In the coming weeks, Delta Air Lines was supposed to roll out upgrades to its long haul business class experience. Unfortunately that’ll have to wait, though, as reported by @xJonNYC.
In this post:
Delta’s plans to improve business class bedding
We know that Delta is trying to make improvements to its long haul business class experience, marketed as Delta One. This comes as the airline has seen plunging net promoter scores (NPS) among Delta One passengers traveling across the Atlantic in recent years.
Of course we’re seeing Delta One Lounges open, which are incredible. On top of that, we’ve seen Delta launch a partnership with Taittinger, and introduce amenity kits from Missoni.
The next steps in these improvements was supposed to consist of business class bedding from Missoni, including cuddle pillows and mattress pads.
and, yes, mattress pads– expansion to all of Delta One is on the to-do list (which could certainly change) for middle of 2025– right around the time the Missoni-branded. bedding is introduced
— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) November 29, 2024 at 11:52 PM
This would obviously be viewed as a significant improvement to the business class soft product, given that Delta currently doesn’t have mattress pads on a vast majority of Delta One flights (with the exception of ultra long haul ones), and also has unbranded bedding.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that branded bedding is automatically better than unbranded bedding. However, there’s no denying that people perceive something from a luxury brand to be better. I mean, just take a look at how much people talk about the Missoni amenity kits.
Delta delaying new business class amenities due to tariffs
Up until now, the plan was for Delta’s new amenities to roll out as of early May, just around the corner. Unfortunately there’s some bad news on that front, as this has been delayed. The reason? “Tariff exposure.”
So the airline is putting it off for now, and at this point, the new amenities will be introduced in the second half of 2025, best case scenario. Of course like so many things nowadays, I think the reality is that no one really knows when anything will happen.
Narrator: "..everything did -not- go according to plan.." New D1 bedding, mattress pad expansion delayed till ,TBD — at earliest 2H of 2025, but TBD, really. Tariff exposure explicitly mentioned.
— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) April 24, 2025 at 10:39 PM
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Just as Delta won’t take delivery of Airbus planes with tariffs, maybe the airline also won’t take “delivery” of bedding with tariffs. 😉 Heck, one wonders what all of this means for Delta’s Taittinger partnership, given the increased cost of that, due to tariffs.
Bottom line
New bedding and mattress pads are coming to Delta One business class, though we’ll have to be patient. Initially they were supposed to be rolled out as of early May 2025, but that has now been put off due to “tariff exposure.” Admittedly this is minor in the scheme of what Americans will be dealing with due to “tariff exposure” in the coming weeks…
What do you make of Delta’s delayed bedding and mattress pads?
Delta will start blaming tariffs for futher devaluing their D1 and FC wines; can't get much worse
Stop relying on cheap manufacturing from China and these delays wouldn’t be an issue.
I hope you're being ironic, because I'm sure most Americans don't want to be making pillows and blankets in a sweatshop for $7.50 an hour. Or worse, picking the cotton to make the pillows and blankets for $7.50 an hour.
Say hello to the $1950 new iPhone.
Proudly made by senior Americans because the kids wouldn't work in a factory and their 401k isn't enough anymore.
Is it just me or has there been a strange lack of TD and imposter TD activity recently?
Pardon my ignorance, what is TD?
Art is basically correct.
This isn’t about tarrifs, this is about a plunging revenue forecast… they are wanting to cut unnecessary costs.
We should all expect planned and “improvements” to be “delayed” in the US airline industry… unless its American of course… AA simply can’t afford to delay any of their improvements.
AKA "enhancements" are most likely coming soon!
That will be undoubtedly due to "overwhelming customer feedback".
Still keen on being a Trump cuckold, Ed Bastian?
Anyone who believes this is a fool. "Tariff exposure" is the new easy and cool excuse for any business that wants to shift blame away from themselves and avoid accountability.
We had that with "Brexit related issues" here in the UK where every incompetent management team used it as an excuse.
There were legitimate cases where it applied but you saw it appearing as late as 2023 as an excuse!
Kind of hard for a management team to plan for the next week, month, or quarter when Trump is just making crap up as he goes along and announcing it to the world by tweet with no warning. If you don't know what your price is going to be to start offering new products, why would you introduce new products?
dunn is going to have a meltdown over this development.
cue the person in the comments who's going to get super mad you mentioned Dunn's name... "it's ridiCULOUs peOPle aRe stiLL menTiONiNG hIM AftER HE's ALrEAdy beEN ban"
I'll never understand why you all care what he thinks about anything.
I don't care I just know to expect a long rant from him anytime Delta has even the faintest of bad press. It's comedy at this point.
exactly! it was honestly quite entertaining to see how he managed to spin every delta con as a pro or long-game strategy. not once did I see that guy talk poorly on DL
Couldn’t agree more. Actually come to the comment section just to have a good belly laugh.
Again, the sooner we jail all republicans and remove their rights, the sooner honesty, safety, integrity, science, love and a near flawless economy will return. Not a joke by any stretch.
Seems TDS runs strong with you
@MM
I would have to agree with you. It has been my experience that the following is true:
To anger a Democrat, you tell them a lie.
To anger a Republican, you tell them the truth.
I am planning a quick get away to Paris in early July. I'm rubbing my hands in anticipated glee that first class tickets will have a massive price drop. I had excluded DL from consideration as its price...
@MM
I would have to agree with you. It has been my experience that the following is true:
To anger a Democrat, you tell them a lie.
To anger a Republican, you tell them the truth.
I am planning a quick get away to Paris in early July. I'm rubbing my hands in anticipated glee that first class tickets will have a massive price drop. I had excluded DL from consideration as its price point is $12K+. With lack of proper bedding a possibility, even more reason to exclude em from consideration.
Come on Ed, this is what you voted for and support. Man up and pay the tariffs and get those bedding onboard. It is not fair for your customers who are paying premium prices. Your delay and blaming tariffs is unacceptable.
Taittinger would likely be tax exempted.
Good morning Eskimo …. late night or early morning?