Delta Air Lines Boeing 717-200 airplane as seen on the final approach landing at New York JFK John F. Kennedy International Airport, NYC, USA.
NurPhoto / Contributor
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian announced that the airline will be making “modifications” to its loyalty program in the next few weeks, following customer backlash over the recently announced overhaul. The changes would have made it more expensive for many travelers to earn elite status and access airport lounges. Bastian admitted that the airline may have gone too far with the changes during a speech at the Rotary Club of Atlanta on Monday.
The program changes, which were unveiled earlier this month, would have rewarded customers with elite status based on their spending, similar to the model used by American Airlines. The changes would have also reduced access to Delta’s popular airport Sky Club lounges for many American Express cardholders.
In response to Delta’s changes, JetBlue Airways offered frequent flyer status matching, encouraging customers to switch loyalty programs.
Delta has been dealing with a surge in elite travelers, driven by increased post-pandemic spending. This has led to overcrowding in its lounges and long lines for many customers. The airline, along with competitors American and United, has been racing to expand and improve its airport lounges to cater to the growing demand.
Bastian confirmed that the updated program changes will be announced in the coming weeks. Delta and American Express, the issuer of Delta’s co-branded credit cards, declined to comment further on the changes.
“We have so much demand for our premium product and services that it exceeds our capacity to serve it effectively,” Bastian said regarding the situation.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Delta saw a doubling in the number of Diamond Medallion status members.
David Neeleman, founder and CEO of Breeze Airways and founder of JetBlue, revealed in an interview that he holds Delta Diamond Medallion status but sometimes finds the lounges too crowded to be worth it.
Delta implemented several measures last year to address overcrowding in its clubs, such as restricting employee access and raising prices for club memberships.
“If everyone’s special, no one feels special,” Bastian stated in a previous interview.
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