Not only has Delta Air Lines updated its passenger photography policy, but the company has also updated its employee social media policy, as flagged by PYOK.
In this post:
Delta flight attendants in uniform face new social media restrictions
Delta has reportedly informed flight attendants that they can no longer post photos of themselves in uniform on social media sites like Instagram and TikTok if they have a side hustle as an influencer. The intent is that this prevents these employees from leveraging the Delta brand to build a presence on social media.
Delta employees can still post photos or videos of themselves in uniform, but only if they’re not earning any money from it. If the ban is in fact on monetizing social media in any way, then this will likely have implications for many Delta flight attendants.
It’s one thing if you’re a paid influencer engaging in brand deals, but simply participating in the monetization schemes of the various social media sites isn’t that high of a bar.
Historically, Delta’s policy has been quite open-ended. Delta threatened to punish employees who post “inappropriate” content that “has the ability to harm Delta.” Of course that’s lacking when it comes to specificity.
It’s hard to know where to draw the line
Let me start by saying that while I work online and have been a full-time blogger for 15+ years, I really struggle with otherwise using social media. I just find it to largely be so negative and fake. While some people are really great at presenting themselves authentically there, I find it to be the exception rather than the norm.
That being said, I recognize that a lot of people feel very differently. I think that many people may even pursue a career as a flight attendant (whether at Delta or Emirates) at least in part because they’re excited to share their adventures online with friends, families, and followers.
More often than not, that’s positive. People want to show off the highlights of their life, and often that’s great marketing for an airline. It might contribute to people enjoying the job, and even make others consider working for or flying with the airline. However, some people may struggle with what’s appropriate to share and what’s not, and I think that’s where this policy comes from.
Delta certainly wouldn’t want an employee engaged in a sponsored social media campaign in uniform promoting another product. I think it’s a bit extreme if this also impacts just general monetization, but that’s just me.
Bottom line
Delta has updated its social media policy for flight attendants, and no longer allows them to post online in uniform if the content is monetized. Delta has been one of the stricter airlines when it comes to its employee social media policy, given that Delta also thinks quite highly of its own brand.
What do you make of Delta’s updated employee social media policy?
So many Flight Attendants have been allowed to get away with using airlines to monetize their social media accounts to their advantage, that it’s a little too late (beyond five to ten years too late), about reigning in this now.
That said, if Delta wants to “reign this in” now, then they need to ask all their flight attendants to take down their social media accounts where they’ve used the company to make money;...
So many Flight Attendants have been allowed to get away with using airlines to monetize their social media accounts to their advantage, that it’s a little too late (beyond five to ten years too late), about reigning in this now.
That said, if Delta wants to “reign this in” now, then they need to ask all their flight attendants to take down their social media accounts where they’ve used the company to make money; failure to comply should be grounds for immediate termination, since they don’t have a union to protect them.
In any case, I doubt Delta’s Flight Attendant recruiting efforts for new FA’s would be impacted, since it’s still one of the higher paying company’s and gets well over 300K applicants any time they open a new FA requisition (sans AA with their most recently ratified CBA - making them the highest paid amount the legacy/mainline carriers now).
Name one Fortune 500 company that doesn’t protect its brand recognition. The Coca-Cola Company, The Home Depot, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, United Parcel Service….keep going… Brand recognition is the basis of their existence. When one puts on the uniform, or speaks on social media…in uniform, they are now representing their employer…rightly or wrongly. So, the employer has to say NO when it comes to expressing the employee’s opinions while in uniform because “the dumb...
Name one Fortune 500 company that doesn’t protect its brand recognition. The Coca-Cola Company, The Home Depot, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, United Parcel Service….keep going… Brand recognition is the basis of their existence. When one puts on the uniform, or speaks on social media…in uniform, they are now representing their employer…rightly or wrongly. So, the employer has to say NO when it comes to expressing the employee’s opinions while in uniform because “the dumb masses” who listen to this social media crap will say, “Well, he/she/it works for XXX company. That must be what the company thinks. I recall that years ago, a Delta flight attendant posted some rather risqué photographs of herself in an aircraft. She was careful to remove all "identification" from her uniform. What she didn't think about was the uniform itself was clearly "Delta" AND the seat behind her had the Delta logo. OOPS! She was immediately terminated. So, banning the employee from wearing the uniform or “flying the company flag” while expressing THEIR OWN OPINION should rightly be controlled and…if violated…buh bye employee.
With this policy, how are we going to get the next Deltalina?
Damn, sure gonna miss the sexy instragm models of delta....
You can still get them... just not the ones selling their bodies.
It may not be relevant but there is a huge outrage in the reddit Delta community about an elderly couple been involuntary downgraded from the PAID Delta One seat from ATL to CPT--with up to 50k Skypeso points compensation,
https://www.reddit.com/r/delta/comments/1gfq3tc/you_paid_for_delta_1_sorry_best_we_can_do_is_back/
Ben, I am interest to hear what's your take.
How about Delta tries paying its customer facing employees enough that they don't need a side hustle?
Name any other company that gave their employees a 10.6% profit sharing in 2024. Get your facts straight. They are still better paid than competitors.
Profit sharing is a one time check, plus it’s 10.6 of a persons salary so say someone who was with delta for 6 months to a year they only got a one time check of 3.5k if that. It helps but not with overall pay. Also profit sharing isn’t guaranteed every year.
I know someone who's a Delta FA. You wouldn't know that from their social media: they've always been assiduous at keeping those things separate.
This admittedly burns given that I've recently discovered flight attendant YouTube, and one of the Delta FAs openly stated that they may have to stop doing vlogs because of what the policy implied to her.
So I'm admittedly more sympathetic to the employees on this one, but I'm obviously biased. Most of the content didn't disparage their employer, most don't film once passengers are on board, and most of the in-video ads were for...
This admittedly burns given that I've recently discovered flight attendant YouTube, and one of the Delta FAs openly stated that they may have to stop doing vlogs because of what the policy implied to her.
So I'm admittedly more sympathetic to the employees on this one, but I'm obviously biased. Most of the content didn't disparage their employer, most don't film once passengers are on board, and most of the in-video ads were for sponsors that were unrelated to aviation. Betterhelp, Factor, and Amazon shopping hauls are not detrimental to their brand.
On the other hand Youtube personalities don't have the best track record when it comes to legal issues and getting the brand mixed in with those issues will turn anything into a big mess
the point is whether they monetize their posts. If they don't, there is no issue.
If they do, they are using Delta's name to make money and DL absolutely has the right to have a say in that.
I think that the distinction of if they are making money with their post or not is a very important one. Yes, it is trademark infringement to use for monetary gain without license.
But from an employee relations standpoint it makes it much easier to police. The "monetized or not" is a very good "yes or no" binary answer for "Did they violate the policy?" Takes a LOT of the judgement calls out of...
I think that the distinction of if they are making money with their post or not is a very important one. Yes, it is trademark infringement to use for monetary gain without license.
But from an employee relations standpoint it makes it much easier to police. The "monetized or not" is a very good "yes or no" binary answer for "Did they violate the policy?" Takes a LOT of the judgement calls out of it. Smart on Delta to find ways to put this in place while making it such that it justifies further actions.
"I was fired because Delta didn't like my YouTube channel since it spoke bad about the company, which is my opinion and First Amendment right."
"Well the First Amendment only applies to the government imposing restrictions, not private employers.. but did you have your channel monetized?"
"Yes"
"Then termination justified."
I can't imagine any employer who would let me monetize my social media when I'm doing something that even remotely looks like I'm representing them.
Pro sportspeople who promote razors/medicine/cars/life insurance/airlines?
Many athletes don't represent their teams in ads for things other than their team
You can bet YOUR last Dollar that if an athlete appears in an ad wearing clothing items with the team's name or logo, the league is getting a ton of SPONSOR dollars.
The sports leagues in the U.S. will sell anything, including their own integrity (witness the leagues' embrace of legalized sports betting), for a few dollars more.
And given the deplorable conduct of many pro athletes, both on and off the field, and the...
You can bet YOUR last Dollar that if an athlete appears in an ad wearing clothing items with the team's name or logo, the league is getting a ton of SPONSOR dollars.
The sports leagues in the U.S. will sell anything, including their own integrity (witness the leagues' embrace of legalized sports betting), for a few dollars more.
And given the deplorable conduct of many pro athletes, both on and off the field, and the fact that the league still employs them, it's impossible for the athletes' shilling of something as innocuous as razors, etc. to damage the leagues' reputations.
After all, it's not called the NFL (National Felons League) for nothing.
They should ban any social media while at work in uniform.
Where is Tim Dunn at to kiss Delta’s arse
Might have had to run out to buy a new keyboard.
So Tim Dunn has a reputation as a Delta apologist here as well. Interesting.
This is insane. Delta didn't go far enough because they are desperate to avoid unionization. No employee under any circumstance should be allowed to take unofficial photos or videos during work. Employees shouldn't even be allowed to use personal cell phones during work, especially in-flight cabin crew.
I have to agree with you but they probably know they cannot prevent employees from participating in social media even in their uniforms or at work
An employee should be able to take photos or video during work. I mean you never took photos with your coworkers before? Not use their personal cell phones during work? Obviously not while,they are working but definitely should be allowed to during their breaks! You’re being extreme.
It's Delta's brand, and they can police it any way they want. If you don't like it, hand in your uniform.
Hand in your uniform? More like sign an A-card. AFA all the way
please.
the AFA that is years behind getting a contract for UA FAs?
I think most DL FAs can easily figure the value between those two things.
@Tim Dunn oh Tim you old bag. Contracts aren’t just pay. Take a look at delta vs United’s work rules and you’ll see why so many FAs leave delta for United. Not to mention UAs pay will far exceed DL when the new contract is ratified next year and will have a built in non-expiring raise. Once that happens, it’s curtains for DL union busting efforts
And the AFA would do a better job? Eh...NO! Across the board, Delta employees are paid better and treated better than any other US carrier. What other airline paid a 10.6% profit sharing check to ALL employees?
Union won't prevent the company from making a policy or guide on using the company issued uniform outside of work. All it would do is provide a structured path to discipline employees for violating it.
@NedsKid Then why haven’t AA and UA done so?