Welcome to the New Delta!   

In an October 30 email to corporate SkyBonus® customers, Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson wrote:

After much anticipation, today Delta Air Lines has merged with Northwest Airlines, creating the premier global airline with a leading presence in nearly all of the world's major travel markets. With the completion of the merger, Northwest Airlines is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta. Together, we will provide access to more worldwide destinations than any other airline, with nonstop access between our hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, Salt Lake City and Tokyo, and more than 375 destinations in 66 countries. We will employ approximately 75,000 people worldwide. The integration process is already under way but will take 12-24 months to complete. In the meantime, from the customer's point of view, it's business as usual.    

•  Your travelers should continue to interact with the airline operating your flight: if they are flying on Delta, they should continue to check in and check baggage with Delta. If they are flying on Northwest, they should continue to check in and check baggage with Northwest.

•  During the integration process, Delta will continue operation of the airlines' separate Web sites, as well as the two airlines' reservations systems and loyalty programs.

•  Delta's SkyBonus program and Northwest's Biz Perks program will continue to operate independently until they are fully integrated into one small business loyalty program.

•  The existing Terms and Conditions will continue to govern each small business program until they are fully integrated.  We will be working expeditiously to integrate programs throughout 2009.  

•  Previously earned SkyBonus points and Biz Perks points will continue to be valid. Once an integrated program is released, the value of these points will be incorporated into the new small business program.

Northwest currently represents KLM Royal Dutch Airlines within North America, and this will not change. The new Delta will continue to represent KLM going forward.

Your travelers SkyMiles® and/or WorldPerks® frequent flyer miles are safe and their status is secure.  During this integration period they will continue to:

•  Earn and redeem miles on Delta, Northwest and our partners, as usual.

•  Enjoy airport lounge reciprocity, with Delta Crown Room Members having full access to Northwest WorldClubs at airports worldwide, and vice versa.

•  Delta is also expanding code share benefits to immediately offer members of both Delta and Northwest's loyalty programs full elite reciprocity for upgrades based on their status in either program on flights operated by either airline.   

 

Delta Aligns Policies and Fees to Offer Consistency for Customers Traveling on Delta- and Northwest-Operated Flights

Delta.com, 11/5/2008 (excerpted)

Delta Air Lines today announced the alignment of policies and fees for customers traveling on Delta- and Northwest-operated flights as the airline works to ensure a seamless and consistent customer experience during the integration of the two carriers.

Some of the changes to align Delta and Northwest's policies and fees include:

•  Elimination of SkyMiles and WorldPerks award ticket fuel surcharges – Effective immediately, Delta will eliminate the $25-$100 fuel surcharges assessed for SkyMiles and WorldPerks award ticket travel originating from the U.S. and Canada.  The surcharges were instituted earlier this year by both airlines in response to unprecedented fuel costs.

•  Reduction of Reservation Sales Direct Ticketing charges – Delta, effective Nov. 6, will reduce the fee assessed for tickets purchased over the phone from a reservations sales representative from $25 to $20 consistent with Northwest's policy.  Delta will also reduce the fee collected when customers redeem either SkyMiles or WorldPerks award travel over the phone with a reservations sales representative from $25 to $20.  As always, there will continue to be no charge for customers who book tickets and redeem award travel online at either delta.com or nwa.com.

•  Elimination of curbside check-in administrative fees – Delta, effective Dec. 5, will discontinue the $3 curbside check-in administration fee.  With this change, customers no longer will incur an administrative fee for checking bags via skycaps for Delta- and Northwest-operated flights at airport locations worldwide, consistent with Northwest's policy. 

•  Alignment of first and second checked bag fees – Effective immediately, for travel on or after Dec. 5, customers flying within the United States will be charged $15 for the first checked bag and $25 for the second checked bag when traveling domestically, consistent with Northwest's existing policies.  Customers who purchased Delta tickets on or before Nov. 5, 2008, and who are traveling on or after Dec. 5, 2008, will be charged $50 for a second bag, but will be permitted to check their first bag without charge pursuant to Delta's previous policy.  All customers flying in First or Business Class, including SkyMiles Medallion members and WorldPerks Elite members, will receive up to three checked bags, up to 70 pounds each, for free.  SkyMiles Medallion members and WorldPerks Elite members flying in Coach Class will receive up to two checked bags, up to 70 pounds each, for free.  All customers traveling in full fare (Y) Coach Class, as well as customers traveling internationally will receive up to two checked bags, up to 50 pounds each, for free.  U. S. Military personnel on active duty with travel orders will continue to be able to check up to 10 pieces of luggage on Delta- and Northwest-operated mainline flights or up to four pieces of luggage on Delta Connection flights, up to a maximum of 100 pounds each, free of charge.

•  Addition of “Coach Choice Seats” on Delta flights – Last week, Delta began offering customers the opportunity to purchase “Coach Choice Seats” on select Delta and Delta Connection flights when they use self-service check-in within 24 hours of their scheduled departure time.  A service currently offered at Northwest, the program offers “Coach Choice Seats” for $5-$25 based on distance traveled and seat location.  Additionally, SkyMiles Medallion members, WorldPerks Elite members, SkyTeam Elite members and passengers confirmed in Y or B class may select a “Coach Choice” seat at no additional charge when checking in online or at a kiosk within 24 hours of departure.  Coach Choice Seats represent less than 10 percent of all seat assignments available on Delta-operated flights.  SkyMiles Medallion and WorldPerks Elite members will continue to enjoy access to preferred seating (i.e. select bulkhead, exit row and forward cabin-seating) without a charge at the time of booking.

Most other Northwest baggage policies and fees will be aligned to Delta's structure, effective Dec. 5.  Travel on Delta and Northwest tickets purchased prior to the announcement of these changes will continue to be governed by the prior Delta and Northwest policies.