Delta propaganda

[JohnR]

FYI - I just got this from Delta. Looks like they are sending it to all SkyMiles people.

Providing the highest quality service to our customers is the guiding principle in everything we do at Delta. But it is difficult for us to provide the level of service you deserve when air traffic in the United States is controlled with pre-WWII methods and technology.
Within a decade, traffic delays will cost the economy $40 billion a year, and you, the customer, a great deal of wasted time. There will be 85% more jets in the sky in the next 15 years?an increase driven largely by corporate jets, fractional jets, air-taxis and very light jets. To an air traffic controller, a jet with a celebrity or a CEO takes as much effort as a commercial flight with 250 passengers. However, the current system is funded almost entirely by the airline ticket tax, meaning that you are paying for nearly 95% of the air traffic system while corporate and private jets get a free ride!
You can help make a difference! Please contact your Congressional representatives and ask them to:
? Quit forcing you to subsidize corporate jets through the current unfair ticket tax
? Support a new cost-based ATC finance structure that will fund the system fairly and enable the FAA to modernize our aging ATC system
Working in a partnership with other airlines, we will do everything we can to continue to improve upon the customer experience. For more information on this initiative, called "Smart Skies," go to smartskies.org/delta. We can make a difference!


I've already contacted my Congressional Representatives a couple of times on this, looks like it might be time to call again.

[svanarts]

Their reasoning makes no sense. If we follow this line of reasoning then we should all pull over when a Greyhound bus goes by. After all, there are upwards of 60 people on that bus, why should they be delayed by you driving alone in your car?

Write a letter back to Delta and ask if any of them take the bus to work.

[rv8ch]

It's pretty clear that we won't win this one on numbers alone if the airlines are using all their passengers to support their arguments. I kind of doubt that the average skymiles person cares enough to write to their congresscritter about this issue. I know the average GA person does care enough, so hopefully we will be able to use our passion on the issue to overcome the airline's numbers.

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

http://www.senate.gov/general/contac...nators_cfm.cfm

[Coinneach]

From what I hear, people aren't falling for it. I work with a lot of people who fly a lot of miles on the airlines (like 50-75,000 miles annually), and they're saying the passengers' and cabin crews' reactions range from amusement to disgust.

[rzbill]

USAir had the same type of bilge water in the flight magazine recently. I sent them a flamer in response (in addition to the letters to legislators) thinking they might listen to a very frequent flyer. I should know better.

It was annoying to think about the captive audience situation.

Maybe I should start making scenes by tipping every staff member as I travel through the Airline system (as a demo of alternate style of user fees)?

[Randy Walls]

Every airline managment team I have worked for, (five so far) have been so incompetent they can't make money and keep the airplanes on time. Of course that can not be their fault so they need some one else to blame. Maybe they could try aliens next?

[N62XS]

Originally Posted by Randy Walls

Every airline managment team I have worked for, (five so far) have been so incompetent they can't make money and keep the airplanes on time. Of course that can not be their fault so they need some one else to blame. Maybe they could try aliens next?

Ever work for Southwest? They appear to have a business model and philosophy that is profitable. I wonder if they are a party to this septic tank foder?

Just a thought.

[Jamie]

The airlines have a long history of getting into bed with politicians. Even now, the airlines must get federal approval of new international routes.

Airlines have gotten billions in bailouts (justified or not) since 9/11, then turn around and give 99% of their profits to to the top 50 executives (NWA, FY06). They have no right to talk about "fair share".

[DanH]

The airlines seem to be following an all too common plan with this campaign: oversimplify and create sound bites. Maybe we need to play the same game when we talk to non-pilots.

"It's a lot like the trucking companies demanding a 50 cent per gallon tax on your gasoline because you are clogging their road. Sure, they would have fewer delays if you couldn't afford to use your car"

or

"Incompetent airline executives pay themselves a huge bonus, and then claim their problems are caused by successful business people who refuse to put up with their lousy service?"

or

"They talk about "bigwigs" and corporate jets, a tiny percentage of the airplane fleet, but they want to tax every airspace user, including your police department, air ambulance, and firefighters."

or

"Pay-as-you-go air traffic control would be a lot like pay-as-you-go FEMA disaster response. Can you imagine that?"

or

"Airline bigwigs fly in First Class, and they don't pay anything for their ticket"

You get the idea.