Originally Posted by TOGA LK

ACL, don't mean to disagree all the time, it just comes down to the fact that I do. While customer service is huge, Delta has been a colossal failure in what matters most, getting people from point A to B and on time.

The equipment integration, to a point, has been a huge plus. The rebranding in cabin and out is stylish and clean, go go, in-flight entertainment and the onboard menus rival what most airports have available, aside from full service sit down.

I wish I had five bucks for every time it has taken 25 minutes past scheduled departure to start a taxi out (I notice this frequently when commuting and it doesn't matter what metal). This could likely be the result of CSA learning the older Delta software or perhaps it's really that much slower. What used to be a few clicks is now pages of commands for a CSA. Customers expect pilots to get them from point A to B safely and on time. To an extent, that is the pilots task at hand. If Delta cant push the numbers to the crews, keep the bags straight, keep a crew in one airframe most of the day and provide reliable metal (not 42 year old DC-9s that are broke every time you swap one out) then they can hire for all the customer service they want. But the reality is unless the systems supports customer service and efficiency, one can hire all the $12 an hour help they want. What is happening here is upper management is seeing the systemic failure and pulling their hair out in the process. I attribute 90% of the customers anger to the system and not the flight crews. The pilots can only pick up the pace so much, flight attendants can only do so much with a customer who has been dealt multiple cancellations, gate swaps, equipment maintenance hold times, etc.

Hopefully the best practices approach makes it's debut now that six months has elapsed since SOC, not holding my breath.