Delta backs down + Better food? + New ATL lounge + New Delta plane

DELTA BACKS OFF SAME-DAY CHANGE RESTRICTIONS…But just barely. Following significant feedback from customers, Delta has made the decision to soften the blow of recent changes to same day rules. Now, same-day confirmed changes can be made any time 24 hours prior to flight time. No fee will be required for Gold, Platinum, and Diamond Medallion members, but the same booking class must be available. This booking class restriction remains in place from the initial change, but the window for free changes has been extended to 24 hours (rather than within the previous three hour window). If your same fare bucket is not available, the free standby option remains. If you were upgraded on the original flight, going standby only puts you in the running for a seat in coach since the upgrade list is generally cleared first. This new policy is expected to be fully in place by late August. How do you feel about this slight “giveback”? Please leave your comments below!

Hugh Acheson of Empire State South

DELTA HOLDS COOKOFF FOR NEXT CHEF…Delta is teaming up with Food & Wine magazine to look for the next celebrity chef to provide input on meals for Atlanta-departing flights. The culinary video series, named “Cabin Pressure Cook Off,” features four contestants including two Atlanta stars: Hugh Acheson of Empire State South and Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene and Holeman & Finch Public House. The Cabin Pressure Cook Off, which will air in October on Delta flights, will feature culinary challenges filmed at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Delta prepares more than 110,000 inflight meals daily.

NEW LOUNGE OPENS IN ATLANTA… As mentioned on The TICKET Facebook page, The Club at ATL lounge on Concourse F has opened. It welcomes Lufthansa and British Airways premium passengers in addition to full Priority Pass members. Other passengers can buy a day pass for $35, which is cheaper than the Delta Sky Club $50 fee for general one-day access. Complimentary beverages (including wine and beer) in addition to light snacks and free wi-fi will be on offer, but the lounge is still little competition for the flashy new Sky Deck at the neighboring Delta Sky Club. Similar The Club lounges are located at airports in Raleigh-Durham, Las Vegas and Dallas. Have you visited one yet? Thoughts? 

FIRST CLASS SNACK BASKET CHANGES…Noticed a few changes in the Delta snack basket recently? Delta is now stocking Fritos chips instead of SunChips (some flights may still have the latter until stocks run out). Other new items include Pirouette cookies and Hershey’s chocolate bars. Luckily, fresh fruit and Biscoff cookies are still here to stay in addition to other favorites like Pretzel M&Ms, Quaker granola bars, and peanuts. What’s your snack basket pick? Please leave your comments below.

Some of the firearms found in hand luggage and confiscated by the TSA

TSA FINDS MORE GUNS AT ATL THAN OTHER AIRPORTS…Atlanta TSA agents discovered more travelers attempting to pass through security with guns than any other U.S. airport last year. TSA didn’t keep statistics on guns intercepted before 2011, but the government agency says there is an upward national trend in recent years. In the first six months of the year, screeners found 894 guns nationwide either on people or inside carry-on baggage. Atlanta set the record last year with 96 guns found. Do these people not watch the news? The help build awareness, the TSA now has an Instagram page with photos of confiscated weaponry. Take a peek— you won’t believe what you see.

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O’HARE CREEPS UP ON ATLANTA’S TITLE…Since Atlanta stole the title of world’s busiest airport from Chicago O’Hare in 2005, the race has been fierce, and O’Hare is finally gaining traction again. This year, Chicago’s largest airport has seen an increase in flights, and according to a recent Chicago Tribune article, many believe it may steal back the title with the most flights in the coming years. In the first half of 2013, Atlanta handled 453,800 takeoffs and landings, while O’Hare accommodated 426,800 flights, a preliminary FAA tally shows. Atlanta carries also more passengers than O’Hare. In 2012, Atlanta was the busiest airport in the world for total passengers, and O’Hare clocked in at number five. But just wait…airports in China should supersede ATL or ORD any day now…just wait.

Southwest B737 at ATL. (Chris McGinnis)

ATLANTA A WEAK PERFORMER FOR SOUTHWEST? In a recent earnings call Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly included ATL among cities where it’s struggling. Here’s the quote: “In terms of what I think we would be comfortable sharing for competitive reasons, the markets that are in more of a transition from AirTran through some step process into Southwest, those are the ones that are in more development. So, if you sort of think about the Atlanta, Baltimore, Milwaukee where there’s a lot of change taking place. Those markets are not performing as strong as markets that aren’t affected by that kind of transition, that’s very clear.” How would you gauge Southwest’s performance in Atlanta so far? Have you tried Southwest? Why or why not? Please leave your comments below.  

Buh-bye Pinnacle, hello Endeavor Air

ENDEAVOR AIR FLIES FOR DELTA CONNECTION…Never heard the name? Troubled Pinnacle Airlines has rebranded as Endeavor Air with a fresh logo. The Delta Connection carrier, a subsidiary of Delta following its investment in the bankrupt Pinnacle, will continue flying about 1,000 flights daily. The airline had its headquarters in Memphis, but it has since moved to Minneapolis. Only a handful of Endeavor’s flights touch Atlanta, and most flights are operated by CRJ-900s. The airline also operates CRJ-200s, but these are being phased out quickly.

WATCH YOUR MOVIES LONGER…Notice something different on your last Delta flight with inflight entertainment? Delta has decided to switch on the entertainment system upon boarding rather than after takeoff to allow people to watch live TV, movies, and other programming from the moment they sit in their seat. This will ease some of the stress from summer weather delays although it will be difficult to sell headsets in the main cabin before takeoff so stash a pair in your carry-on. Have you noticed the change? 

Simulated look at a Delta Boeing 717 (NBflightsim.com)

DELTA DEPLOYS NEW AIRCRAFT TYPE. Remember the news last year when Delta agreed to buy all of AirTran’s Boeing 717s from Southwest? The first of those planes will be deployed on Delta’s ATL-Newark route starting Sept 19. By the end of October, all flights between ATL and Newark will be on the 717. The aircraft will feature Gogo wifi, 12 first class seats, 15 Economy Comfort seats, and 83 economy seats. More 717 destinations will be coming online soon.

UNITED TEAMS UP WITH MARRIOTT…United copied Delta’s move to team up with a hotel brand. While Delta offers Crossover Rewards with Starwood allowing flyers to earn hotel points and hotel elite status (Starwood elites earn Delta benefits too), Marriott and United now provide similar benefits. Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite and Platinum Premier Elite will receive complimentary United Premier Silver status. Good advice from reader LH: “This may offer ATL AirTran business travelers, that meet the Marriott Rewards Platinum-level qualification, an elite status option over the pending switch to all-coach class Southwest. While it may be United’s lowest tier, the instant elite status will provide an alternative for those not wanting to start from the bottom with Delta. United Silver status brings complimentary upgrades, 25% mileage bonus and free Economy Plus seating within 24 hours of departure. Register here. United elites will also benefit from special benefits and elite status with Marriott as well; United Gold Premiers and above get automatic Marriott Gold Elite status, which offers club access, free breakfast, late checkout and more. What do you think about these instant elite partnerships? Are they fair to people who work to earn status the hard way? Please leave your comments below.

SEATTLE TO HEATHROW NONSTOP…Delta has announced nonstop Seattle to London Heathrow nonstop service beginning March 29, 2014. The flight will be operated using a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with lie-flat seats in the pointy end of the plane. The flight is part of the new code share with Virgin Atlantic.

SOUTHWEST ON ATL-DCA. Southwest will operate one of the six daily Atlanta to Washington Reagan National flights beginning Feb. 13 with AirTran continuing to fly the rest.

Can you ID this plane type? Please leave your comments below!

DELTA HERITAGE MUSEUM GETS A MAKEOVER…Delta is investing in memories and updating the Heritage Museum located near the Atlanta airport and corporate headquarters. The $6.3 million in renovation funds are coming from The Delta Air Lines Foundation and corporate sponsors and will restore the historic hangars, which house significant amounts of important airline memorabilia. Its most popular items on display are the Spirit of Delta, a Boeing 767-200 aircraft purchased through employee contributions in 1982 as a sign of appreciation and now housing an interior cabin mockup display, and Delta’s first 1940s era Douglas DC-3 aircraft. Tours, event space, and a gift shop will all be part of the revitalized facility when it reopens in the summer of 2014. Have you ever taken a look a the Delta Heritage Museum? Why or why not?

—Chris McGinnis & Ramsey Qubein