OREANDA-NEWS. May 27, 2016. In yet another industry-leading move, Delta responded to customer feedback today by unveiling an expansion to its industry-first Operational Performance Commitment and introduced the on-demand Operational Excellence Calculator.  

This expansion brings more operational components into view, further illustrating that no matter how flight performance is measured, Delta is the No. 1 airline for operational reliability. The enhancements will launch on June 10, 2016, and take Delta’s pledge for operational excellence to the next level.

“However you slice the data, Delta continues to be No. 1 for on-time arrivals, fewest cancellations and mishandled bags among U.S. global airlines,” said Bob Somers, Senior Vice President – Global Sales. “We’re committed to staying on top. And if we don’t follow through, we’re prepared to compensate our corporate customers.”

The OPC was a first-of-its-kind program introduced in 2015, providing Delta’s corporate customers with a pledge to deliver superior operations and putting money behind the airline’s performance.

Delta’s OPC compensates corporate accounts if the airline’s operational reliability falls below its global U.S. competitors. The reliability promise is just another example of Delta’s commitment to being easy to do business with as it does not require any additional contracting – there is nothing to sign.

For 2015, Delta led our domestic global competitors in performance, achieving its OPC goals with a domestic mainline controllable on-time performance of 85.9 percent and completion factor of 99.6 percent. Delta also logged a record-setting 214 days with no cancelled domestic mainline flights, far surpassing that of global carriers American and United, which ended 2015 with a combined 34 days without any domestic mainline cancellations.

Expanding the OPC

Focused on driving even more value for corporate customers, Delta’s global sales team actively sought customer feedback and put the OPC under the microscope to revamp the already successful program.

“We took the time to listen to what corporate travel managers were saying about their travel priorities, and focusing on their feedback, we decided to update the OPC terms to take our pledge to the next level,” Somers said.

The updated OPC has been expanded to now include international and regional operational performance in the metrics. Further, because delays and cancellations outside of the airline’s control still impact Delta’s corporate customers, the airline has expanded the program to include both controllable and uncontrollable delays and cancellations.

Delta has also added DOT mishandled baggage complaints to the OPC, an area where the airline already leads and only stands to improve upon thanks to the recent implementation of RFID baggage tracking technology.

“We are committed to ensuring that Delta’s OPC remains the industry-leading program, providing even greater ‘beyond contract value’,” Somers said. “For one customer, [that] may mean arriving home as scheduled, to have time to spend with family. For another, it may be ensuring teams arrive together for a business meeting with optimal time to plan and execute successfully.”

Whatever the reason, Somers explains that Delta wants corporate customers not to miss a beat. And, backed by 80,000 Delta employees who are proud to deliver top operational performance, Delta is able to get travelers where they need to be, when they need to be there.

Introducing the Operational Excellence Calculator

Focused on innovation, Delta listened to customer feedback and created a tool to illustrate what the airline’s operational performance means to a company’s bottom line. Delta’s on-demand Operational Excellence Calculator provides company-specific data on how the Delta’s operational performance saves money as compared to Delta’s competitors.

“You can now model and quantify the cost savings for your company by estimating meal expenses, hotel stays and other service charges, based on the number of average delays and cancellations experienced on other airlines,” Somers said.

The calculator will be updated monthly with the most current operational performance data, allowing corporate accounts to quantify the savings they would experience by shifting share to Delta from other U.S. global competitors.

The expanded OPC and introduction of the Operational Excellence Calculator are just the latest initiatives Delta has implemented to make doing business with the airline easier. The airline is always listening and innovating, offering exciting enhancements that make Delta the clear choice for the business customer.