RealDLInsider – Award Availability
Mar 6, 2007, 1:42 pm
#1
Company Representative - Delta Air Lines
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 34
RealDLInsider – Award Availability
After one-year plus of customer research, usability testing and extensive capital and people investment, we have successfully soft-launched award calendar functionality on delta.com. Although the release will not be communicated broadly for another day or two, you all should feel free to go out and play around with the new functionality.
A couple of facts:
The current calendar search functionality is now the best place to see award seat availability for all Delta flights. This new functionality provides a broad view of award seat availability that will increase the number of award passengers we carry. When other airlines launched this functionality, they saw a spike in the number of award redemptions. This is primarily due to customers now having a better view of where award seats exist throughout the network, and having more immediate access to when award seats become available throughout the booking curve (from 331 days all the way to departure)
Combinability of awards, which provides customers the ability to mix and match, First, Business, Coach, SkySaver and SkyChoice awards, along with this new calendar, gives customers even greater information and flexibility to make the best choices for their individual travel situations
When a Medallion member logs in and views the calendar, they gain greater access to award seats than customers who are logged in as non-Medallions. As you are aware, our revenue management systems allocate more seats to Medallions.
Although our reservations agents today have access to award seats on partner airlines (e.g. Air France, Northwest, Continental, etc.), the user interface that they currently have to access Delta award seats is severely limited compared to the newer online calendar view. The Reservations system provides only partial access and requires that specific dates and times be input to find availability (e.g. May 6th – early evening). The delta.com functionality provides access with one click, and in seconds, to an entire month’s worth of availability. Thus, if you see a situation where no SkySaver seats are available, Reservations will not have better access to Delta award seats. Later this year, we will launch a couple of additional search features, which will provide a more improved calendar view, as well as access to Northwest, Continental and Air France award seats.
We’d welcome any feedback you have in the post, and will continue to improve the experience as we work to launch Phase II in a few months.
Jeff
A couple of facts:
The current calendar search functionality is now the best place to see award seat availability for all Delta flights. This new functionality provides a broad view of award seat availability that will increase the number of award passengers we carry. When other airlines launched this functionality, they saw a spike in the number of award redemptions. This is primarily due to customers now having a better view of where award seats exist throughout the network, and having more immediate access to when award seats become available throughout the booking curve (from 331 days all the way to departure)
Combinability of awards, which provides customers the ability to mix and match, First, Business, Coach, SkySaver and SkyChoice awards, along with this new calendar, gives customers even greater information and flexibility to make the best choices for their individual travel situations
When a Medallion member logs in and views the calendar, they gain greater access to award seats than customers who are logged in as non-Medallions. As you are aware, our revenue management systems allocate more seats to Medallions.
Although our reservations agents today have access to award seats on partner airlines (e.g. Air France, Northwest, Continental, etc.), the user interface that they currently have to access Delta award seats is severely limited compared to the newer online calendar view. The Reservations system provides only partial access and requires that specific dates and times be input to find availability (e.g. May 6th – early evening). The delta.com functionality provides access with one click, and in seconds, to an entire month’s worth of availability. Thus, if you see a situation where no SkySaver seats are available, Reservations will not have better access to Delta award seats. Later this year, we will launch a couple of additional search features, which will provide a more improved calendar view, as well as access to Northwest, Continental and Air France award seats.
We’d welcome any feedback you have in the post, and will continue to improve the experience as we work to launch Phase II in a few months.
Jeff
Mar 6, 2007, 1:45 pm
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 3 MM/DM, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, National Exec Elite
Posts: 4,002
Jeff,
I have already used the calendar to do a booking today and was very pleased with it. This is a big step forward.
For the life of me, though, I can't understand why you would provide customers with this interface through the web and not provide the phone agents with something comparable through their res system. Making phone agents more efficient saves Delta money (huge amounts of money).
At a minimum, I would teach the phone agents to just go to the website for the first inquiry so at least they would have an idea of where to look for award seats.
I have already used the calendar to do a booking today and was very pleased with it. This is a big step forward.
For the life of me, though, I can't understand why you would provide customers with this interface through the web and not provide the phone agents with something comparable through their res system. Making phone agents more efficient saves Delta money (huge amounts of money).
At a minimum, I would teach the phone agents to just go to the website for the first inquiry so at least they would have an idea of where to look for award seats.
Mar 6, 2007, 1:56 pm
#3
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Nice feature. Will make it easier to see on how few dates DL has standard (i.e., SkySaver) award availability in coach to EZE, whether logged in using my PM account or someone's general member account. Something like only c. 8/120 or c. 13/150 days have a coach award seat for me as a PM to EZE? 
And it's ugly for JFK-BOM too with something like under 9 days in coach until the end of the year available. (That's like under 3% of days having award space available currently in coach. )
I'd suggest an option more akin to Continental's online feature that shows standard and double-miles awards for both business and coach travel in the same calendar.
And it's ugly for JFK-BOM too with something like under 9 days in coach until the end of the year available. (That's like under 3% of days having award space available currently in coach. )I'd suggest an option more akin to Continental's online feature that shows standard and double-miles awards for both business and coach travel in the same calendar.
Last edited by GUWonder; Mar 6, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Mar 6, 2007, 2:08 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: BRI
Programs: UA Premier Gold, DL FO, DL MM, Marriott Gold, Hyatt platinum
Posts: 914
The new award availability calendar is a big improvement. Access to other Sky Team carriers' award seats (phase 2) would be another. If this initiativve eventually could be extended to other partners (Alitalia, Korean, Singapore etc.), then everyone could see the full picture.
Mar 6, 2007, 2:16 pm
#5
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Huntsville, AL
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Posts: 7,856
Mar 6, 2007, 2:29 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: DL DM/2MM; SPG PLAT/Ambassador
Posts: 483
Thanks, Jeff. Sounds great.
Mar 6, 2007, 2:35 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta
Posts: 518
Jeff,
The new calendar feature is terrific. Now, it'll be really nice when we will be able to see partner availability and book online just through Delta.com. I cannot wait until the day that happens. The calendar is not that big of a deal to me because I have no problems at all finding Skysaver tickets. However, this will greatly help the first time Skymiles user looking to burn miles on the family vacation on Skysaver tickets.
The new calendar feature is terrific. Now, it'll be really nice when we will be able to see partner availability and book online just through Delta.com. I cannot wait until the day that happens. The calendar is not that big of a deal to me because I have no problems at all finding Skysaver tickets. However, this will greatly help the first time Skymiles user looking to burn miles on the family vacation on Skysaver tickets.
Mar 6, 2007, 2:55 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Atlanta
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Marriott Platinum, National Exec Elite, Delta
Posts: 505
Jeff -
Job well done.. The interface is easy to understand, easy to use and gives us options.
Give the folks in the delta.com department a pat on the back !!
Sure would be nice if we could see Partner awards availability.
Job well done.. The interface is easy to understand, easy to use and gives us options.
Give the folks in the delta.com department a pat on the back !!
Sure would be nice if we could see Partner awards availability.
Mar 6, 2007, 3:05 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: Delta, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 625
Thanks for keeping us in the know Jeff.
Mar 6, 2007, 3:27 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: CA/UT
Programs: Delta Gold, Starwood GM
Posts: 710
Congrats to all involved from conceptualization to implementation on a job well-done. This tool is a genuine ENHANCEMENT.
Appreciate the heads-up re being proactive in reserving awards before the new interface is promoted.
Appreciate the heads-up re being proactive in reserving awards before the new interface is promoted.
Mar 6, 2007, 3:33 pm
#12
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 3 MM/DM, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, National Exec Elite
Posts: 4,002
Mar 6, 2007, 4:16 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Right here
Posts: 2,940
I had an experience with NW a year and a half ago when I was NW elite where the website sold me a cheap F-bucket fare, but only let me pick Y seats for the flight. I called the NW Elite line to complain, and was told they were not selling F fares on that flight. I said 'yes, in fact you are still selling them--your website has them for sale right now'. The agent responded that regular phone agents could not access the web, and I would have to speak with a supervisor, as they were the only ones with web access.
I'm not saying your idea is bad, I'm just surmising from my NW experience and what Jeff said in his post (DL res agents actually having less info than is on DL.com) that the res agents can't currently access DL.com.
Mar 6, 2007, 5:18 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Wayne, PA USA
Programs: DL MM, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, HHonors Gold
Posts: 7,242
Although our reservations agents today have access to award seats on partner airlines (e.g. Air France, Northwest, Continental, etc.), the user interface that they currently have to access Delta award seats is severely limited compared to the newer online calendar view. The Reservations system provides only partial access and requires that specific dates and times be input to find availability (e.g. May 6th – early evening). The delta.com functionality provides access with one click, and in seconds, to an entire month’s worth of availability. Thus, if you see a situation where no SkySaver seats are available, Reservations will not have better access to Delta award seats. Later this year, we will launch a couple of additional search features, which will provide a more improved calendar view, as well as access to Northwest, Continental and Air France award seats.
We’d welcome any feedback you have in the post, and will continue to improve the experience as we work to launch Phase II in a few months.
Jeff
We’d welcome any feedback you have in the post, and will continue to improve the experience as we work to launch Phase II in a few months.
Jeff
One thing - Is there any way you can give the reservations agents this expanded view as well? It would make booking partner awards (like SQ) a little bit easier if they can see what's available for the DL segments.
Mar 6, 2007, 5:33 pm
#15
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 3 MM/DM, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, National Exec Elite
Posts: 4,002
The next available BE award seat (SkySaver level) ATL-JNB is December 11.
And, to think, the North American summer is off-peak to South Africa. Geez.
On the other hand, this makes me feel very good about the South African route performance. Me thinks it may be doing well. I hope that, after JFK-BOM, the next 777-200LR goes to ATL-JNB nonstop. And it wouldn't hurt my feelings if Delta then switched the 767 over to an ATL-DKR-CPT routing.
