DELTA'S upgraded international Main Cabin enhances food, crew service, comfort and technology
Designed to increase onboard hospitality and customer satisfaction through increased crew interactions, this redesigned concept came after over 700 test flights.
Bold thinking
After decades of delivering the same traditional Main Cabin experience on international routes, Delta put the focus on designing a new offer with a real ‘wow factor’. And where better to turn to create it than to its own onboard staff.
The new service is rooted in what the airline has dubbed ‘BOLD Hospitality’ – a human, authentic and warm approach that, when delivered consistently offers the opportunity for genuine connections with customers and can create lasting positive memories.
All elements of the hospitality experience were considered fair game for review, a no-holdsbarred approach that saw the introduction of larger, high-quality chef-curated meals; thoughtful touches such as welcome cocktails; updated amenity kits and onboard textiles, and new serviceware. The new experience has proven
to be a real winner with customers, crew and management. Making customers the main focus of the concept meant turning to flight attendants who were able to give a unique perspective on how the carrier worked and where it could make obvious improvements to the hospitality experiences seen by every customer as soon as they step onboard.
People power
Working on the concept with the flight attendants were health, safety and security team members, strategic programmes’ personnel, catering and inflight service leaders. The wide range of operational knowledge and more than 560 years of combined experience involved in the planning, ensured the team was able to design a new cabin experience centred on this bold hospitality philosophy. This included tangible elements such as innovative custom-designed serviceware and measures that made life more efficient and more comfortable for staff and travellers, such as better ergonomics and improved catering delivery practices.
The wow-factor is provided through a personalised service and customer experience, all connected through a series of touchpoints – the service is more reminiscent of Delta’s premium cabins than a standard main cabin.
The new international main cabin experience, with its redesigned inflight service, re-imagined catering processes, and new custom-designed serviceware, differentiates the experience from that of Delta’s global competitors.
Onboard service procedures have been updated to include the additional customer touchpoints while reinforcing safety and creating efficiencies. System-wide training also took place involving everyone from flight attendants to caterers, to achieve the new elevated experience. Underpinning the development was a commitment to continual improvement. Innovations underwent rigorous testing in the air with more than 700 trial flights used to evaluate their effectiveness and value for travellers and crew.
Serviceware steps up
New platters and serviceware have been introduced which are easier to hold and stack. To make life easier for flight attendants, new customised cart-top thermal boxes mean entrees can be transferred from oven to top of cart for a ‘Wine & Dine’ meal service. Custom cart-ready waste boxes also make clearance a breeze. As a result, flight attendants and customers benefit from less traffic in the aisle during service. And, in recognition of Delta’s CSR policies, the new serviceware is made from a mix of recycled and plant-based materials.
To further enhance comfort, amenity kits have also been upgraded and feature less plastic, making them more green and sustainable. Delta also introduced ‘green’ blankets made from recycled plastic and is introducing increased green blanket provisioning onboard all international flights. Increased offerings through the IFE systems and the updated Flydelta app also help enhance the experience through technology, along with enhancements to the flight attendant Skypros capability. •