Following the collapse of Spirit Airlines after protracted financial woes and the final nail in the coffin brought by the Middle East oil price crisis, Delta Air Lines has now announced it is to slash its own in-flight offer in a cost-cutting exercise.
Delta is withdrawing its complimentary snacks and drinks service on hundreds of routes from 19 May, an airline spokesperson has confirmed. While flyers will no longer benefit from free food and beverages on shorter flights, routes over 560km long will see an upgraded menu, including free refreshments, and premium customers will not be impacted by the change.
The airline representative told The Independent the adjustment to services was intended “to create a more consistent experience across our network,” adding: “Even on the small number of flights without beverage service, our crew will continue to be visible, available, and focused on caring for our customers, like they do on every flight.”
Affecting around nine percent, or 500 of Delta’s 5,500 daily departures, the reduced service levels “are part of Delta’s ongoing review of pricing across its business and reflect the impact of evolving global conditions and industry dynamics,” the carrier told reporters in a press statement.
Simple Flying reports that Delta has been working with consumer trials on test flights to evolve its product offering, and The Travel indicates that not all flyers will be sorry to see the express food and drink service disappear, due to the time constraints on short flights that put attendants under huge pressure to deliver refreshments in a very short space of time. Feedback suggests that passengers seated at the rear of the aircraft sometimes do not receive their snacks or beverages, creating inconsistencies and resentment that will not be there under the new regime. It is as yet uncertain whether an offer as simple as water will be available.
Another recent service alteration was Delta’s increase in checked baggage fees. In early April, the carrier applied a $10 uptick to its fee for passengers’ first and second checked bags and added $50 to the cost for a third bag. Overall, Delta passengers now pay $45 for their first bag, $55 for their second and $200 for their third.
The Independent reportsthat average jet fuel costs in major US cities have gone up from about $2.50 a gallon before the Iran war to around $4.13 a gallon as of the end of April, according to Argus Media’s U.S. Jet Fuel Index.
