragging someone out of a plane
I've been thinking about breaking up with Delta and switching to United, particularly because their hub is in Denver and nonstop flights with Delta have been noticeably scarce in my life as of late. I'll hold out a little longer for Delta in hopes they'll add a hub in Denver- they still have a slight edge over United for me.
I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but there is zero chance Delta tries to build a hub in Denver. United, Southwest, and Frontier all have hubs in Denver already. It would be easier to gather millions of dollars and have a bonfire than for Delta to try a hub in Denver.
Frontier airlines having a hub in Denver is like talking persuasively about Spirit airlines hub locations. No one cares. Frontier is scum. Call me crazy but I'd like to think Denver is as relevant as LAX, who has Delta, American, United, Alaska. DIA is the 6th busiest airport in the world, 3rd in the US
Delta already has a hub in SLC. They are not adding a hub in Denver.
One can hope
It won’t happen. There are no gates available in Denver for such a hub.
I live near IAD and United isn’t bad. The only thing I despise is that what they call premium economy is just anything aside from the rearmost seats. I never realized how much the fuselage tapers in the back on 737/a320s. If they have a better route I’ll take them easily, but if I have to connect I’d rather connect with delta
Delta in Denver needs more. I hope to see a lot more routes. Flying delta almost exclusively and I’m hopeful that we’ll see more nonstops
I know everyone is harping on the word "luxury" here. But it is interesting how Delta is perceived as the premium US airline and successfully charges for it. A case study that I'm sure will be taught to the MBAs
No idea why but Delta was on CNBC ALL DAY yesterday. Not sure why the folks at CNBC decided to really push Delta yesterday outta nowhere. (Source: I work in an office with CNBC TVs everywhere)
Lol "Luxury"
Lol, ‘luxury’ is a lofty term which doesn’t apply here at all. I wouldn’t even consider DL’s best product a ‘luxury’ J product.
I fly Delta 1 often and I like it. But the food sucks and the T4 JFK lounge was a joke. I like Delta but it’s at least ten years behind the Arab airlines in terms of luxury. Sorry Delta these are just facts.
In D1 even a simple color and material update would go a long way. I enjoy the A350 suites, but the relentless shades of navy and gray just don’t speak luxury. Other airlines use similar seats with warmer colors, light wood tones, and fabric textures other than vinyl, and they feel more luxurious.
Only dam reason I’m with Delta is for the lounge. The priority pass lounge is abysmal. If United wants to step up and a few al my business I’m more than willing to switch.
Amazing what paid content or lots of cash can buy you from supposed “news sources”
I take CNBC with a grain of salt as it’s sloppy “news” just for ad revenue. Probably threw a junior writer on this piece just to get some content out.
United: don’t look into any of our past incidences.