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One look at the newsroom section of Delta’s
website is evidence that the company is pulling
out all of the stops to cater to improving the
consumer experience. Press releases tout
expanded wine selections and new signature
cocktails, new state-of-the-art lobbies in key
hubs, and an upgraded in-flight entertainment
program.
Delta’s website also plays a big role in upgrading
the customer experience. Recently the airline
integrated its website and expanded its
offerings, allowing travelers to not only book
flights but also take advantage of special rates
on hotels and car rentals. “One-third of all of
our bookings are done through Delta.com,”
said Macenczack. “And it will continue to
change how we do business.” In addition, Delta
made good on its promise by narrowly beating
American Airlines for second place in customer
satisfaction among traditional network carriers
in the country in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Airline
Satisfaction Index Study (Continental placed first).
In the past year the company also received awards for its
SkyMiles frequent flier program, Crown Room Clubs, and
website. In May 2007 Delta also posted improvements for
its on-time performance and baggage handling, areas that
Macenczack says are vital to Delta’s future success.
CHALLENGES AHEAD
 According to Macenczack, on-time performance is the
number one driver of customer satisfaction. While Delta
has gone from being on the bottom tier over the past few
years to the top tier in the United States, it’s a battle that
they fight every day.
“On-time performance is not something that you can take
for granted. It’s something that we need to stay focused
on, because the day we forget about it is the day that we
are not on time,” he said. “And if we are not running an
on-time shop, then we are not running a
cost-effective operation, which obviously
hur ts us financially.”
Another area Macenczack identified as a
work-in-progress is the baggage process.
“We need to work on getting it up to
where it needs to be, because if your
bag isn’t there when you land, you leave
with a bad memory,” he said. “This year
we’re putting substantial effort behind the
baggage process. We’ve been performing
in the middle of the pack, but we need to
bring that up to the top tier.” Continued on next page
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