Many comments have flooded in about the Save SkyMiles campaign. Some of them are listed below.

*Some comments have been edited for content and/or brevity.

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Tim R. - April 9, 2003

What is the Beef? You are complaining for getting something for free? Just not as much? Awwww, boo hoo. The state of the airlines are at their worst, and not just because of their own fault. Would you rather all the airlines go bankrupt then you can drive across the United States, or take a slow boat across the pond. The Airlines and not just Delta are fighting for their very existance, and you are crying because the perks you are getting are a little less than what you are used to. I wish all the airlines would just do away with the Frequent Flyer programs and get back to doing what they are there for, getting people to and from, safely. You people remind me of once when I was flying out of D.C., and the flight was cancelled for mechanical reasons. Do you think the passengers were happy that they got off a broken airplane? No, they were mad. I really think that most of those passengers, if they were told the plane wasn''t quite right but it was flying anyway, would have stayed on that plane and taken their chances. Then if something happened would be the first to sue the airline. So people, get a grip and worry about something that is worth worrying about.

Donna Huber - April 9, 2003

I recently used my SkyMiles to fly to Austria through Paris for an MBA international class. When I arrived at the airport, I was told the flight to Paris was cancelled 2 months ago. Delta had my telephone number but didn't call. To make matters worse, it happened on the way back also! Is this anyway to treat loyal travelers? Also, when I tried to book a Hawaii trip one year in advance, I couldn't get two tickets even with a flexible schedule! What good is it to get the SkyMiles if redeeming them is such a hassle?

Mark Berezow - April 4, 2003

I have been a medallion level flyer since 1996,either silver or gold and I am DONE with Delta!!!!! Long story short United,Continental,US Air and American were very happy to have me as customers and have matched my gold status. Who needs Delta ? The arrogance and non responsiviness of Mr. Mullin, Mr. Burke and their staff when trying to personnaly address any Skymiles issues is outrageous.
P.S. Try Americans Coach. The leg room is nice!
You should also try Jet Blue if you can. They have been providing the new and innovative service DELTA'S SONG is hawking for two years.
Maybe this will be DELTA'S swan song if they don't change how they deal with customers!!

RK - April 2, 2003

1) I, and my wife have been Delta Gold medallions for over 7 years. We acheive that always through personal travel to far off places in the world.
2) We were unhappy when they said that I could not upgrade to First class if I had a L or U class fare, but we stayed on
3) The recent changes was the last straw and we basically left Delta. We shopped around and Both, NW and Continental matched the Gold status. And guess what, their program is way better than the Skymiles now. Even if you are silver, you will automatically get upgraded when you fly with them in the US. Even the lowest class of service purchased.
4) So my belief is this: Delta is playing the game that it thinks will earn it more revenue. That is, more people out there are going to force their companies to shell out extra $$ so they get a factor of 1.0 instead of 0.5 for the cheapest tickets. The cheapest tickets will be purchased by infrequent travellers. Maybe they are right - I think not, because the only two airlines that are successful are SW and Jetblue that cater to cheap fares.
5) Anyway it does not matter because I find NW/CO/KLM to be a much better plan, at least from a first class upgrade perspective. If there is a first class seat they will upgrade you. If you are platinum you will earn 125% bonus.
6) So you may want to quit trying to save SKYMILES or the world and find yourselfs a better alternative like I did. I hope that the flight schedule on the other airline you move your allegience to works out for you.

Best

RK

Paul C. - March 28, 2003

I am one of those "old timers" who started flying back in the sixties and who enjoyed the experience, that is, as well as could be expected.

Like others on the sounding board, I can not fathom what is going through the minds of these idiods at Delta -- beginning, of course, with Leo Mullin. (Do you suppose Will Rogers ever met Leo?) Now, guys, it doesn't take genius mentality to figure out that it takes airline people to run airlines -- not Harvard MBAs or financial wizards. Look at the most successful CEO of all, Mr. C. E. Woolman (who is rolling over in his grave right now). He was the quintessential airline man; knew the business, was extremely customer-oriented and would bend over backwards for his flyers. I know, I had the pleasure of meeting and talking at length with him one time. Always had time for you, respected your opinions (and took them to heart). My, how things have changed! Delta has gone to hell in a hat basket.

I note that others on the board have very well written opinions which I wholeheartedly agree with. Where does Leo get the idea that driving away loyal customers will equate to a fatter bottom line?

Simple Marketing 101 and a dose of Economics 101 will tell you that it's better to have a full load of reduced-rate flyers (or, cheapies like me) than it is to have a 1/3 full plane with only those that can afford it. Multiply that figure, day in and day out and look for the load factor to rise and...well, you get the point.

I, like many, many others, endured countless hours of frustrations, late flights, cancellations, maintenance problems, indifferent employees, ad nauseum, to get the coveted Platinum status and now they tell me that is no longer good enough.I am now a second-class citizen in the eyes of the powers that be at Delta.

Oh, yeah...I forgot to really vent on the money packages these guys just gave each other. I can't get into that as I will break a New Year's resolution about watching my cuss words.

I have enough FF miles to take a trip to Mars and, you know? I gonna blow 'em all and go to Mars! So much for my 38 years of flying with Delta!!!

Tammy B - March 26, 2003

I too am a loyal Delta customer, having qualified for Gold Medallion status for the past 5 years. I have a second home in the Midwest and I commute there every week. Yes fellow frequent fliers, I am on a Delta flight twice a week for 104 segments a year. My beef? I choose the lowest fair available so I'm only receiving 50% mileage credit.

Now I've sat back for the past year, reading posts from those who apparently don't care if their Co. pays more for flights, just so they can requalify -- you know which ones I mean. The "quit whining" crowd. And frankly, I'm sick of hearing them so I decided to vent a little!

How can I fly 104 segments a year, giving Delta a steady revenue stream and, based on current fares, calculate that I will barely make Silver status for 2004? I book all of my own travel via the internet and check in online so I'm saving the airlines the cost of the empl who previously had to book my flights/check me in.

I understand this is a for-profit business but what I don't understand is why Delta would want to alienate a loyal, low maintenance customer. I too have tried to get a reasonable explanation from Delta and all I get is an explanation of the new program -- I can read, I don't need the PROGRAM explained to me. What I need is for someone at Delta to explain to me WHY I should remain a loyal customer!! People are flying less? Maybe, but not me -- I continue to fly twice a week so where's my reward for loyalty?

Nigel Gough - March 25, 2003

If nobody has seen this article in today's news releases, they should! Amazing!!!!!


"Delta CEO Mullin Gets $13 Million Package



NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL.N), which last year posted a $1.27 billion net loss, in 2002 awarded Chairman and Chief Executive Leo Mullin a pay package worth about $13 million, more than twice what he received in 2001.

Much of the package was in the form of options to buy 963,000 shares of stock, worth about $8.21 million at the time of the grant dates, according to a proxy statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Mullin became CEO of the No. 3 U.S. carrier in August 1997 and chairman in October 1999.

Mullin last year also received a salary of $795,000, a $1.4 million bonus, $2.03 million of restricted stock, $456,066 of long-term incentive payments, and $84,834 of other compensation, according to the proxy filing.

Mullin's pay package totaled about $6.21 million in 2001, including $4.02 million in stock options but no bonus, Delta's proxy filing from last year showed.

Delta's (DAL.N) compensation committee determined Mullin's 2002 pay package after considering his performance and executive compensation at other big U.S. airlines, among other factors, the filing said.

Delta, which is based in Atlanta, said on Monday it is temporarily cutting about 12 percent of flights due to reduced passenger demand because of the Iraq war.

Mullin reduced his salary by 10 percent effective March 1 "to demonstrate his commitment to share the burden of Delta's cost reduction goals," the filing said.

In its annual report, also filed with the SEC on Tuesday, Delta said it had about $1.9 billion of cash and equivalents as of Feb. 28. It said it expects 2003 operating cash flow to be sufficient to fund operations and non-fleet capital expenses.

Delta's proxy filing also showed that Chief Operating Officer Frederick Reid received a $4.52 million pay package in 2002, including $2.23 million in stock options, while Chief Financial Officer M. Michele Burns received about $3.1 million, including $1.59 million in stock options."

The more your mismanage a company the more you are rewarded!

Joel Hirschhorn - March 19, 2003

As a Gold Medallion, as soon as I learned about the changes I wrote a long email complaining bitterly about them. I received a moronic, perfunctory reply. What they have done is so illogical as to raise serious doubts about the sanity of Delta's senior management. They should be improving our benefits, not reducing them, and their insipid rhetoric that the changes really are good for us is simply as insulting as the changes themselves. My pet complaint is the elimination of segments as a means to get status, simply because many of us fly large numbers of short flights on business.

Larry E. Hove - March 19, 2003

I fly out of DFW and have chosen Delta almost exclusively over American for the past 20 years, primarily because of Delta's better upgrade program. With each change to the Skymiles program, it looks more and more like American's AAdvantage program. Given the much greater number of flights and non-stop destinations available on American out of DFW, I wonder how much longer I can justify my Delta loyalty.

Ken Davis - March 16, 2003

After several inquiries to Delta about their new Skymiles program, which is no program at all, I wrote the followin letter to the chairman and CEO of Delta. I got no response to this letter. I think because...there is no reasonable response.

I have not met a frequent flyer who isnt outraged by this slap in the face. Each of them have expressed their plans to stop loyally flying Delta. My question is this. What marketing executive figured this is going to generate more revenue than they will lose?

Leo F. Mullin
Chairman: CEO Delta Airlines
P.O. Box 20532
Atlanta, GA 30320-2532


Dear Mr. Mullin,

My name is Ken Davis. I am a platinum Delta flyer. Sitting next to me is one of my business associates, Danny deArmas who is about 50 miles short of 2,000,000 miles on Delta. Across the aisle from us is one of my employees, Brian Scheer. He also a platinum traveler who flies over 100,000 miles or 100 segments a year. Here’s the kicker. We are not on a Delta flight today and we won’t be on one tomorrow. You’re welcome to look up our records. Each of us has stopped flying Delta.

As a platinum flyer I went from being at the top of your sky miles program to nothing overnight. I called a service agent and was informed that the miles I flew for Delta last year that gave me platinum status would barely get me to silver this year. And you say that you are doing this for your best customers? I thought I was your one of your best customers or was there another level that I was unaware of? Either someone at Delta is ignorant or Delta believes their best customers are ignorant.

We were your best customers, the ones you claim to have designed the new sky miles program for. How you think that trying to get us to pay for what we earned by being loyal to your airline is a benefit for us is beyond my comprehension.

I understand the financial constraints that airlines are under. I just can’t understand how you believe you will raise revenue with this program. In this economy we are shopping service and price. That used to put Delta at the top of the list. When service is gone we shop price. I have only met one person out of the dozens of Delta platinum fliers I have talked to in past months who is still going to exclusively fly Delta. Every one else will shop for the best price. As for my associates, and me we will fly Delta only when we must or until they stop insulting our intelligence by diminishing service while raising prices and telling us they are doing it to reward our loyalty.

One of your past best Customers,



Ken Davis

John G - March 16, 2003

I have been a platinum flyer for the past 5 years. The new change to the skymiles program is a disaster. Doing away with segments to qualify for medallion status is a joke. Flying 100 segments or more with Delta shows you the good, the bad, and the ugly about Delta personnel. Why didn't Delta send a questionaire to its platinum flyers to get their input. Flying 100 segments and answering questions for Delta would give them a great insight into what is truely the worth of the personnel. Junk flyers, as I call 100,000 segment flyers, are in my mind the bread & butter of Delta. Having just returned from the west coast to the east coast in first class, the sanck was chicken over wilted lettuce from San. Fran to Dallas & turkey over wilted lettuce from Dallas to West Palm. Delta has made first class flying a joke. I am going to fly Southwest, America West, and other airlines that I can go nonstop from now on as opposed to going thru Atlanta or Dallas just to get segments. Delta's first class resembles coach 99% of the time. I know longer wish to inconvenience myself with hub delays, seeing as segments have become a meaningless priority for Delta. I could write pages and pages of inconsistencies. To close, I wrote Ms. Miles who sent out the letter explaining the new medallion program for 2004. I asked her not to send me a 3rd grade letter back. Ms. Miles, 1 month later, sent me a 1st grade letter regurgitating everything that was said in the original letter explaining the sky miles changes. How Delta thinks they are going to exist as a high end & also a low cost carrier beats me. Lots of luck but you will do it without me. You people at Delta are clueless and stop blaming 9/11 for all your problems.

LawProf - March 14, 2003

I purchased several tickets for long haul flights in late 2002 -- before the 12/11 e-mail on the improvements. The trips were expressly for requalification for 2004, booked in L class. I was highly irked when Delta changed its qualification rules.

I wrote Delta "Customer Care" to complain about the 50% count for these tickets, and also about the abolition of the segment qualification rule. As someone who flies from a small, commuter airport to ATL or CVG, the segment qualification rule provided some recompense for taking shitty aircraft -- like ASA Embraers.

Delta's response failed to address in substance any of my concerns and was rude in tone. The author did manage to reject the request for 100% credit for the L class flights booked pre-changes. The relevant language bears repeating "Delta reserves the right to make changes to its program at any time."

Let's be clear what this means folks: Delta reserves the right to destroy, in whole or in part, the value of all Skymiles benefits. Delta could radically alter the number of award seats available or the number of points needed to obtain an award seat. You can bet that such proposals are being considered in Atlanta. My advice: spend as many of your Delta miles as you can before Delta announces more punitive changes.

I'm going to requalify for GM under the new rules, and then use FF tickets for the rest of the year. My goal will be to deny as much cash as I can to Delta. If enough of us adopt this strategy, maybe Delta will try another approach.

Delta's legal position is sound, but it's marketing approach is just going to drive its most loyal customers away.

A final thought: USAir FF groups commissioned roach pins -- yet US Air backed off. Delta's changes are every bit as draconian as USAir's abandoned policies, but Delta doesn't seem to have suffered much bad press as a result. I hope that this site helps to change this. In the meanwhile, use FF miles and not cash whenever possible. If you don't, you may find your FF miles far less valuable than you think to be.

Steve G. - March 9, 2003

I am choosy about whom i give my business to, and prefer companies which adopt the same professionalism, courtesy, and forthrightness which I would expect to be given. Delta once had such traits, but now its history. We all understand the airlines are enduring tough times, and most are pinching pennies which they wouldn't have dared go after before September 11 and the slumping stock market.

However, lest Delta forget, it is we, the loyal longtime flyers of Delta, that brought it to where it is now. The skymiles program was a nice benefit from a good program to reward loyal Delta passengers. It has now been relegated into irrelevancy -- uncompetitve with other airlines programs, providing few benefits, and yet consistently being touted as an improvement to their " loyal customers". Naturally, the skymiles program is simply part of business -- Delta is in it to make money. But to use, then in wholesale alienate their best customers, breaks all tenets of customer service -- and leaves a lingering distaste in the mouths of those who have stood by Delta through thick and thin. Why would anyone want to become a Platinum Medallion (or even a Gold in some cases) when the benefits are paltry, seating limited, and every decision made by Delta personnel is now possible grounds for termination (or being replaced by a Kiosk).

In light of these ill-conceived changes made by the airline, I shall start to take my airline business to carriers which appreeciate my money and loyalty, and who will all provide me complimentary elite status credentials AND benefits.

Rich Moccia - March 8, 2003

The 2003 changes to the Skymiles Program were the final straw. I have been with Delta from Pan Am since 1991. Most of the time I have either been Gold or Silver. In December Continental offered to match my Elite Status for '03. All of my air travel has been on Continental and to be honest I have never experienced such excellent service. From the flight attendants, to the gate agents, to the customer service folks. As of 2/15 I logged 12,000 base miles and except for 1 segment out of 10 I have been upgraded automatically every time. I have no plans to ever fly Delta again except to use my miles which currently are around 350,000 and if I can, I will attempt to fly a partner. They have gone from bad to worse.

Continental deserves every award it wins and Delta just doesn't get it, and I don't think ever will.

Jeremy H. - March 8, 2003

The airline employees here have the right to their opinion, but buying an airline ticket and buying a loaf of bread are completely different things. Playing armchair CEO here, my first priority would be to win back my best loyal customers. Delta's business had declined right along with it's service. One has to see the corelation.

Shayne Huff - February 24, 2003

Here's an excerpt from a running dialog I have with Delta over their recent changes to the Medallion qualifications....

I received a reply from a helpful customer service rep trying to explain how the new program was actually for the good of ALL of the customers. Here's a brilliant quote: "Under the new Medallion program, the vast majority of our members can choose to re-qualify by making minor adjustments to their travel - by adding more long-haul flights, by purchasing some higher fare classes in the future and/or by consolidating more of their travel on Delta."

Ok, let me get this straight. Delta's members can choose to make minor adjustments by flying places they don't need to go and/or paying more to get the same benefits they were getting before by their regular pursuit of lower cost travel when they need it? Sure, we can CHOOSE to pay $2.50 for a gallon of gas, but if the store across the street has it for $1.35 you can bet 99.9% of the people will cross the street even if the high price station is giving away a free car wash with every 100 gallons purchased...

Of course we can pay more to get what we got for the past umpteen years cheaper but what's the point of that? Every year I fly to pretty much the same places for business. I pay the same prices pretty regularly and over the past several years have flown Delta 95%+ of the time. I made Medallion in 2000-2001 and should have in 2002 but the 9/11 economic downturn limited my travel. This year I definately would under the old plan. With the new rules I will travel the same amount (and likely more) but will still not make Medallion status OR I will spend 20%-50% more on ticket prices to qualify. By simple logic this is not serving the vast majority of their customers, but rather only a select few. I realize that everyone pays differently for the seats on commercial airlines. I have several times sat in First Class when only purchasing a Coach fare due to the overbooked status of the flight. But, everyone on each flight goes the same distance. The people that fly 100,000 miles per year are sitting right next to the people that only fly once every three years. Rewarding everyone equally for those miles is truly fair. Especially when we all have to deal with the same delays, the same cramped seating area, the same mini-pretzels and so forth.

Some day I may be fortunate enough to be able to afford the high dollar seats up front, but I won't if I have to pay that much just to get the benefits I used to get on the lower priced fares.

Support your customers Delta or you'll lose them to the other airlines who are hungry for our business.

John B. - February 25, 2001

Although I flew some 94,000 miles with Delta this past year 2000, I have for the first time started flying alternative routes on other air lines that offer affordable fares for business class transatlantic segments. I too became very unhappy when Delta terminated the Flying Colonel Program, something I was proud of being a member of, having been nominated and enjoying complimentary membership in the Crown Room. The latest changes in the upgrade policy, i.e., the elimination of the System wide upgrade coupons, are outrageous and a slap in the face of faithful and dedicated Medallion members. I pray that Delta is not taking the same route Eastern Air Lines took years ago, but I do remember that the first thing that went with Eastern was the service, and it certainly is going that way with Delta. I'll keep on flying Delta as long as I can tolerate this sort of neglect and 'don't care' attitude Delta seems to have adopted towards its Silver and Gold Medallion Members, and I'll keep my fingers crossed that someone in upper management eventually wakes up.

David L. - February 20, 2001

May I just take a minute to offer one comment to the folks who were offended by, shall we say, less than an appropriate tone expressed by Delta employees on this board. I seriously doubt if the Delta employees you find active on this board are in authority to make comments about the airline, or offer any opinions concerning this situation.

I'm sure that the appropriate marketing and PR professionals at Delta realize that interaction with their customers, particularly the best 20 percent of customers, medallion frequent flyers, should (must) be handled in a professional, customer focused manner. This is a specialized skill that, quite frankly, most employees do not have.

As a corporate CEO, I realize the importance of company image. Few designated, trained personnel in our organization have the authority and responsibility to publicly comment on our organization, on any matter whatsoever.

I would suggest to Delta management to monitor their personnel who choose to comment on this board. Particularly those employees who have core competence in areas other than in marketing, sales, or public relations. This group includes flight attendants and gate personnel who, as a generalization, could benefit from better customer relations and crisis management training.

Vanessa and Charlotte, presumably Delta employees, frequent flyer programs exist because "Marketing" decided it was a good vehicle to grow the business; to attract the high volume, high margin customers. These, my dear friends, are the folks who pay your salary. Your unprofessional comments are counterproductive to your employer's goals, especially now that Delta is implementing rather radical changes that affect this segment. Delta needs to find ways to keep the customers, while you are trying personally to drive them away. In our organization, you would have been fired for such action. And I would have even personally written your pink slip on behalf of your manager.

Insofar as your comment to "get a grip," the only thing you should be gripping is your box of personal items as you exit the premises.

I am a platinum level member (fyi).

Rich F. - February 13, 2001

I'm beginning to believe that the 'frequent flier miles' programs offered by airlines are nothing more than advertising and marketing ploys. I am much more concerned with gettting to and from destinations 'on-time' and my luggage waiting for me at the carousel, than I am about getting a wider seat or free drinks.

Bob C. - February 12, 2001

I just checked out the costs of the new Delta routing to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Cheapest Coach fare as of today, $953. Least cost upgradable fare $1453. Cost of "restricted" BusinessElite fare $5400-plus. So, what is the actual value of a roundtrip SWU? $4000!!!!! I don't think so. Anyone who would pay such an outrageous Business class fare on any airline is crazy! The seat, the meals, the extra entertainment, the new amenity kits, all are certainly worth $4000. NOT!!!!!! I ask again what is the real value of the SWU to me and to Delta?

I have been travelling principally on Delta for the last 20 years or so. I have lived in the Atlanta area for about the same number of years. If Delta had any decent competition out of Hartsfield Int'l AP, then maybe competition would save the Skymiles (sic) program. Do the feds only concern themselves with antitrust on a nationwide basis or should they foster competition on a regional and local basis?

I am just a poorly informed consumer who has paid too much for business travel since Eastern went belly up. When one major airline is all that exists in a given market, and travelling to Dallas, Chicago, Charlotte, Houston and other major airlines hubs to get competitive fares is not realistic, what can one do to keep the local kingpin from picking one's pocket? I don't consider AirTran an alternative as Delta controls Hartsfield to the point of absurdity for business travelers. Maybe if Continental came in as a competitor, instead of a sibling, with the blessing of the Atlanta Airport Authority, business could return to what it should be, competitive, instead of what it has become, a virtual monopoly.

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