A short post-Thanksgiving piece as a continue to prepare the forthcoming Rimac write up—stay tuned!
It will not be surprising to frequent readers of Planes, Trains, Automobiles (and maybe Boats) that while I love aviation in all shape and form, that one airline stands apart from the rest. That’s right, yours truly is an avowed SkyMiles Medallion loyalist.
Dan Scott flies Delta and here’s why. Presenting:
The top 6 reasons Delta is the best U.S.-based airline.
Delta boasts the best customer service.
It’s no surprise to customers who fly a diversity of airlines: Delta service stands above the rest. Crew members are attentive and engaged; they’re responsive and enthusiastic where apathy has set in across many other airlines. Part of this is because Delta is committed to treating employees well (more on this in point five.
When Delta caused a delay in a recent flight, in stark contrast to Southwest, they put me up in a flagship Hilton and offered redcap black car service to there. Don’t take my word for it, though.
Delta’s leadership is unparalleled.
Delta boasts visionary and competent leadership from its CEO-since-2016, Ed Bastian, better known among some Delta meme page devotees as SkyDaddy.
Delta’s on-time performance is industry leading.
Cirium ranked Delta number three in on-time performance North American airlines in 2020—after Air Canada (doesn’t count) and Hawaiian (regional carrier flying out of uncongested airports).
DAL also leads the industry in fewest bags and wheelchairs lost and damaged.
Delta’s onboard experience exceeds that of other airlines.
Delta has made continued investment in onboard experience a priority, with frequent overhauls of its cabins (over 80% of Delta’s fleet features seatback entertainment). It’s also continually investing in lowering the mean age of its fleet, most recently with its announced acquisition of 5 A350s from LATAM.
Delta treats its people well.
When Delta has good years, its employees participate in profit-sharing in the form of bonuses. It’s just one of many ways Delta shows its employees that they are valued. This is in turn reflected in the way they treat passengers.
Delta knows how to stylize the word: “Air Line.”
This is a freeform daily newsletter about the transportation industry: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. I will take shallow dives into topics that I think are interesting—and that offer valuable lessons. These will include looks at startups in the space, historical explorations, market analyses, company and personal profiles, interviews with industry players, and occasional personal essays. Nothing contained in this newsletter is to be interpreted as investment advice. The author holds a ceremonial position in DAL.
I’m starting with breakdowns of startups in the automotive space. Stay tuned for the tomorrow’s issue, which will be a breakdown of the electric hypercar startup Rimac.
Thanks for reading—and please let me know if you have any feedback or if there is anything you would like to see me cover.
Drive well,
DS