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Delta Air Lines is set to cut its in-flight service on several short flights, with those that are under 349 miles (558 km) now no longer featuring an inflight meals, snacks, or drinks. These changes are planned to come into effect from May 19, and will see short offerings such as Los Angeles to San Francisco be without any onboard in-flight service at all.
The changes are expected to affect around 450 daily flights, with no in-flight offerings now planned. This mirrors the current system on flights that are under 250 miles (400 km), while express service had been a feature on flights between 251 and 499 miles (401 to 798 km).
Full Service For Some Flights, No Service For Others
Delta ultimately is changing its service guidelines for flights based on distance. Flights that are more than 350 miles (560 km) now gain a full beverage provision, representing around 600 daily flights. Those with shorter flight distances will lose this service altogether. According to some travelers, as suggested by AOL, there were pros and cons to both experience types, with many not being fans of the express service. It remains unclear whether basic amenities, such as water, will be on offer.
It is important to note that these changes do not affect those in premium cabins, with first-class passengers still entitled to a full service on flights. Economy class passengers, however, will be impacted by these changes from May 19, with those in Delta Main and Delta Comfort.
Simple Flying reached out to Delta Air Lines for comment, and received the below response from the airline’s spokesperson:
“Beginning May 19, Delta is adjusting onboard beverage service to create a more consistent experience across our network. Customers traveling in Delta Comfort and Delta Main on flights 350 miles and above will now receive full beverage and snack service, while shorter flights will no longer offer food and beverage service—with the exception of Delta First which always receives full service. Even on the small number of flights without beverage service, our crew will continue to be visible, available, and focused on caring for our customers, like they do on every flight.”
Understanding These Latest Changes
Coming into effect later this month, Delta economy passengers on short flights under 350 miles will see their onboard service wiped, as the airline does away with an onboard in-flight provisions. Those with flights that exceed 350 miles will now enjoy an upgraded onboard offering, with the dissolution of the express service and instead a new full-service experience.
While for short-hops this is a visible downgrade, for the 600 daily flights that sit in the 350 to 499 mile range, they will see an upgrade to the full beverage and snacks menu. These new services, set to take off from Spring, will ultimately make it easier for flight attendants operating short hops, which, with short flight durations, can sometimes struggle to complete the current offering within the timeframe allowed (as suggested by aviation insider JonNYC).
|
Service Offering |
Current |
From May 19 |
|---|---|---|
|
0-250 miles |
No food and beverage service |
No food and beverage service |
|
251-299 miles |
Express service |
No food and beverage service |
|
300-349 miles |
Express service |
No food and beverage service |
|
350-499 miles |
Express service |
Full service |
|
500 miles |
Full service |
Full service |
As detailed in the table above, this outlines the airline’s plans, and suggested by JonNYC from a contact within Delta, it is believed this will be unlikely to affect the carrier’s Net Promoter Score (NPS), and is hoped to improve overall customer satisfaction.
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Past Offerings On Delta Air Lines
Historically, flights that have been under 250 miles have had no food or beverage service at Delta since 2015, and the change from full to express service was introduced in 2017 for flights that were under 349 miles. Changesser were made to the current plan in 2021 when flights between 350 and 499 miles were adjusted to the express onboard offering.
The airline is confident that the new offering will work, and has been working with customer data and operating test flights to ensure the service offering is fit for purpose. Standards are expected to improve on flights that are under 350 miles, as currently, crew members have been struggling to get to the back of the plane in time.
While it is likely that there will be some negative customer feedback in the beginning, ultimately, airlines must continually review their onboard experience and make suitable adjustments to ensure that all passengers receive the same treatment.
