Delta Will Soon Alert Passengers Directly When Flight Conditions Change
During a recent trip to Delta's headquarters in Atlanta, I was privileged to spend time with its in-house meteorology team – a 25-person group of experts that fully grok the ins and outs of how weather can impact air travel. That bunch, working in concert with Delta's Digital Transformation and Information Technology groups, will soon launch its latest forecasting innovation just in time for winter.
While the airline has already stated that a dedicated Go Team of de-icers will go to extreme lengths – even sleeping on Delta One lie-flat seats overnight as storms bear down – to keep operations flowing, the meteorology team will be working stay as far ahead of impending weather as possible.
The new, interactive forecasting system will be used to help "track advancing weather data in one centralized location and better inform operations teams of how the airline is managing and monitoring irregular operations (IROPs)." Following a soft launch in mid-November for testing, the tool is scheduled to be put in place across the Delta system early next year.
With the staggering amount of data coming in each hour, the new tool ensures operations leaders have the latest information, even when sudden changes in forecast data occur. It also consolidates information from four different weather models into one unified platform specific to each airport and pushes out alerts if any inconsistencies are detected from new model updates.
The tool’s five-day forecast page also offers a daily weather synopsis of domestic and international regions, existing tropical systems and airports impacted by IROPs. Operational teams who receive the report will also be able view up to 72 hours of detailed hourly intervals of forecasted weather for hubs and major airports in the network.
So, how will all of this impact you, the traveler? We're glad you asked.
In the future, the meteorology team plans to incorporate real-time weather monitoring and airport-specific information for all airports within the Delta network into the new tool. While a timeline hasn't been confirmed, Delta does intend to "include integration into alerts for customers as well as direct use by customer service agents and other frontline employees to keep them updated on weather changes."
Currently, the process of trying to forecast whether or not a weather system will impact one's travel is stressful and fraught with uncertainty. In my experience, it involves peering at a radar on a weather app, extrapolating how fast the system is moving, staring at an expected departure time and then checking the status of the inbound aircraft.
I'd much prefer a world where I knew Delta's in-house team was monitoring all of that for me, far more accurately than I ever could, sending me useful alerts when weather patterns change and may impact my travel one way or the other. I'd love it even more if it would automatically serve up alternative routes, earlier flights or options for flying to a nearby airport paired with a Lyft to get me to my ultimate destination. That part, of course, is just wishful thinking for now, but if Delta's savviness on the innovation side continues to trend in its current direction it may not be farfetched.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.