In the coming weeks, Delta Air Lines will be adjusting its inflight service, and there’s both good and bad news.
Continue reading: Delta Adjusts Inflight Service On Short Flights, 450 Daily Flights Lose All Service
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Pretty sad to defend the no service move. Non-US carriers seem to have no problem offering service on flights of all lengths. And while a flight might only be a couple of hundred miles, there might be a lot of block time with taxiing, so you might be on the plane for hours with nothing. Sounds premium to me.
Literally just hand folks the small water bottles when you're boarding the airplane. Or put them on a cart on the jet bridge for folks to take. It doesn't take much to provide a small amount of service.
This is ridiculous. I grew up flying Louisville-Atlanta- XXX all the time and through the 90s at least they could manage a full beverage service, and sometimes even a snack (I got a full box snack service on Eastern flying Louisville- Atlanta several times in the 80s). Now absolutely nothing? Sorry, that's really not okay. It's long enough to do a service. Or at least an express service. Now nothing? ridiculous.
So does this mean on the flip side that First Class passengers will now have hot meals regardless of flight duration (current hot meal only if 900+ miles)? Asking somewhat facetiously.
Bangkok Airways serves a full meal service on the short hop between Koh Samui and Bangkok in all classes.
Just flew Thai on Bangkok to Phnom Penh, less than 350 mi, 50 minute flight, full A320.
Full meal. Chicken, rice, fruit cup, dessert. Came through with coffee afterward.
50 minutes. Pulled it off with no problem. Kind of wild that these Delta flights won't even be offering water!
Presumably DL could easily hand out small water bottles on sub 350 mile trips. AA did this until COVID and like many other things that never came back.
350 miles about 45-50 minutes in the air.
"If there’s any amount of turbulence, it can make it hard for the crew to perform service on short flights". Seemingly, only in the US.
Unacceptable. Most likely, I'm going to need that coffee at 5AM Sunday even more than that Friday beer, nice though it may be.
I was told Delta was premium? in Other countries, 200 miles gets you a hot sandhwich, but Delta cant do a water? Crazy.
the real story seems to be the end of express beverage service which was DL's answer to short flights, esp. within the SE.
I suspect DL is doing await with it because too many people would not accept "this is what we have to offer" and it is easier to just not do a beverage service than to say "we aren't offering that" or have to accommodate requests which are outside of the offering.
As for the comment about just offering water bottles including in the jetway, DL did that at one time but I suspect that most people that believe they need water within an hour have a water bottle - often a refillable one
as for the comments about what foreign airlines do on short flights, DL used to serve a meal on flights from ATL to central Florida but the market clearly doesn't dictate that level of service in the US any more.
and as fuel prices remain elevated - and they likely will - there will be lots of airlines that will be cutting in-flight service to help cut costs.
the real gain is flights that gain a full beverage service
now tell us what US airlines offer that level of service on that flight length.
When DL operated a hub at FRA, it had a full hot breakfast between PRG and FRA. times and networks change
Some major routes that will allegedly benefit from the change from express -> full service (I say "allegedly" because I've got a feeling that these flights will remain express service due to inertia...)
DTW-DCA
DTW-PHL
ATL-RDU
ATL-MCO
ATL-MSY
JFK/LGA-RDU
SLC-DEN
SLC-LAS
BOS-DCA
Tim, are Delta Airlines simply pandering to cattle class demands, alternatively, engaging in a race to the bottom of the World Rankings along with American and United?
Tim, are Delta Airlines simply pandering to cattle class demands for cheaper flights, alternatively, engaging in a race to the bottom of the World Rankings along with American and United?
Tim, are Delta Airlines simply pandering to cattle class demands for cheaper flights, alternatively, engaging in a race to the bottom of the World Rankings along with American and United?
and of that 45 minutes in the air, 10 are climbing out to a safe altitude to bring carts out and at least 15 are descent and securing the galleys. IIRC, some carriers including UA and WN turn the seatbelt sign on at 18k feet which means descent is at least 20 minutes.
factor in that the seatbelt sign off means people will get up to go to the lav which slows service and even 1.5 hours gate to gate is not a whole lot of time to do a beverage service
I would much rather have access to a screen and WiFi than a bottle of water and 10 chips for flights 30-75 minutes.
Bring an empty water bottle. Every airport in the US has water fill up stations.
Now, I embarrassed. I hadn't realized that my fellow pax in Y were getting an express service on my flights to ATL, while I could get my soda fix.
Tbh they rarely finished the cabin on the short flights anyways (no doubt in part b/c they had to re-explain to every individual person that they only had water, coffee, and tea), so I think many of those <350 mile flights are only losing service on paper.
missing those days when these flights were considered as "shuttle service", full service with a tray of snacks. They are able to do it under 50 mins.
Ms. Smith (teacher): Mr. Dunn, thanks for stopping by. I need to speak with you about your son's performance. He hasn't been paying attention in the class and is distracting other kids.
Mr. Dunn: Ms. Smith, now tell me, which other kids are also not paying attention? Is my kid, the only one doing that? Why aren't you talking about those other kids?
I guess it’s no great loss since most of the time I’ve flown Delta they can’t be bothered to do any service even when it’s scheduled. I can’t remember the last time I was on an express service route and got so much as a thimble of water.
Wild that DL, of all carriers, is cutting service when AA can manage to do a full bev service on routes like LAX-LAS (236mi) even on a packed A321. WN does so hundreds of times a day on their intra-California and intra-Texas routes, many of which are in the 200-300 mile range. Feels awfully cheap.
The snack basket has also disappeared, flew back from Houston in Comfort, 1 hour 40 minutes from Wheels up to touch down, certainly felt like a snack basket worthy flight.
How can people actually care about this? Is it that hard to bring your own bottle and fill it up at the airport? Bring an apple from home and avoid eating the ultra processed snack.
It's a freaking hour flight!
Sure, let's give out tiny plastic bottles and continue destroying our environment.
Tim, as someone who always appreciates your posts (don’t necessarily agree with everything you state), I have definitely been disappointed in DL of late.
Recently flew SNA - LAS return with the family and I was shocked that on both flights the announcement was ‘due to the short duration of the flight there will be no beverage service’.
Even in First, I was not offered those Biscoff cookies (which I only eat and look forward to when I fly). Granted that both flights were on the SkyWest subsidiary, but I was surprised especially when compared to our BA and SQ short haul jaunts.
Flew Royal Air Maroc Casablanca-Marrekesh (160 mi) and got a sandwich and drink. I sure hope North Americans (and Europeans) change the way how things are being dictated from their airlines.
And, it wasn't the pandemic or workers to blame; it was AA (and now DL's) corporate greed that took away your beloved water bottles.
Tim
In my country, most domestic flights are between 30mins to 90mins, (even some international regional flights are around 30mins, might be as short as 15mins).
But for most flights they serve you real hot/warm meal, on flights too short that's impossible they distribute a "Benton Box" lunch usually parked with a bottle of water, a juice box, and a sealed snack.
And every time, no matter the length of flight or type of service, the crew always finishes on time and don't always rush passengers
Tim
In my country, most domestic flights are between 30mins to 90mins, (even some international regional flights are around 30mins, might be as short as 15mins).
But for most flights they serve you real hot/warm meal, on flights too short that's impossible they distribute a "Benton Box" lunch usually parked with a bottle of water, a juice box, and a sealed snack.
And every time, no matter the length of flight or type of service, the crew always finishes on time and don't always rush passengers.
Premium move. Meanwhile, Hawaiian didn't have an issue passing out water and juice on 100~ mile HNL-LIH or 200~ mile LIH-OGG last month. Despite rough air both ways.
Ooh
I forgot to mention, with the country being along the tropical zone, we do get a fair share of weather here (storms, turbulence and whatnot).
Only once have service been denied due to the storm, and the crew stood by the door to hand out the Benton Box as we left the plane.
again, BA and SQ doesn't compete in the US domestic market.
The comparison should be to what other US carriers, esp. the big 4, offer on flights of the same length and to comparable levels of service.
Wild that DL came through 3x for drinks on my last transcon, while AA's "restored" second trasncon "FlAAgship" service was cloaked as water only. When I inquired about whether a second service would be offered, I was told I could have used the call button and begrudingly offered more drinks. Have also had to request drinks in first on LAX-LAS on AA when "they hadn't planned on serving" due to the short flight. Every FA (and lead) has a different MO.
Would love to have 90s drink service back! Inflation-adjusted 90s fares?...not so much.
And I do get better service, including a fuller beverage / snack service on short haul AA even on regional subsidiary’s.
I just had a bunch of DL miles to use, and AA does not fly direct from SNA to LAS.
So all the drink vouchers that elties get cannot be used on hundreds of flights. Like upgrades or mileage award redemptions, another benefit that only exists in theory.
Routinely fly PSP-SFO on both Alaska and United. AS offers apple juice and water while UA does a full beverage and snack service in Y. This is for both mainline and SkyWest metal.
As for foreign airlines and short haul meal/beverage service, enhanced staffing makes it doable. I’m pretty sure Bangkok Air has 5 flight attendants on their all Y cabin A 319. All US carriers staff at FAA minimums of 3
One can only assume that what you are advocating is that Delta Airlines, should not attempt to raise its standards to compete with World Class Airlines. But be content to compete only with the other domestic U.S. Airlines in their race to the bottom …. Yes?
You mean the 9/11 liquid conspiracy to sell ridiculously priced water post security when Europe and Asia have no trouble scanning dangerous liquids.
What a coincidence when LCC like Spirit is falling apart. DL swoops in and filled the void by removing service and match what service Spirit has to offer but at least 3x the price.
This is the best example of why the government need to bailout Spirit.
Most overseas carriers don’t fly with minimum staff. Back in the day neither did American carriers. With extra staff any level of service is possible. With one FA for every fifty passengers it’s much more difficult, especially when premium cabins are taken in to account. One flight of 160 passengers would leave only 3 FA to do service for economy and economy plus while one FA would only do service in first.
Idiot, why stop your dumb rant at just water.
Is it that hard to bring your own car?
Bring car from your home and avoid bag fees.
Quite correct once again Eskimo darlink, one simply loves misbehaving with you ducky …. Xxxx
Yup. OGG-HNL is 36 mins and everyone gets a choice of POG or water. Easy-peasy.
pre-packaged, right?
you do realize that DL's express service, which ended, included coffee?
as do I not just on short flights but on every flight.
and I might ask for a cup of ice when there is beverage service to "cool down" the water in the bottle.
he (or it) is absolutely correct.
If you need a beverage, it is not that difficult to bring what you want. and you can also bring coffee, bottle sodas or juices.
and DL like several other airlines including WN are shifting to recyclable non-plastic cups.
I don’t care if it also included a hand-job. DL are now binning a drink on short flights. Not cool.
I have never had a Delta or Delta Connection flight where they wouldn't offer the can if asked.
Just to add to these cuts I work at Delta corporate, and the atmosphere has shifted dramatically this week. With ongoing reorganization efforts and layoffs already beginning, there’s a plan to reduce roughly 10% of the workforce in the coming weeks. Unsurprisingly, this has created a lot of uncertainty, and the company culture has taken a noticeable hit as employees try to navigate what comes next.
Ben, did you all see that House passed the Senate DHS bill today? After 75 days... TACO. TSA, Coast Guard finally get paid. No new funding for ICE or CBP.
LOL.
If they're already offering beverage service, why don't you just ask for ice water?
Tim's critical thinking ability says it all.
That's why you get some fluff RASM and Delta profitability as an answer for any statement, some that's not even a question.
I welcome this change. In my opinion, the pendulum has swung too far toward service and away from leaving the aisles free of carts, especially on single-aisle planes. I would rather not stand in the aisle for 5 minutes trying to get back from the lavatory because someone needs their third Jim Beam. Fill your water bottle in the airport terminal and be self-sufficient like an adult.
Delta might be the only luxury airline in the world where they do not offer luxury or barebone basic service.
Even AA offers this drinks service.
It's amusing how many delta sufferers there out here -- Screw service during the flight "I Brought a water bottle!"
The individual below my post seems to think someone in economy was getting a third drink on their 45 minute flight -- I'd love to know what flight you were on.
I applaud your captive Delta status -- it isn't normal nor is your excuse for a mileage program but enjoy.
If you’re defending this, you need to reconsider your blind loyalty to tail logos. This is noteworthy because Delta currently stands alone in not offering drink service on these stage lengths. Attempting to call out other domestic carriers is pointless. Alaska and United will serve water, coffee, sofa, and alcohol on SFO-LAX; Delta won’t. Maybe that changes soon too, but either way, Delta is leading the race to the bottom.
To emphasize, this does not improve the experience for anyone. Delta could have kept express drinks on shorter stages and still upgraded longer stages to full service. They’re charging the same but providing less.
And of course you can fill up a water bottle beforehand—but when every ticket costs hundreds of dollars, you shouldn’t have to. The experience shouldn’t always be getting worse. Posters here love to brag about Delta’s outsize profits. Well, I’m glad you’re happy, because they’re coming at your expense
@Timmy
I don't care if it's pre-packed. So is the soda, juice, and water Delta was handing out. Being somehow unable to brew and serve a pot of bad coffee isn't an excuse to shitcan the whole service.
Exactly! USAir Shuttle out of LGA to BOS & DCA used to offer a packaged sandwich and beverage in the jetways while boarding. Not too difficult. Cheapskates!
I think it's ok, really. I fly Tampa to Atlanta fairly frequently in Main Cabin there may be a water service depending on several factors but not a deal breaker. It always amazes me though that Southwest manages a full beverage service Ft. Lauderdale to Tampa and American can't even manage a smile Miami to Tampa. Just Saying.
Dim Sum logic: not receiving service is the new premium.
TravelinPenis logic: Trump's fault!
1969 logic: I just need somebody to talk to. Pleeeease somebody talk to me!!
Hypocrisy?
Entitlement?
Self centered hole?
What about...
I would rather not wait 5 minutes trying to get my third Jim Beam because someone needs get back from the lavatory.
Empty you bladder in the airport terminal and be self-sufficient like an adult?
Careful what you ask for Max.
This person would rather bring a water bottle and give you the golden shower special in lieu of beverage service because the person can't wait for 5 mins.
Even Tim doesn't do this....yet.
Have you ever watched travelers filling their water bottles at the free water stations? Odds are you have likely seen people touching their water bottles to the spigot while filling them. I’ll pass thank you.
As a medallion member, this is a new low for Delta, especially that flights on delta are getting more expensive. I thought they wanted to be known as "The Delta Difference," but now they're just mimicking UA & AA on flights like these. I hope this decision backfires if enough people complain, as small details like express service made flying on regional jets a bit more enjoyable. If they wanted to cut service on flights under 350 miles, they could've offered a snack bag with Biscoff, Cheez-its, and a water bottle, like during COVID, which would be fine for short flights and make service easier for flight attendants. Honestly, Delta's customer service has seen a decline, like the wheelchair issues and getting rid of pink tags, along with this downgrade. It's shameful.
it is beyond laughable to think that one's life is made or broken by havung a beverage offered for you to consume in a 10 minute period over 2 hours - including boarding and deplaning. Do people's thirsts really line up that closely with such a narrow time period?
DL offered water, coffee or tea so all that is being lost for a few people is the coffee or tea. Seriously, if coffee or tea matters that much in such a short period of time, bring it onboard. If you think you need something at a time YOU WANT and not when the beverage cart comes through, bring your own beverage.
and the point that is being missed is that DL is expanding FULL beverage service to more flights than are losing.
I get that this is social media but a tad of logic would show that more people are gaining than are supposedly losing.
I'm sorry - these comparisons to Asian airlines are ridiculous. It is a different labor market, different culture, etc. etc. Flights here are more expensive because our economy is stronger and the average salary is far higher - it's not a reflection of value being provided or service levels. If you based Singapore airlines out of the US with US hubs, they would pretty quickly cut service levels and compete closer to US carriers because they would not realize a sufficient revenue premium.
Additionally, offering service in line with Asian carriers (in addition to not being warranted because people won't pay more for it and it isn't necessary to compete) is not just an issue of the economics, but also the Flight Attendants and unions here. It would operationally and labor wise be very difficult to successfully implement.
Overall this move makes a lot of sense and seems net positive in terms of service expansion. Everyone can survive a <60 minute flight without service.
Also, no one is choosing a carrier for a flight this short based on limited vs. no beverage service. For a short flight like that, I fly United because I'm loyal to them and as a 1K, it's probably the best economic option unless fares are substantially different (in terms of free Y+, flight changes, bags, etc.).
If I was loyal to Delta I'd fly Delta. Not because of drink service but because I would prefer them overall.
If I really care about beverages I'd fly in First class on the route.
Also, no one is choosing a carrier for a flight this short based on limited vs. no beverage service. For a short flight like that, I fly United because I'm loyal to them and as a 1K, it's probably the best economic option unless fares are substantially different (in terms of free Y+, flight changes, bags, etc.).
If I was loyal to Delta I'd fly Delta. Not because of drink service but because I would prefer them overall.
If I really care about beverages I'd fly in First class on the route.
Delta constantly tells anyone who will listen that they are a premium airline.
Part of "premium" means a commitment to service. Delta seems to be walking away from that on its short flights.
Will the widget lower its Basic Economy and Main Cabin fares on these routes to reflect its lack of cabin service? Doubt it. Maybe Delta should change its slogan to "Keep Descending."
@Tim Dunn what do you think of all the reorg currently going on at Delta and layoffs that started happening this week. There is a plan to reduce the workforce almost 10% even after ED said AI won't replace workers. I'd like to hear your POV on this.
This really sucks. The enshittification of US airlines continues.
Meanwhile, I get full snacks service inb Y SIN-KUL (and *hot* snack in J), which is, checks online, 184 miles. Also got full meal in J on ZRH-MXP, 127 mile flights.
The US' descent in service hell is real and accelerating.
If the small stuff doesn't matter, why aren't you flying all the time on Spirit and Frontier? They take you from A to B.
Oh, wait, small stuff does matter, because the whole includes all the small stuff.
"now tell us what US airlines offer that level of service on that flight length."
I thought DL was industry leading? Now it's acceptable if their service level mirrors other carriers. Wipe your chin son. You have something sticky hanging from it.
Up till fairly recently, I used to fly SIN - KUL in both Y and J quite a lot on both major carriers MH and SQ. It's one of the busiest routes for both airlines, but also probably the shortest <60 mins. It would blow the mind of the average American flier that service is STILL better than on every US transcon.
Hawaiian Airlines interisland flights even offer water or juice. Those flights are only about 20-30 minutes in length.
How can Tim and the other Delta loyalists actually defend this? It isn’t about whether you get a beverage service or not. It is about DL trying to make extra profits. Outside of the U.S. flights of this length or even shorter you get a beverage service and/or snacks or a meal. This is why even a lot of Americans choose to fly non-U.S. carriers on international flights. Those who do are probably those who have to fly them because of their companies or because they want to chase status with them and have their co-branded credit cards. Then again, for those leisure travelers who chase status why not fly non-U.S. carriers for better service and better recognition of status.
This! Southwest can do full service on a 50 minute flight on a 737. Delta is canceling service on the same flight while using an E175 (smaller plane). This is first world problems, but if the budget airline can figure it out on a bigger plane, surely Delta can too.
@jetset - you do realize that standard of living in some Asian countries is higher than the US, right?
Singapore is a great example.
@JHS - while I do support the POTUS and the administration in general, your comment was spot on and made me laugh!
There definitely is a lot of gas lighting by the WH press.
Be that as it may….
The snack you would get on these flight would probably be the worst food you’d get in either of these countries (both Singapore and Malaysia offer spectacular cuisine). Personally I much prefer the mo service approach. Significant reduction in waste, much easier to get to the bathrooms and provides very little value on a 45 min flights (most Americans spend more time committing to work)
Those in the US also need to read about purchasing power parity and also the general fallacy of ‘GDP’ as a representation of quality of life. A **** meal in the US that costs $100 per person adds twice as much to GDP per capita as a much better meal in Europe / Japan that costs $50. Same with the comedy that is the US healthcare system (where the US spends twice as much per capita to achieve much worse results than any other developed country). If you want to continue to believe everyone else has a terrible life compared to those in the US, that’s your ill-informed choice
DL use a hub and spoke model.
I'm writing this on an Embraer bound for CDG which I had to rush across the airport to catch, despite having arrived at the terminal 75 mins before departure, facing no queue for check in, having access to fast track security and no need to pass through passport control. When I finally got away from the security bottleneck, airport monitors were announcing 'FINAL CALL'. By the time I reached the gate and found out boarding hadn't even started (!), it was too late to even access a fountain and refill my water bottle, let alone go back to grab a takeaway coffee- as a fun aside, in a similar situation (same airport, different airline) a couple of months ago the lounge dragon refused to allow me in 35 mins before departure because of the same 'FINAL CALL' nonsense.
My flight has boarded on time and then we spent just under half an hour on the tarmac. 300 miles later, I'm going to have to change terminals and pass through passport and security control in order to catch my connection. Had that connection been scheduled for less than 90 minutes or so, I once again wouldn't have been able to grab anything until boarding my second flight, which again happens to be just 250 miles long. By the time I'd exit baggage reclaim, it would've been a total of 5+ hours without access to food and drink other than onboard catering and whatever I'm carrying with me and have managed to take through security (because, as everyone knows, yoghurt is a liquid and we can't take such a dangerous substance onboard). The business class food this morning consisted of a couple of finger sandwiches, a HOP!elessly stale croissant, and four small pieces of fruit...and of course there's no espresso machine. Nonetheless , the onboard offering has been valuable in at least ensuring that my stomach isn't completely empty and that I had a chance to mitigate the impact of a lack of sleep and/or caffeine with a nice cup of green tea.
It's one thing replacing complimentary service with buy on board and/or pre-order system, but I don't understand how anyone could advocate for depriving people from access to food and drink for a good third of their waking hours.
No, there’s a well in front of row 1 and they squeeze the guavas right off the tree at the back. Of course it’s pre-packaged, you loon.
After very carefully reading numerous articles published by OMAAT, etc. The comments associated with those articles, including those below, one has come to the following conclusions ….
U.S. Airlines are only interested in competing with each other for U.S. customers.
U.S. Airlines are making little or no attempt to compete with non-domestic carriers on the world stage.
U.S. Airlines are hell-bent upon chasing each other to the bottom echelons of the World Rankings.
U.S. Customers are only interested in obtaining the cheapest possible flight options.
U.S. Consumers have limited knowledge or experience of foreign airlines.
U.S. Consumers are firmly committed to U.S. domestic carriers, due to their dependence upon brand status, perks and points accumulation.
U.S. Consumers are content to suffer a cattle class experience as long as it is cheap or points redeemable.
One can only pity those who are willing to accept ultra low cost business models of the U.S. Airlines.
One can only pity those who believe themselves to be utterly dependent upon U.S. Airlines policy.
Finally, one really has to pity those who find it impossible, to do anything other than to make weak arguments in support of U.S. Airlines.
Why do you need to use the lav on a 60 minute flight? Plan ahead, use the facilities in the lounge or the gate area before you board. Service interruptions by selfish individuals who fail to plan ahead are unacceptable.
In a nutshell, US airlines treat their customers like shit because their customers let them get away with it.
Wow, @Throwaway, you think your problem is the airlines, not how you choose to schedule and plan for this trip. If I had a kid who was making this complaint, I'd suggest they knew better and should have carried security-acceptable food, arrived earlier, carried an empty water bottle and filled it, and maybe not be used to such large meals as to think the served meal was small. I've been on Hop! Embrarers connecting through CDG, I've never had great thirst or hunger.
@TCTM I didn't say that I was badly affected. Well, I was pretty annoyed at the lack of access to coffee but my connection is pretty long and I'm now sampling the delights of the 2G lounge, including some surprisingly decent champagne. And I do have some kabanossi in my backpack!
My point is that not all passengers will be sufficiently knowledgeable and/or time-rich to get adequately stocked up for a trip like that (plus staying in an out of town business park may mean limited access to supermarkets etc). I think that airlines are missing a serious trick by not offering a pre-ordering facility for people who want to have something decent to eat onboard- they could create a positive experience and probably also make bit of money in the process.
By the way, AF check in desks in Europe open at T-120 and close 40 minutes before departure, I got there right in the middle of that window (and I was entitled to fast track which wouldn't have been available to Y pax checking in for the next half an hour).
I had Taco Bell for dinner.
Skip the nuggets, go for the triple double CW and dirty Pepsi.
thank you for proving my point.
It isn't hard to toss pre-packaged anything to 120 people in 5 minutes - if your goal is to give everyone exactly the same thing and create a mountain of trash in the process
to summarize the topic and comments to it
Delta is getting rid of its express beverage service which included water, coffee or tea. the time to do that service often was only about 20 minutes between climb out and beginning of descent.
Passengers frequently asked for something not offered so flight attendants either had to say no or take time before or after the service to try to accommodate other requests.
Delta is cutting all beverage service in economy for 450 flights but upgrading to a full beverage service on 600 flights.
The big 4 US airlines - including DL - offer a full beverage service which includes multiple soft drinks, juices, coffee, tea and beer, wine and liquor/mixed drink sales - a more extensive beverage offering than any other airline on the planet.
people that comment about what airlines in other parts of the world do miss that I have been on plenty of foreign airlines that provide some sort of food and drink to the whole plane - but is often all in a cardboard box that creates enormous amounts of waste for the "pleasure" of a low quality small sandwich or something similar with a plastic disposable cup of drink.
Americans drink tap water but there are water fountains or bottle refill dispensers with some sort of filter in many US airports.
Is it realistic to think that on a 2 hour flight (including boarding and deplaning) that your desire to drink something coincides with the 10 minute window in which the FA serves you and when they pick up trash for landing?
US airports are full of stores and places to buy drinks and many people carry on their own beverage just so they can drink when they want.
as Ben noted, this is not a big deal and it has nothing to do with whether it is Delta or any other US airline.
Americans want choice and don't want limited offerings - which is why DL is getting rid of the express beverage service and adding more choice for more flights than they are taking away all served beverages.
No US airline including DL prevents you from carrying on your own beverage.
To summarize Tim’s comments: Delta is the best; everyone who says otherwise should STFU.
has nothing to do with DL but with being accurate in the discussion.
DL added more flights to its list of full beverage service than it cut to no service.
US carriers including DL serve far more during their full beverage service than any other airlines in the world.
Tim’s comments make no sense unless he means he supports DL to further its profits at the expense of its customers and yeah Tim is happy because he can make more money off of his shares in Delta.
‘US airports are full of stores and places to buy drinks and many people carry on their own beverage just so they can drink when they want.’
Tim, this may come as a surprise to you. A lot of non-U.S. airports have full of stores that do not only sell you beverages but food, clothes, travel accessories, etc. Yet, those non-U.S. airlines do still provide beverages and/or snacks/meals even on very short flights.
‘Americans want choice and don't want limited offerings - which is why DL is getting rid of the express beverage service and adding more choice for more flights than they are taking away all served beverages.’
So, what Tîm actually is saying is that this update from Delta is due to the premium feedback from customers.
‘No US airline including DL prevents you from carrying on your own beverage.’
Tim, no airlines prevent its passengers from carrying on their own beverages but nonetheless those airlines still offer beverages and/or snacks/meals on similar length flights.
your comments make no sense.
let us know how many foreign airports are affected by DL's beverage service changes
no, other US airlines don't offer meaningfully different beverage service on similar lengths. the difference is a matter of +/- 5 minutes.
no, there is nothing premium or non-premium about it. You and others want to argue about the logistics of actually completing a beverage service to Americans that don't want to accept that 3 choices is all they get.
So DL increased the number of people that get a full beverage service by eliminating their previously abbreviated service.
It that concept really too hard for you to understand?
as someone noted, no one is making purchase decisions by a 5 minute beverage service window.
and carry your own beverage onboard - filled at a water fountain or purchased at the airport - if you want to drink other than during the 10 minute window in which you have a drink on a 1.5 hour flight.
@Tim Once again you just defend DL to no end. You selectively chose the words I wrote.
My comments about foreign airports is that they sell beverages as well and those airlines at those airports still offer beverage services. It was to say your comment about how you can just purchase beverages at U.S. airports and how we as paying passengers should pay for a Delta ticket but buy our own drinks very comical when foreign airlines at foreign airports will offer you beverages nonetheless. DL can charge 1,000,000 miles for a basic economy one way for a flight that’s forty five minutes and you would still defend the airline because those are not just any miles but DL premium miles.
Can you defend DL when they wanted to change the elite requirements needed for its Skymiles program? Can you defend Delta when Bastian decided to attend the Olympics during its computer outage and DL was the most affected as per the Seattle Times? Can you defend DL when they misused funds from the CARES Act to give bonuses to its executives? They agreed to an $8.1 million settlement of the lawsuit. This was from Yahoo Finance and Simpleflying.com.
Are you pretending that Delta's sodas, water, and biscoffs are all freshly made on the plane? Literally the only thing you could point out elsewhere in this section that isn't prepackaged the hot Starbucks. Everything else is the same prepackaged items that every other airline hands out. Why is it some insurmountable task for Delta to continue handing those out (and their prepackaged iced coffee) and just not brew the hot coffee on short flights?
I'm also confused by the "mountain of trash" remark, when Delta is taking those prepackaged sodas and waters and then pouring them into non-reusable cups. That's not reducing trash, it's increasing it.
And? This is a TD level of off topicness. Maybe if Ed Bastian didn't get paid as much as he does, they could still provide water on short flights, cause you know, they are making money off the backs of the working class. Definitely need to get some consumer protections in on this issue. I heard EU261 dictates you are due a voucher if you don't get a beverage.
Blame your side on the delay, they held it up.
Tim, just take the L on this one. It's a sucky policy. It also is what it is. It won't move the needle significantly one way or the other. Delta will still be profitable either way. But defending it so vigorously makes you even more loony than you already are.
it is about facts and logic.
DL's beverage choices do not affect any foreign airports other than a few flights to/from Canada which likely didn't have beverage service under either plan. Period.
We're not talking about elite qualifiaction or the Olympics.
You simply want to change the topic becuase you can't admit that DL's beverage policy changes benefit more people than are "harmed"
On intra Europe short haul BA flights in J and on SQ short haul flights I have always received a well presented and tasty meal with multiple drink offerings (even on the BA’s LHR - CDG sector). Never anything in a box.
My point being that on short haul Delta in J (LAS - SNA), even a simple snack could not be served. Thankfully, the AMEX Centurion lounge in LAS had decent offerings (did not bother with the AMEX Sidecar lounge) as we had just finished one of our kids’ volleyball tournaments and we were all hungry.
Your point that DL is only competing with other US carriers is well noted; but if DL claim to be a premium airline, it behooves DL to compare itself to the best.
Quite frankly, we avoid US domestic travel unless for work or for positioning. And when we fly domestically, we try to use AS.
You simply are just making excuses for what you literally wrote.
‘US airports are full of stores and places to buy drinks and many people carry on their own beverage just so they can drink when they want.’
The point is why should they. Foreign airlines at foreign airports will serve at least beverage services with even the same length or even less compared to Delta cutting it for flights less than 350 miles. You simply cannot accept when DL is making this decision based on pure profits. As other posters have pointed out, other airlines (U.S. and non U.S.) can even serve a meal and/or snack besides just a beverage but why not DL?
Also, I was not changing the topic. I only mentioned about DL’s want for the elite qualification changes, your idol being at the Paris Olympics and the misuse of funds from the CARES Act by DL as examples of you will defend them endlessly even when they are in the wrong.
What choice do US customer have? Flying domestically, they can only fly on US carriers. Even the 2 most common countries US customers fly to, Canada and Mexico don't have anything better other than possibly AeroMexico. The Canadian and Mexican LCC's all suck just like their US competitors, and Air Canada is so awful it makes American Airlines look good on flights between the US and Canada.
The pity is that despite them not offering any alcoholic beverages, you can't come with your own cans of beer to drink onboard.
I guess these policies will see some change when liquids are authorized through security. I guess airport shops will adapt too.
I kind of wish airports had the same types of bento shops you see in Japanese high speed train stations
Looks like Delta are going the way of British Airways, in charging sky high fares, only to give a budget service.
Air France can do full service in less than one hour flights. ANd serve drinks....
Delta’s decision to move from abbreviated express service to essentially no cabin service on flights under 350 miles — while maintaining full service on longer routes — is being framed by many as merely a cost-cutting measure. In reality, there are several operational and safety factors behind this shift, and one major issue that has received far too little attention is turbulence and crew safety.
Short-haul flights, particularly those around 30–45 minutes in the air, often spend a disproportionate amount of time climbing and descending through unstable air. Add in the increasing frequency of significant weather events and unexpected turbulence patterns, and the risk to flight attendants becomes very real. Attempting to distribute water, coffee, tea, and other items in a narrow aisle during turbulent conditions is not a minor inconvenience — it is one of the leading causes of serious onboard crew injuries.
What many passengers fail to appreciate is that flight attendants are not simply “withholding service.” They are being asked to prioritize safety in an environment where turbulence can occur suddenly and violently. Unfortunately, there is also a growing issue with passengers ignoring seatbelt signs, refusing to remain seated, or treating routine safety protocols as optional inconveniences. That entitlement creates additional hazards for crew members trying to perform service duties in already unstable conditions.
Imagine being a flight attendant sidelined for six months or longer because of a preventable turbulence injury sustained while trying to hand someone a cup of coffee on a 30-minute flight. Most passengers demanding full beverage service are not going to compensate that employee for lost income, physical rehabilitation, or long-term medical consequences.
It is perfectly reasonable to prefer traditional inflight service, but it is also important to recognize the broader operational and human realities behind these decisions. Sometimes the safest service is limited service.