Articles tagged “delta air lines”

Despite relinquishing his control, Richard Branson has been able to save face by negotiating the continuation of the Virgin Atlantic brand. At the same time a strengthened transatlantic joint venture means he'll have a better chance at competing with British Airways and its partners.

Offering business travelers personalized experiences can not only improve traveler satisfaction, but also allow corporate travel providers to stand out among their competitors.

In recent years, many Alaska Airlines frequent flyers liked to fly American, because they would receive loyalty benefits even when flying the competition. But starting next year, that perk will end, and that's not great news for road warriors.

Yes, airline frequent flyer programs probably were more lucrative a decade ago. But savvy travelers can still get a lot of value out of the programs and their affiliated credit cards.

Here's a prediction. The Trump administration may do little on the Open Skies debate. Yes, U.S. airlines probably suffer because of the agreements with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. But plenty of other U.S. interests take advantage of the same agreements to make money.

No, these special airline VIP lobbies are not new. But all three full-service U.S. airlines are investing in them, with each trying to one-up the other. If you're a regular coach customer, you likely don't care. But if you have access to these lobbies, you're probably pleased.

Are old-school U.S. airlines too focused on short-term profits and competing against low-cost carriers to deliver a quality product to their loyal passengers?

United is making a sound business decision by rewarding its best customers. But in recent years, we've seen the chasm grow between the flying haves and have-nots. This will only further that trend.

Delta argues recent changes to its frequent flyer program have helped improved loyalty, but not everyone is so sure. What they almost certainly have done, however, is improve profitability.

Delta says it's using basic economy fares to help better differentiate its products. The jury is still out on whether it will help them compete on routes where they face low-cost competitors.