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In a First, Delta Did Not Involuntarily Bump a Single Flyer Last Quarter

July 11, 2019
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2 min read
LAX Airport Operations
In a First, Delta Did Not Involuntarily Bump a Single Flyer Last Quarter
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During the height of the busy spring travel season, Delta Air Lines didn't involuntarily bump a single passenger.

Delta's CEO Ed Bastian singled out the milestone Thursday during the company's quarterly earnings call, saying it marked a first for the Atlanta-based carrier.

Bumpings, technically "involuntary denied boardings" in aviation parlance, is high on the list of travel nightmares for most passengers. As Delta aims to distinguish itself as a customer-focused airline, the achievement was important enough for Bastian to mention in his opening remarks.

What makes the statistic all the more noteworthy is it coincides with high load factors for the airline. Delta has seen a spike in ridership so far this year as some of its competitors struggle to fill gaps in their schedules resulting from the global grounding of Boeing's 737 MAX.

Airlines across the board have become more aggressive in trying to appease travelers following the 2017 PR nightmare of Dr. David Dao being dragged off a United Express flight in Chicago.

In the wake of that incident, a number of airlines raised their limit for how much gate agents could offer to entice flyers on overbooked planes to take another flight. Some carriers, including Delta, now allow agents to offer up to $10,000 per passenger, though offers like that are exceedingly rare.

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The announcement Bastian made Thursday shows how generous compensation -- largely in the form of future flight credits -- can be extremely effective in convincing passengers on oversold flights to volunteer to change their travel plans. It also underscores how reliable Delta's operation has become in recent years.

Delta's achievement also comes as American Airlines, the world's largest passenger carrier, is facing something of a reliability crisis. It has had to cancel flights amid the MAX grounding, and an ongoing contract dispute with its mechanics has led to a rolling series of last minute delays and cancellations as aircraft are taken out of service with little warning.

Featured image by Patrick T. Fallon

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  • 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.
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  • $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.
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  • 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.
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