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Archive for August, 2009


Update: Flat Bed Seats

We’re excited to finally announce that all 7 of the 767-400ERs scheduled for modification to these new flat bed seats are complete and flying! The 76D model flies all our LHR routes – which means that you can depend on it today to/from ATL, DTW and JFK. MSP-LHR starts tomorrow, September 1st. Plus, it’s also flying between JFK – VCE in September.

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The initial feedback we’ve received from customers regarding the seat has been overwhelmingly positive. Most importantly, it’s flat, and that’s the best way to sleep. Beyond that, there are no gymnastics required to get to the aisle. Every seat has direct aisle access, which is a real plus especially when everyone is sleeping. If you’re taller than average, be sure to go for a window seat with an extended console, as they provide a whopping 82” in bed length.

We recognize that the tray-table is challenging to get out and put away. Look for the tray-table instruction card, which should be in the seat-pocket in front of you. For the future, Delta is working with the seat’s manufacturer and another outside engineering firm to build an updated and more intuitive table. The challenge is (look closely when you fly) that we have very little space to work with.

Thanks for flying and please let us know what feedback you have!

p.s. If you like flying on a flat bed, be sure to also try out Delta’s 777-200LR. It flies the really long flights – like between ATL – BOM, DXB, JNB, PVG, TLV and our newest route – LAX – SYD

Looking Back: 1930s Communications

Since we celebrated the 2nd birthday of Delta’s Blog this week, it seems only appropriate to highlight how far we’ve come in 80 years of communications with our customers.

When we started carrying passengers in 1929, we engaged potential customers by phone calls, in-person presentations to businesses and local clubs, and print media: letters, small black & white newspaper ads, a couple of brochures and flyers.  This was our first color ad from 1930:

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Hotels were also important venues for us. As Delta employee Wallace Harmon, remembers prior to World War II, “We had no marketing department. In large cities we had a city traffic manager. . . who would go to the hotels and check the brochure racks to be sure that our timetables were here, and that was pretty well the extent of the marketing effort. Except that they would also make calls on the hotel porter because the porter was the guy that the hotel guests would call to get reservations on airlines. Now this is a hold-over from the railroads. A few of the things that we did to begin with were hold over from the railroad.”

Marie Force
Archives Manager

Delta Vacations: Your Favorite Golf Vacation

If the idea of my previous post about Las Vegas and it’s golf courses has you thinking about taking a golf vacation you might want to consider a luxury golf vacation with your spouse. There are many golf resorts all over the world that have breathtaking golf courses, feature full service spas, luxurious accommodations and world -class service that makes a perfect getaway for you and your spouse. I have selected a few resorts in some of the best luxury golf vacation locations in the world.

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Four Season Scottsdale at Troon North

If you are like me you just got Goosebumps from reading “Troon North”. The Troon North courses are two of the top courses in America and by staying at the Four Seasons Scottsdale you will have access to The Pinnacle and The Monument. Tom Weiskopf just redesigned the two courses in 2007 and they are now better than ever. Built into the foothills of Scottsdale, Arizona you will experience elevated tee boxes and gorgeous views of Pinnacle Peak. If your significant other is not a golfer, they can enjoy the 12,000 sq ft, full service spa! After golfing or the relaxing message you can grab a famous margarita from the awarding winning “Phoenix” bar and take in the sun on the 6,000 sq ft pool. Once you return from the links you have 3 beautiful restaurants to choose from for your romantic dinner for two. How perfect does that sound?

Ritz – Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Montego Bay Jamaica

You can’t talk about luxury without mentioning Montego Bay, Jamaica. Montego Bay has some of the nicest resorts and white sand beaches in the world. If you know anything about Ritz – Carlton Resorts you know that they put the “Ritz” in “Ritzy”. With 5 restaurants, 2 bars and a full service spa their reputation holds true at this resort. Part of their 427-room renovation included putting a 37-42 inch LCD flat panel TV in each room! Partnered with the Ritz is the golf course called White Witch. Don’t be scared off by the name, it has some of the most beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea. Although there are no holes along the water, you have a view of the sea on 16 of the 18 holes! Not only is there the view of the water, but the course winds through the 5,000 acre Rose Hall Plantation surrounded by mountains. One thing to note is to bring extra cash because caddies are mandatory but will truly enhance your experience. You will receive discounts at the course if you are staying at the Ritz – Carlton. Golf, beach, the love of your life and LCD TVs… you can’t ask for more!

Ritz – Carlton Kapalua, Maui

You might already recognize the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua name because of the PGA Tour Mercedes – Benz Championship. Every January the PGA hosts this tournament at The Plantation course. Ocean views and lush fairways describe this course well. One of the many signature holes is #18 a 663-yard par 5 that plays toward the ocean! Don’t worry this hole plays severely down hill and produces BIG drives (427 yards by Jason Gore). Designed by Arnold Palmer, The Bay is the other championship golf course in this resort. The favorite hole seems to be #5 a 205-yard par 5 that you have to carry 100 yards of the Pacific Ocean to get to the green. With many picture-perfect holes and a chance to walk where Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson have played, you won’t want to pass up playing these courses. The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua recently went through a $160 million renovation and has been awarded the AAA Five-Diamond award! With direct beach access and a new spa opening up this June there will be spa time for everyone! After your golf round, you can relax by the 10,000 sq foot pool and with a cool drink from their pool bar. There are 6 restaurants, 2 bars and everything else you could want so you will never have to leave the resort!

I hope that these luxurious vacation destinations will give you both the much-needed getaway for two.

What is your favorite golf vacation? Wishing you fairways and greens!

Sean C.
Delta Vacations

Carson: Pre-Season Opener in the Big Easy

After a few months “vacation” I hope you guys are excited for the start of the football season. It’s been a busy off-season for me, namely working hard to get healthy and preparing for what I hope to be a great 2009 season.

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This past weekend we opened up the pre-season in New Orleans. My buddy, Corey Vavala, lives down there and he picked up my brother and I and gave us the insider’s tour of New Orleans. We drove down Bourbon Street and could see all the people getting cranked up for the first Saints home game (we also saw this lady who dresses her dog exactly like her… I gave her a high five because she was wearing Bengals colors). After Bourbon Street we drove through the French Quarter and you could just feel the history and tradition in the air. As we approached the bridge heading into the lower 9th Ward, Corey prepped us for the range of emotions we were expected to feel. The sadness was almost immediate as we saw about 15 standing houses in a place where there were previously thousands. Brad Pitt and Oprah are trying to do a lot to restore New Orleans but there is still so far to go. The mass amount of destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina definitely stung both Jordan and I with an array of emotions. Hearing it was one thing… but seeing it was something else.

After our tour we decided to get some good old Cajun cooking and headed to a place called Palace Cafe. The food was amazing. Everything from the fried alligator to the crab claws, the gumbo, the cheesecake… it was phenomenal. I’ve now crowned New Orleans as my favorite city to eat and want suggestions for my next time back there! Anyone?

I finally checked out of Georgetown College (where our training camp is and where they were filming Hard Knocks for HBO) and got to see my wife and kids for the first time in 2.5 weeks. In case you didn’t know, my wife and I had newborns earlier this year (a boy and a girl) and they’ve been quite a handful. As first time parents, we’ve definitely had our work cut out for us. I encourage any and all advice from those of you out there that have twins! Without question, they’re tougher than anything I’ve ever experienced in football (and a lot more rewarding)! I swear, in the two and a half weeks I was away, they grew and changed so much. They were a lot less excited to see me as I was to see them!

I’d also like to point out how wonderful Delta has been for us as new parents. My wife had to travel alone with both babies and Delta was unbelievably helpful not only letting parents with kids board early but also helping my wife get situated with the two kids. It’s something that I truly appreciated when I was in training camp and she called so impressed with the service. Then again, since they’ve been so wonderful in the past when we traveled with our Rottweiler, Homer, I wasn’t expecting anything less.

Keep on the lookout for more blogs from me throughout the year. I hope you are all well out there and make sure to send me questions!

Who Dey!

Carson Palmer

Quarterback
Cincinnati Bengals

Video: Delta’s Flat Bed Seats

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