CEO Ed Bastian now eating crow, sorta
By Patti Pietschmann, Travel Diva
When I heard about Delta Airlines radical changes to its loyalty program I was livid and almost canceled my membership. After all we are only in it for the perks and take those away, what's the point.
Seems like the company was trying to favor it's most elite Diamond members and kick the rest of us under the plane. And they might still do something like that, but maybe more gently according to a speech by the line's CE Ed Bastian at the Atlanta Rotary Club.
“No question we probably went too far in doing that,” Bastian said, “I think we moved too fast, and we are looking at it now.” The chief operating officer added that he promises to make “modifications” that the airline that will be announce “sometime over the next few weeks.” But he didn't go into details.
Not such friendly skies
The changes we met with outrage. We're talking a major outburst of complaints and criticism's. Many social media posts echoed my sentiments about canceling memberships and changing carriers. Alaska Airlines and JetBlue Airways were quick to jumped in, pitching offers to woo unhappy Delta customers by matching their loyalty status in those carriers’ programs.
Eating crow?
Bastian acknowledged the reactions at this Rotary speech but didn't say what he was going to do to fix it. I guess we just have to wait and see. Those Jet Blue and Alaska offers just might get some of Delta's regulars to switch flights.
