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Archive for April, 2009

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The Latest Wings With Wi-Fi (Part VII)

Published April 6th, 2009 in Wi-Fi | 3 Comments →

It’s that time of the week…and everyone’s favorite subject (at least it’s my favorite subject!) Aircraft 960 and 961 are scheduled for Wi-Fi installation Sunday night and we should hit 100 Wi-Fi-equipped aicraft in the next week or so. As it stands, 27.2% of Delta’s domestic mainline fleet is complete.
MD88 – 82 aircraft

MD90 – 1 aircraft

B757 – 5 aircraft

MD88 Tail Numbers : 904-921, 923-929, 931-933, 935, 937-941, 943-948, 950, 952, 955-957, 959, 963, 965, 968-970, 974-976, 979, 982-983, 985-987, 989, 993-994, 9000-9002, 9004, 9006-9020.

MD90 Tail Numbers : 9211.

B757 Tail Numbers : 617, 640, 690-692.

Have a great week!
Chris B.
Sr. Product Manager – IFE

Look Back at Early Delta Sky Clubs and Magazines

Published April 3rd, 2009 in History | 4 Comments →

With this month’s new Sky magazine and work on the Delta Sky Clubs, here’s a look back for those wondering “How did they start?”

sky_magazine_cover_1971

Sky has come a long way from our  first issue, published in November 1971. The new “take home publication for Delta passengers”  was thin–only 29 pages and six articles.  A “Welcome Aboard” page listed differences between Boeing 747, Douglas DC-8 and DC-9 jet cabins when storing carry-on bags, turning on the reading lights and finding the restrooms. Smoking was permitted in flight. For those going on vacation, “Good news! You can now check sports items, such as golf clubs, empty scuba tanks or skis . . . ”

Today’s Delta Sky Club is yesterday’s Northwest WorldClub and Delta Crown Room Club. Here is what a Crown Room looked like circa 1960s.  crown-room-old-terminal

Delta Crown Rooms were introduced as part of a new “Royal Crown” program of luxury first-class airport and in-flight services on the large propeller-driven Douglas DC-7 in late 1958, and our jets in 1959.

By the way, this is the only color photograph of an early Crown Room that I can find in the Delta Archives. If you have any 1950s/1960s images of Delta Crown Rooms that you can share–especially those showing people–I would love to hear from you.

Marie Force
Archives Manager

Delta Sky Club: What’s in a Name?

Published April 2nd, 2009 in delta.com | 12 Comments →

Recently we’ve been playing a different kind of name game, which has been all the buzz at Delta and with some of you.

As you may have heard, we are integrating the Delta and Northwest lounges (Delta Crown Room Club® and Northwest WorldClubs® and implementing a brand new moniker – Delta Sky Club™.

deltaskyclub_tm

Behind the scenes, the “rebranding” spurred lots of excitement and discussion. The Crown Room Club brand has greeted Delta lounge-goers since 1959, and the WorldClubs brand has been around since 1987.

However, we wanted a name that spoke to the truly global nature of the combined network, so a plan of action was put in place. What does it take to change the name of a worldwide establishment? Lots of work.

Well, not only is there brainstorming and working with creative folks to generate new options, but then the Legal department gets involved and checks for any potential trademark infringement issues (insert your own lawyer joke here; a Delta lawyer removed mine). Once that hurdle is cleared, it’s time to present the options to executives (and try to influence the final outcome).

Once all parties come to a unanimous decision, the real fun begins! We take a detailed inventory of everywhere the “old” name appears and develop a schedule for updating every item on the list. We’re talking Web sites, paper applications, airport signage, membership cards – the list is exhausting. Ultimately, what may seem a small decision actually takes several months to fully implement. We’re targeting a full implementation of December 2009.

So, that’s a summary of how to change a corporate brand. We hope you like the new name (and relaxing in our rebranded lounges) as much as we do. We think it fits nicely with the other names on our family tree, such as the SkyMiles® program, SkyTeam® Alliance and Sky Magazine. Check out a Delta Sky Club the next time you’re traveling and let us know what you think. Our newest Delta Sky Club will debut in Miami in June – watch out for it.

And of course, you may continue to access both Crown Room Clubs and WorldClubs as we convert to Delta Sky Club, and all lounge locations will honor current membership cards.

We hope to see you at a Delta Sky Club soon!

Ranjan Goswami
 Director- Customer Experience Planning & Development

Introducing the New Sky

Published April 1st, 2009 in Sky Magazine | 3 Comments →

It’s April and our extraordinary new Sky is here! We’ve been hard at it, creating a fun to read, dynamic new lifestyle magazine that showcases the energy and influence of Delta, the world’s largest airline. We think the new Sky really hits the mark!

sky

Our premiere April issue features gorgeous cover girl Heidi Klum introducing “Our World Now”, our inaugural story chock full of hot trends, tastemakers and tons of cultural “dish”. As you page through the magazine you’ll enjoy dazzling photography, celebrity interviews, our favorite haunts, the world’s great chefs, fashion and style, games, humor and, of course sizzling destinations and relaxing retreats!

Our new Sky is “onboard, online and on newsstands.” For the first time since the merger, Sky is available on board every Delta and Northwest aircraft, read by an estimated 5.2 million readers each and every month. And, if you’re not flying every month, you can catch the new Sky as a digital magazine on deltaskymag.com. Our new website will provide even more great information, including three terrific blogs, a newsletter (if you sign up!) and tons of best restaurants, shopping and insider tips from experts in the world’s great cities.

And, for the first time ever, Sky will be available on newsstands at more than 2,500 Barnes & Noble, Borders, B. Dalton and Waldenbooks bookstores for $3.99.

Starting today….it’s a brilliant new Sky.

Take a look. Tell us what you think. Tell us what you want. We’re looking forward to becoming your travel concierge!

The Sky Magazine team

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