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Fewer Sky Club freebies + JFK Extension + New PreCheck lane at ATL

Delta's Sky Club Luxury Bar on Concourse E (Chris McGinnis)

Delta’s Sky Club Luxury Bar on Concourse E (Chris McGinnis)

FEWER FREEBIES AT SKY CLUBS. With little notice, Delta has moved several beverages from the Sky Club complimentary bar menu to the Luxury Bar pay menu. You’ll now be asked to pay for beers like Heineken or local brews, liqueurs such as Bailey’s and other popular pops.  We contacted Delta to determine what it still offers at no charge at Sky Clubs and a spokesperson sent over this list of the free stuff:  Vodka – Gordon’s; Gin – Gordon’s; Rum – Myers’s Platinum; Scotch – Scoresby; Bourbon – Jack Daniel’s;  Sweet & Dry Vermouth – Martini & Rossi; Beer- Budweiser & Miller Lite; Wine- no changes.  Delta also sent us the new Luxury Bar Menu, effective May 15. Which of your favorite adult beverages has disappeared from the “complimentary” list and what are the new prices? Please leave your comments below.

Delta now operates from T4 and T2 at JFK. The old Pan Am Worldport will soon be gone.

Delta now operates from T4 and T2 at JFK. The old Pan Am Worldport will soon be gone.

DELTA’S JFK EXTENSION. On May 24, Delta took the wraps off its new digs at New York- JFK, which will replace the now shuttered vintage Pan Am Worldport, or Terminal 3.  Delta is currently demolishing that leaky old Mad-Men-era terminal to allow easier movement and more parking between terminals 2 and 4. It’s important to note that Terminal 4 is not brand new—it’s been around since 2001– but Delta has completely remodeled and lengthened the B-side space adding nine new gates to the existing seven. The new terminal also features TSA PreCheck, something that many international terminals do not have presently. New dining options include an outpost of Manhattan’s favorite burger joint, Shake Shack. T4’s opening also gives Sky Club members their first look at a new SkyDeck, an open-air, glassed-walled terrace overlooking the tarmac—great for spotting all those exotic tails that float around JFK runways. Outdoor seating and umbrellas are a great way to get some fresh air. A similar SkyDeck will open later this year in Atlanta’s F concourse. The Sky Club at JFK’s T4 is now Delta’s largest.  Many domestic flights and nearly all Delta Connection flights will continue to use Terminal 2 (JFK’s oldest), while most Delta transcons and all international flights will now use T4. By 2015, Delta will add an additional 11 gates to T4.

DELTA WAITS IT OUT. Earlier this month CEO Richard Anderson said that Delta is in no hurry to order new aircraft like the Boeing 737 Max or Airbus A320neo. He said Delta would rather have other airlines test them first to work through any kinks such as the recent battery issues exhibited by the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. He said that not only does this allow for a more efficient rollout of aircraft within its fleet, but it also allows for more affordable pricing when it comes time to upgrade a fleet. Delta is, however, taking new Boeing 737-900s in the coming years, but these are already being flown by a number of airlines including United, Delta’s closest domestic rival at the moment.

MORE PRECHECK AT ATL. Atlanta’s north security checkpoint now has a TSA Pre-Check lane for expedited security. The north checkpoint is used primarily by non-Delta flyers, which means Southwest/AirTran travelers will eventually enjoy speedier access once it joins in on the PreCheck fun. Southwest will only say that it is working on getting into PreCheck…nothing certain yet. If it wants to compete with Delta for business travelers in Atlanta, it frankly needs to get on the stick and become part of PreCheck. Agree? 

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FLAWS IN RECENT AIRLINE SURVEY. IdeaWorks’ fourth annual survey of airline award seat availability ranked Delta dead last. But to be fair, we must point out that the survey only used airline websites to gauge availability, and we all know that Delta’s is pretty dismal when it comes to redemptions. IdeaWorks searched for two tickets on 280 different dates, at the restricted award levels. Southwest clocked in at first place, and Delta tied with US Airways for the worst among domestic airlines. By picking up the phone (after doing significant research via other websites like AirFrance.us via its Flying Blue program), Delta flyers usually find much more open space. But, the survey does not reveal that. What was accurate and fair about the survey was that it ranks Delta much higher for close-in availability as award seats are often released more freely within two weeks of departure.

ON THE OTHER HAND, KUDOS. On a brighter note, Delta ranked as the top legacy carrier in the recent JD Power survey. It also ranked second best (after Southwest) among majors in a recent Consumer Reports survey. It’s easy to pick on the dominant, hometown carrier…but compared to its peers, Delta’s sitting pretty these days.What do you think? Do Atlantans whine too much about Delta when they might have the best of the bunch in their own backyard? Please leave your comments below.

Love the rocking chairs a Charlotte Douglas Airport (Francesco Mucio)

Love the rocking chairs (but hate the high fares) at Charlotte Douglas Airport (Francesco Mucio)

NEW GOUGE: CHARLOTTE. From TICKET reader JJ: “Has anyone noticed that since Southwest and AirTran left the Atlanta-Charlotte market that Delta fares (a few weeks ago were $200 or a little more) are now over $600 no matter how far out you book? This used to be the case before AirTran went into Charlotte and now that they have left, good old gouge you Delta is at it again. Oh well I guess I’ll have to go back to driving to Charlotte – hate that drive.” (Agreed! That drive up truck infested I-85 is awful!)

THOUGHT DELTA WAS SNEAKY? Delta is not the only airline monetizing its upgrade programs. For example, passengers can bid how many miles or how much money they are willing to spend to upgrade on long flights. Air New Zealand, Austrian, Etihad, and Virgin Atlantic are all offering this type of program. Customers can still use miles for business class seats, but this new auction system allows the demand to ratchet up the price on busy flights putting more money in the airline coffers. It also helps to fill seats that would otherwise go empty making low bidders quite happy (although the cheapest fares are often restricted). Could Delta be next? What do you think about such an idea? Please leave your comments below.

NEW SOUTHWEST FLIGHTS. Atlanta will see additional Southwest flights to New Orleans, New York LaGuardia, St. Louis, West Palm Beach beginning Nov. 3. Also on that date, AirTran’s Atlanta to San Juan flight will switch to Southwest instead of an AirTran plane with business class.

CURTAIN CALL FOR AIRTRAN BUSINESS CLASS. AirTran regulars may have noticed that there are no longer curtains between business and coach class. This removal is part of the alignment with the Southwest model and preparation for operating with a single cabin of service. So its buh-bye business class…but at least it’s a long buh-bye!

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An Alaska Airlines 737 at Atlanta Airport (Atlanta Airport)

An Alaska Airlines 737 at Atlanta Airport (Atlanta Airport)

PLUS PORTLAND. MINUS SEATTLE. Delta partner Alaska Airlines will add a new Boeing 737-800 nonstop between ATL and Portland, Oregon on August 26. When the Portland-Atlanta route begins Aug. 26, Alaska Air will reduce its Seattle-Atlanta route to once daily.

FLINT. With AirTran/Southwest out of the picture on the ATL-Flint, Michigan route, Delta is deploying a larger A319 on the route, adding 60 extra seats between the two cities starting in June. Delta is currently using an RJ on the route. With Delta as the only nonstop in the market, you can only guess which direction prices have gone recently….

Join Chris McGinnis & JohnnyJet for the #travelskills chat on Friday mornings!

Join Chris McGinnis & JohnnyJet for the #travelskills Twitter chat on Friday mornings!

SEEKING SUMMER TRAVEL DEALS AND ADVICE? Join in the #TravelSkills chat with @JohnnyJet and me every Friday at noon Eastern! Our new chat has been trending in the US on Twitter on nearly every Friday, so stop by and join the fun. And learn something, or uncover a summer travel deal! See www.travelskills.com/chat

–Chris McGinnis

*****

 


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First look: Delta's flagship Sky Club (Slideshow)

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Here are a few slides of the festivities around the opening of the new International Concourse F at ATL, which now includes Delta’s flagship Sky Club. These photos were supplied by Delta. Stay tuned for more once we have a chance to get inside it.

We are now on our second iteration of a new slideshow tool. This one should work with all browsers including Internet Explorer. We also fixed the slideshow of Delta’s Sky Club on Concourse E— please take a look if you were unable to view it last week.

Please understand the slideshows are still in beta testing, so take a spin and again let us know if there are any bugs!

 


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Delta update- New Sky Club; NYC Expansion; boarding brouhaha

Seeing stars? The new "Relaxation Room" at Delta's new Sky Club on ATL's Concourse E.

DELTA’S LAGUARDIA EXPANSION BEGINS: Now that Delta’s expanded schedule is in place at LaGuardia, construction is underway to connect the old US Airways terminal with the existing Delta terminal. The addition of 4 million new seats to the market requires a 600-foot airside bridge between the two terminals so that the hub can operate effectively. (For now, you must take a shuttle or walk between Delta’s two terminals.) The existing Delta Sky Club in terminal D will be expanded (again), and the former US Airways Club in terminal C (now closed for renovation) will be converted to a Sky Club opening late this summer. Expanded security lanes (including Sky Priority lanes) are also in place to handle the increased traffic.

DELTA’S GROWTH AT JFK. Delta’s growth strategy continues at JFK, too, where work is visibly underway at Terminal 4 to add nine additional gates, more customs and security lanes, and what Delta claims will be one of the largest Sky Clubs in the airline’s system. (By the way, do you know where Delta’s largest Sky Club is?? Take a guess! And see below).  Once up and running, Terminal 3 (Worldport) will be demolished and a long bridge will connect Delta’s existing Terminal 2 to Terminal 4.

SKYCLUB PROMO: Considering a 30-day Sky Club membership to help get through the upcoming peak summer season? Between now and April 30, Delta’s offering a 20% discount (just $72) on its 30-day pass as a thank you for helping them reach 300,000 followers on Facebook. The 30-day pass permits entry to all Delta Sky Clubs and a select list of Delta partner lounges (including an Air France lounge in Paris and a KLM Crown lounge in Amsterdam). At Delta Sky Clubs, you can also bring up to two additional guests or immediate family members. Here’s a list of partner clubs.  Remember to act by April 30 on this promotion by entering code FB30D at this link.

BIGGER BETTER SKY CLUB AT ATL: After months of construction combining two clubs, Delta’s giant new Sky Club at ATL’s Concourse E (near E15) is open for business. The bright modern space offers floor-to-ceiling views of Delta planes coming and going to different global destinations, there is also a small relaxation room with starry ceiling, lengthy bar, vastly more seating with plentiful electrical outlets, new showers, and a more visually appealing brand look. The new club will have a full day of operating hours unlike before when only one of Concourse E’s Sky Clubs was open in the morning and got quite busy during the Caribbean and Latin American rush hour. (Stay tuned for a slideshow of photos of this nice new club.)

BETTER FOOD IN COACH?  You may read a lot about all the great things happening at the front of the plane when it comes to in-flight food, but we’ve got a snippet for those stuck at the back: Passengers on long-haul international Delta flights now have a choice between three entrees: the traditional chicken, pasta or a new cold salad with chicken option for the more health-conscious. This new cold option only comprises about 20% of the choices catered on the plane, so request one early if you want one!

A Delta Airbus A330 (Photo: Yakusa77)

BETTER INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT ON A-330s. If you are traveling overseas on Delta, stay tuned for more entertainment options. All of Delta’s Airbus A-330s now have modified inflight entertainment systems with an easier-to-use interface (the old Northwest version was rather clunky and hard to use) and 150% more content including 100 movies, 20 hours of HBO programming, eight hours of Showtime, 27 hours of TV choices, 4,200 audio selections, 16 radio channels and a new Sky Kids feature for families. Sadly, the Boeing 747-400s and 767-300s that comprise more than half of Delta’s overseas flights still have rudimentary systems that force economy passengers to watch one film on the main screen as if this were still the mid-1980s. Luckily, upgrades are coming for these planes too, but not soon enough for many travelers headed overseas this summer who will likely be stuck with below par entertainment options. (Tip: BYOE—bring along your own entertainment!)

PROBLEMS WITH “PREM?” Delta’s boarding procedure, especially at ATL where everyone seems to have some sort of special status, is getting even crazier.  For example, the designator “PREM” appears on boarding passes of those in the premium cabin on that flight. In the Delta boarding hierarchy, these should be the first passengers to board.  However, we’ve noticed that many passengers who have SkyPriority status still believe they are qualified to board at the same time as those with the “PREM” designation. Then there are those carrying the new Delta-branded American Express cards offering “front of the line” access who think THEY can board first, too. Here’s how it’s SUPPOSED to work: Delta boards PREM passengers first. Next are Sky Priority passengers (Diamond, Platinum, Gold, and SkyTeam Elite and Elite Plus AND Alaska Airlines MVPs). The third tranche allowed on board (including those irritated Silver medallions) are those in “Zone 1.” Confused yet? Seems like a case where everyone starts out feeling special, but in the end, no one does. Have you experienced an unusual boarding issue recently? Please leave your comments below!

SPECIAL NOTE FROM CHRIS:  One of the many hats I wear is that of business travel columnist for BBC.com. This month, I wrote “Business Trip: San Francisco,” which offers advice to visiting business travelers. This is the twelfth in a series of destination focused business travel pieces I’ve written for BBC.com over the last year– other cities I’ve recently written about include: London, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro and Frankfurt. Take a read and you’ll get my take on top upscale hotels– both elegant and edgy, dining or entertainment suggestions, local color and local protocol or etiquette advice.

 

 Pssst: The largest Sky Club (by square footage) is the one in the Main Terminal (near gate A38) at Detroit-DTW.


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