- Introduction: Two Times To Latin America
- Review: LATAM Lounge Miami Airport (MIA)
- Review: LATAM Business Class Boeing 787 (MIA-SCL)
- Review: Ritz-Carlton Santiago, Chile (I’m Conflicted)
- Review: LATAM Lounge Santiago Airport (SCL)
- Review: SkyTeam Lounge Santiago Airport (SCL)
- Review: Delta One Business Class Airbus A350 (SCL-ATL)
- Review: Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta Airport (ATL)
- Review: Delta First Class Boeing 737-800 (ATL-MEX)
- Review: Hilton Mexico City Airport (MEX)
- Review: Aeromexico Lounge Mexico City Airport (MEX)
- Review: Aeromexico Business Class Boeing 737 MAX (MEX-MIA)
- Review: Boliviana De Aviacion Business Class Airbus A330 (MIA-VVI)
- Review: The Lounge VIP Santa Cruz De La Sierra Airport (VVI)
- Review: VIP Lounge Santa Cruz De La Sierra Airport (VVI)
- Review: GOL Premium Economy Boeing 737 MAX (VVI-GRU)
- Review: TRYP By Wyndham Sao Paulo Airport (GRU)
- Review: Espaco Banco Safra Lounge Sao Paulo Airport (GRU)
- Review: Amex Centurion Lounge Sao Paulo Airport (GRU)
- Review: Copa Business Class Boeing 737 MAX (GRU-PTY)
For the next segment of my two times to Latin America review trip, I flew Delta’s Boeing 737-800 first class on the 2hr40min flight from Atlanta (ATL) to Mexico City (MEX). Let me acknowledge that technically this is marketed as business class on short haul international flights, but it’s identical to domestic first class in that regard.
Ultimately there’s only so much variability on short haul international flights from the United States, so the experience was more or less what I expected. However, what caught me off guard was the completely beat up and filthy cabin. I don’t know for how long this cabin has been neglected, but it made me yearn for an American 737 cabin, which is saying something…
In this post:
How I booked my Delta first class ticket
As any points collector knows, it can be hard to get good value when trying to redeem Delta SkyMiles for premium cabin flights. At least that’s the case if you’re originating or terminating your trip in the United States. However, it’s a different story if you’re simply connecting in the United States, which leads to much better pricing.
For this trip, I booked the following in business class for 65,800 Delta SkyMiles plus $87.32 in taxes & fees:
9/19 DL146 Santiago to Atlanta departing 8:40PM arriving 5:15AM (+1 day)
9/20 DL602 Atlanta to Mexico City departing 12:21PM arriving 1:55PM
In the previous installment, I reviewed Delta’s A350-900 business class, and then in this installment I’ll be reviewing the connection. One of the main reasons I even connected to Mexico City was to get such a good price, since simply terminating in Atlanta would have cost around 5x as much. Personally I’m also not going to risk it with throwaway ticketing.
Delta first class boarding
I spent my layover at the Amex Centurion Lounge Atlanta, which is solid, and has beautiful decor. My flight was departing from gate F12, and boarding was scheduled to start at 11:26AM, a full 55 minutes before departure. Sheesh, I know airlines board international flights earlier than domestic ones, but that’s a really long boarding process for a 737.
We didn’t end up starting boarding on schedule. That’s because the inbound aircraft only arrived at the gate at 11:15AM, and it then takes time to deplane everyone, clean the plane, cater it, etc. Boarding ended up starting at 11:55AM, around 30 minutes behind schedule, but still over 25 minutes before departure.
Delta 737-800 first class cabin & seats
I recently reviewed Delta’s Boeing 737-900ER first class, so it was interesting to step onto the carrier’s 737-800, and have a vastly different experience. Delta’s 737-800s feature 16 first class seats, spread across four rows, in a 2-2 configuration.
Delta’s 737-800 first class seats have 38″ of pitch and 20.9″ of width, so they’re quite spacious. Despite the seats being thick, they’re not actually terribly comfortable. I didn’t find the padding to be great, and there’s also not an adjustable head rest, as you’ll find in many first class (and even economy) seats, which can make a big difference in terms of comfort.
I had assigned myself seat 1A, since it was the last window seat available at the time of booking (and I’m a window seat guy). While the seat’s actual upholstery looked fresh enough, everything else about the cabin felt outdated and neglected.
For example, there were AC power outlets underneath the seats, as well as… ethernet ports? Talk about a throwback! We all know that US airlines sometimes don’t do a great job with cleaning cabins. However, I couldn’t believe how absolutely filthy this area was, with a level of dirt that had clearly been accumulated over a long time.
Did no one at any point notice this and/or report for it to be cleaned? How many people have to ignore this level of mess for it to get this bad? Sheesh.
Even look at the little entertainment volume and channel controls on the center armrest, and how they’re peeling. You’d think you’re flying with an airline in a developing country that picks up planes from the desert that were supposed to be retired, rather than the United States’ most premium and profitable airline. 😉
The tray table folded out from the armrest, and while mine worked okay, my seat mate’s tray table kept collapsing, and wouldn’t stay up.
While I appreciate Delta’s commitment to offering seat back entertainment, this plane had the smallest and lowest resolution premium cabin entertainment monitor I’ve seen on a flight in a long time.
The overhead console also wasn’t very modern, but at least had individual air nozzles, which I appreciate.
This is honestly the least impressive cabin I’ve seen on a US airline in years. The good news, at least, is that Delta has plans to retrofit these jets, and introduce updated interiors. So that’s long overdue, but in the meantime, expect to be disappointed.
Delta 737-800 first class entertainment & Wi-Fi
On the plus side, Delta’s seat back entertainment selection is extensive, with a huge variety of movies, TV shows, music, etc. However, the screen is so small and low definition, and also has a lot of glare, so I can’t say that I really used it much. Furthermore, the flight tracker feature wasn’t working, for whatever reason.
Delta also offers free Wi-Fi to SkyMiles members. On this flight the Wi-Fi only worked intermittently, and I found the speeds to be quite poor when it was working.
Delta 737-800 departure from Atlanta
The boarding process was a bit rushed, given the late start. As a result, no pre-departure drinks were offered, though there were mini bottles of water at each seat upon boarding.
Boarding was efficient, and wrapped up by around 12:20PM — the flight wasn’t anywhere close to full, so I imagine that helped. At this point the captain made his welcome aboard announcement, informing us of our flight time of 2hr40min, and our cruising altitude of 36,000 feet.
The main cabin door closed at 12:25PM, and a moment later, we began our pushback. We then started our taxi at 12:30PM, and only had to cover a short distance to the runway, where we were cleared for takeoff at 12:40PM.
We had a smooth climb out, as it was a beautiful day, with scattered clouds.
The seatbelt sign ended up staying on for around 30 minutes, until we reached our cruising altitude, as is pretty typical on US airlines.
Delta first class lunch service
Once at cruising altitude, the inflight service began. The flight attendant took meal orders at this point, with the three choices being described as a beef open faced sandwich, mushroom ravioli, or a smoked chicken salad. I ended up choosing that last option.
Around 45 minutes after takeoff, tablecloths were distributed, along with drinks. I ordered a Diet Coke to drink. I always find it a bit surprising how Delta doesn’t serve anything with the initial round of drinks — for example, American serves mixed nuts before lunch and dinner.
About an hour after takeoff, the smoked chicken salad was served. I’ve gotta say, the salad was tasty, and came with a packaged focaccia bread type thing, a potato salad on the side, and a dessert tart.
It was a pretty good meal, so I have no complaints there. After the meal I decided to order a coffee, since I was getting pretty tired at this point.
Delta 737-800 first class lavatory
Closer to landing, I decided to check out the lavatory, located at the front of the cabin. It was on the tight side, but at least had mood lighting, and the sink wasn’t as tiny as what you’ll find on some new and retrofitted 737s.
Delta first class service
The flight attendant working first class on this sector was average. She went through the motions and was happy to accommodate any requests, but in no way went above and beyond, wasn’t overly friendly, etc.
It’s interesting that on this Delta trip, I didn’t have particularly great service on either sector, despite Delta generally having superior service.
Delta 737-800 arrival in Mexico City
Around 30 minutes before landing, we had some great views as we made landfall over Mexico, after crossing the Gulf of Mexico. Around this time the captain gave us an update on our arrival time, and stated we’d be descending shortly.
During our approach, we had some great views of Mexico City’s other (new) airport, Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU).
We also had some nice views of Mexico City. The size of the city never ceases to amaze me, and approaching by air really puts that into perspective.
We landed at Mexico City Airport at 1:25PM, on runway 5R. Due to the altitude of Mexico City, landings there are always a bit more exciting, given the higher speeds.
From the arrival runway, we had a roughly 10-minute taxi to our arrival gate. I always enjoy the traffic at Mexico City Airport, as parts of the apron almost look like an airplane graveyard.
We ended up arriving at our gate at 1:35PM, well ahead of schedule, and parked next to a Delta Airbus A319.
I quickly cleared immigration, and then headed to the Hilton Mexico City Airport, where I’d be spending the night.
Bottom line
I’ve gotta say, Delta’s Boeing 737-800 first class leaves a bit to be desired. The cabins are not only outdated, but this jet was filthy and poorly maintained. While it’s nice that Delta has seat back entertainment, the screens are so small and low resolution that they might as well not bother. I’m happy that Delta has plans to update the cabins of these aircraft.
As far as the rest of the flight goes, it was okay. The meal was reasonably good, while the service was average, and the (free) Wi-Fi was slow and intermittent. On balance, this definitely wasn’t Delta’s strongest showing.
What’s your take on Delta’s 737-800 first class?
“American serves mixed nuts before lunch and dinner“ - this seems to be a mixed bag as of late. My last two flights in First on AA did not have nuts even though they should have had them. Not sure if it’s miscatering or flight attendants who can’t be bothered.
Someone posted on another site that DL has 29 remaining 738s with the original 7 inch inch screens so, yes, DL is making progress on replacing the old interiors of the 738 fleet. DL also is retiring older aircraft such as the 757 and 767 that do not have "company standard" interiors. None of the 737s appear to be headed for retirement so will get updated.
As a reminder, AA has pushed back refurbs of...
Someone posted on another site that DL has 29 remaining 738s with the original 7 inch inch screens so, yes, DL is making progress on replacing the old interiors of the 738 fleet. DL also is retiring older aircraft such as the 757 and 767 that do not have "company standard" interiors. None of the 737s appear to be headed for retirement so will get updated.
As a reminder, AA has pushed back refurbs of their 777W fleet by, what, one year? and that is just the schedule.
And UA Next will likely take as long as the 7 years it took United to put Polaris on its entire widebody fleet - and Polaris s not class leading. UA will be the last of the big 3 to have suites on its aircraft and will have two very different products when it finally gets around to putting a suite product in business class on its fleet.
Think it’s biologically impossible for an adult male to have smaller hands than Tim Dunn. “Big” implications there.
my hands are definitely smaller than Scott Kirby's ego.
I only have two of them compared to the long list of Kirby's failed and delayed plans.
Let's see - we have United Next which is, what, a decade behind schedule. He intended to swamp the industry with UA mainline capacity and that didn't work out. He thought he would take out the ULCCs - and UA has the least overlap with NK of the...
my hands are definitely smaller than Scott Kirby's ego.
I only have two of them compared to the long list of Kirby's failed and delayed plans.
Let's see - we have United Next which is, what, a decade behind schedule. He intended to swamp the industry with UA mainline capacity and that didn't work out. He thought he would take out the ULCCs - and UA has the least overlap with NK of the big 4 - so other airlines benefit the most from NK's demise.
unlike a portion of human males including yourself, my upper head is not controlled by my lower one.
As a long-time reader, I usually don’t comment here, but I’d really appreciate it if you could consider banning Tim Dunn at this time.
...validating that we don't really want opposing voices - not unlike Ben's criticism of how Egypt handled him?
No Tim, we just don’t want *your* voice. That’s all.
@Tim Is So Done I'm on the same page with you, same can be also said for "Mrs. Hilton"
a couple of truisms of this site have, once again, been confirmed.
first, articles roll off the first page in a couple of days and don't get put back there unless Ben wants them to be refreshed. Thankfully, Ben dumped a bunch of new articles this morning that most people won't comment on and this article mercifully will die a slow death.
second, there remain a few die hards that are incapable of seeing...
a couple of truisms of this site have, once again, been confirmed.
first, articles roll off the first page in a couple of days and don't get put back there unless Ben wants them to be refreshed. Thankfully, Ben dumped a bunch of new articles this morning that most people won't comment on and this article mercifully will die a slow death.
second, there remain a few die hards that are incapable of seeing facts. This article is a recycle of "ancient yuckiness" that was published Sept 21. Content is just about the same but there are different links, different titles and headers, and the comments were stripped from the previous article. Only Ben can tell us why he did it. I'm going to show him a little grace and suggest that his process of breaking up his trip reviews over many articles and running them over a period of months left him without a record of whether he had reviewed this segment or not. The fact that he posted the link to the original article and thought that was the link on which we are presently commenting leads me to believe Ben was just sloppy rather than malicious.
third, it is beyond question that his reviews of Delta products and services generate the most page clicks of any airline or other topic on which he writes. And that is true on other sites as well, including those about which I do not participate. Articles about Delta and United are at the top of every airline-related chat site in terms of pageviews. Ben knows exactly what drives readership and comments.
Ben just went through a humiliating incident at CAI and hundreds of commenters supported his position with some even saying that they would cross Egypt off their list of countries to visit.
And yet, Ben voluntarily decided to stay out of Egypt for a period of time - perhaps forever - based on the strength of the reaction he received from Egyptian authorities and media.
Given that Ben says he frequented CAI because of cheap fares and mileage awards - so his decision - driven by his own criticism of Egypt will cost him way more than it will cost Egypt, a country with more than enough tourists and business people to easily replace Ben.
What should be troubling is that Ben says that the lesson he learned (or at least one of them) is not to criticize a country while you are still there. Is not the bigger lesson that there are things that are best left unsaid, or if said, should be moderated?
Ben needs to ask himself if he has allowed his site to become too toxic and he has been influenced by the comments on it or vice versa. I realize that sounds incredibly ironic coming from me - but I also question whether recycling an article with the original title "ancient yuckiness" really was necessary and didn't incite just as much reaction as telling any country that they are the "worst of..."
This is Ben's site and we are heading into the holiday season which is a good time to reflect on a lot.
I hope Ben decides to re-evaluate what he is really doing here and whether his techniques need a little refinement. and maybe his readers will follow.
The worst outcome will be more of the same - and for Ben to be known as the blogger that can no longer return to Egypt because he mouthed off about something that was better left unsaid - or should have been said in a much more tactful manner.
@ Tim Dunn — “the comments were stripped from the previous article”
They weren’t, they’re all still there… are you really not seeing them?
No point in debating something if you can’t even accept basic facts. Can you confirm you do see the comments, because if not… well, I don’t know what to tell you.
Ben
There are no comments to this article that are from September. There were more replies to that article than there are to this one.
If you thought you were resurrecting an old article for new information, it is far from clear what was updated other than removing‘ancient yuckiness ‘. The link is different and the original comments aren’t there along w a different title and header.
If you really thought you...
Ben
There are no comments to this article that are from September. There were more replies to that article than there are to this one.
If you thought you were resurrecting an old article for new information, it is far from clear what was updated other than removing‘ancient yuckiness ‘. The link is different and the original comments aren’t there along w a different title and header.
If you really thought you updated the old article, you need training on your software.
@ Tim Dunn — As I explained over and over and over and over, there are two separate stories.
I’m genuinely worried for your mental decline. I’m not sure this is the best place to get help.
my mental decline, seriously?
in the 18 hours since I pointed out that these are two separate articles based on the same trip, you have made a whole lot of statements, arguing at first that I was replying to the original article when it was perfectly clear that was not the case.
You are free to do whatever you want with your blog. If you want to review the same segment 999 times, that is...
my mental decline, seriously?
in the 18 hours since I pointed out that these are two separate articles based on the same trip, you have made a whole lot of statements, arguing at first that I was replying to the original article when it was perfectly clear that was not the case.
You are free to do whatever you want with your blog. If you want to review the same segment 999 times, that is your choice. If you want to reopen an article from 12 years ago, you can do that. Nobody is challenging your ability to do what you want.
Your readers do expect you to be honest about what you are doing. You have been all over the board with explanations for the two article/one segment issue.
I asked you why you reposted this review just as I have asked you your motive for lots of other things and you haven't answered, as you are free to do.
But you aren't free to lie and not face the consequences - including the tarnish to your own reputation when you have been found to have done exactly what I said more than a half day that you did and you have wasted alot of bandwidth trying to argue you didn't do.
It's YOUR character that is at stake, Ben.
And then when you double down on accusing me of mental decline when you have been found to have morally failed in being honest, you do little more than what a large number of people in your comment section do when confronted with facts - shoot the messenger as if that is going to make the message go away.
It doesn't.
You lied, Ben.
You are free to write as many reviews as you want about whatever you want. Just don't try to argue that you didn't and then finally confess what was apparent all along.
It's been a rough week for you, Ben. It's not a surprise that the Egypt fiasco turned out the way it did.
I didn't participate in the comments section of those articles but there were a few people that said you weren't right; a very few are willing to take strong stands in the face of peer pressure.
My suggestion to you is to listen to the few people that are willing to speak truths to you that you don't want to hear. Maybe they have wisdom that you would benefit from hearing. Truth isn't truth just because 99 other people that are saying the opposite thing.
I like you, Ben, and reiterate what I have said many times which is that I want you to succeed. I'd be delighted to have coffee w/ you. You have my email.
You are at a crossroads in resolving the situation w/ Egypt and in reframing how you want this board to work.
Are you interested in using your site as a bully pulpit? Are you interested in manipulating other people to achieve your goals - wind people up to get page views?
Or are you interested in sharing your experiences and creating an environment for open discussion and snuffing out the toxicity that is heavily rampant on this site - far more so than others?
There isn't a thing wrong with my mind.
Take some mental time off. Quit trying to create controversial content and ask yourself if you are creating the legacy you really want?
We all get the chance to reset.
Do the right thing and take the opportunity to do better tomorrow and the next day and the next hour.
@ben any rational human being with a working brain can clearly see what you have been stating over and over again, and it’s clear that Tim has been having a complete mental breakdown. As you said it yourself, this is not the best place for him to seek help for his condition. I would not reply to his delirious accusations anymore, it’s not healthy.
I didn't get myself kicked out of Egypt or any other country.
My mind is working just fine.
And, again, Ben is free to do whatever he wants but he needs to explain why he chose to write two articles two months apart on the same flight segment.
Feel free to tell us - since it is certain that Ben won't - where Ben has ever written two reviews on the same segment that...
I didn't get myself kicked out of Egypt or any other country.
My mind is working just fine.
And, again, Ben is free to do whatever he wants but he needs to explain why he chose to write two articles two months apart on the same flight segment.
Feel free to tell us - since it is certain that Ben won't - where Ben has ever written two reviews on the same segment that have very similar content - and also eliciting more than 200 comments.
Ben is after page clicks and is willing to pick and choose content that does that.
It should be obvious to anyone that has a half-functioning brain, to use your terminology, that if Ben is motivated by page views first and foremost, then what else can be believed that he says?
I didn't ask for help. I don't need it.
“didn't get myself kicked out of Egypt or any other country.
My mind is working just fine.”
Wow. This is the same logic as saying to a jew during WW2: “you got kicked out of Germany, so you’re wrong”.
Total meltdown. This is scary.
no. just no.
The Jews didn't do anything to warrant how they were treated.
The only thing that is scary is that there are people like you that try so hard to prove someone wrong and get it so wrong yourself.
The only outstanding piece to this discussion is
1. guidelines for how and when Ben repeats a review of the same leg -and, despite what some have tried to say, the first was...
no. just no.
The Jews didn't do anything to warrant how they were treated.
The only thing that is scary is that there are people like you that try so hard to prove someone wrong and get it so wrong yourself.
The only outstanding piece to this discussion is
1. guidelines for how and when Ben repeats a review of the same leg -and, despite what some have tried to say, the first was not just a teaser and the second was the real review. Only Ben can answer why he did what he did.
2. Anyone can list other legs where the same thing has been done and where the two reviews have generated over 200 page views.
I am happy to be proven wrong w/ actual facts but for now it looks very much like Ben simply repeated the same article because it got so many page clicks and wanted to get even more out of the 2nd one.
If page views determine how and why content is selected, then what else in the review is really accurate rather than just an attempt at boosting readership?
and, of course, a review is as subjective as telling a country that they are the "worst of..." in complete contrast to the multiple schedule discussions which Ben manage to tee up w/ considerable objectivity
Incredible.
@Ben - seriously, why don’t you ban Tim? Your page views would not suffer, despite what narcissistic Tim says.
I’ve emailed you personally to say I’ve stopped reading because of Tim. I rad your blog 10% of what I used to…
@Ben, I think, if I'm understanding correctly (and not to defend him), that Tim is claiming that you basically just copied and pasted your prior article without the comments and reposted as this one, alleging that you did not write a new article, not that you removed the prior article or the comments previously posted. What he seems to miss, I think, is that you often make "first impressions" or "quick thoughts" or similar types...
@Ben, I think, if I'm understanding correctly (and not to defend him), that Tim is claiming that you basically just copied and pasted your prior article without the comments and reposted as this one, alleging that you did not write a new article, not that you removed the prior article or the comments previously posted. What he seems to miss, I think, is that you often make "first impressions" or "quick thoughts" or similar types of posts while on a trip, or shortly thereafter, and then sometime later do your full review. Your full review, I believe often includes much of the material in your "initial take" post, but expands on it and has additional content making it a more in-depth review. But, I've never spoken with Tim Dunn and thus cannot say that I actually know what he means.
Ben explained this 100 times to him, but it’s useless. Tim would spend hours of his day and write 5000 words to “convince” a calculator that 1+1 equals Delta, not 2. And what’s worst, use offensive behavior to try and disqualify the calculator’s character instead of seeing the plain reality. I certainly wouldn’t stop reading the blog because of him, but I most certainly wouldn’t engage in any discussions in the comment section as long...
Ben explained this 100 times to him, but it’s useless. Tim would spend hours of his day and write 5000 words to “convince” a calculator that 1+1 equals Delta, not 2. And what’s worst, use offensive behavior to try and disqualify the calculator’s character instead of seeing the plain reality. I certainly wouldn’t stop reading the blog because of him, but I most certainly wouldn’t engage in any discussions in the comment section as long as he keeps bullying his way to show that the Earth spins around Delta.
@ jallan -- Thanks for the kind message! If that's the point he were trying to make, he's not doing a good job conveying it. And even to that, I'd respond with the following (which you mostly hit on):
-- I do the preview posts for virtually all flights, and I'm not somehow singling out this one Delta review for that
-- I'm not copying and pasting, but the detailed review definitely has...
@ jallan -- Thanks for the kind message! If that's the point he were trying to make, he's not doing a good job conveying it. And even to that, I'd respond with the following (which you mostly hit on):
-- I do the preview posts for virtually all flights, and I'm not somehow singling out this one Delta review for that
-- I'm not copying and pasting, but the detailed review definitely has most of the details of the first thoughts, given that it's intended to be much more thorough
Ben
Jailan did get the essence of what I have been saying... and I suppose both of us didn't communicate very well if it has taken this long to get to the conclusion that J sees.
My point is that there isn't much of a difference between the initial impression of this trip and the "final" review or of the areas that were highlighted. The first seemed pretty extensive.
Once again, Ben, you only...
Ben
Jailan did get the essence of what I have been saying... and I suppose both of us didn't communicate very well if it has taken this long to get to the conclusion that J sees.
My point is that there isn't much of a difference between the initial impression of this trip and the "final" review or of the areas that were highlighted. The first seemed pretty extensive.
Once again, Ben, you only harm your own credibility by using subjective criteria not just as to how you evaluate services but also when you decide to do a two-fer on a trip.
It very much looks like you simply want to go back and get a few more page views on a review that already has been out for quite some time.
Do yourself a favor and provide objectivity to how you review and you might get less flack.
And, as I have noted repeatedly, DL knows full well that their 738s need attention. That is why they are sending them through mods just about as fast as they can get parts and have space. The fact that you harp on stuff that vulnerabilities not once but twice instead of bothering to provide data that is available on the progress of DL's 738 mods is beyond understanding.
The same should be said about any other fleet type on any other airline that is 'in process"
Perspective matters alot.
Not just for airline reviews but also for why CAI airport isn't the gleeming star on the Nile that some other airports are in their parts of the world.
Based on Tim's comments it seems he may have an intellectual disability. With that in mind, please treat him with kindness and empathy.
No, he's been in a good mood lately thanks to the recent election.
If you put the two links here anyone except Tim can see that they are truly indeed not the same articles.
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/delta-737-800-first-class/
https://onemileatatime.com/reviews/delta-first-class-737-800/
One says insights and the other says reviews.
For the purpose of the insights, it seems that Ben just wanted to point out how the interiors were so old and tired.
For the reviews, he did his normal full review. You know it is a full review when includes photos...
If you put the two links here anyone except Tim can see that they are truly indeed not the same articles.
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/delta-737-800-first-class/
https://onemileatatime.com/reviews/delta-first-class-737-800/
One says insights and the other says reviews.
For the purpose of the insights, it seems that Ben just wanted to point out how the interiors were so old and tired.
For the reviews, he did his normal full review. You know it is a full review when includes photos of the food, airport, entertainment system, WiFi, lavatories, etc.
Haha. Not sure which one is more entertaining and thus hilarious: Ben thinks that he can engage in a meaningful discussion with Tim or Tim actually thinks that what he writes makes sense. Which one do you think?
see below.
Ben's had a bad week - and it ain't over yet
Tim - you are truly a stupid, desperate fck. Ben often posts quick hit reviews and does his formal review weeks or months later - hundreds of examples of this over the years. Exhibit #247 or so here.
nobody doubts that.
YOU are the only person that can't seem to grasp that Ben posted the link to the Sept 21 article, says we are commenting on the original, and can't figure out that 106 comments got dropped and the most recent is not from Sept when he posted the article.
Maybe he just doesn't know how to use his software and posts crap so fast that he doesn't realize that the topic has...
nobody doubts that.
YOU are the only person that can't seem to grasp that Ben posted the link to the Sept 21 article, says we are commenting on the original, and can't figure out that 106 comments got dropped and the most recent is not from Sept when he posted the article.
Maybe he just doesn't know how to use his software and posts crap so fast that he doesn't realize that the topic has been discussed before and had comments 2 months ago.
Or maybe he really just recycles articles and hopes no one notices.
You aren't smart enough to know the difference so of course you belittle anyone that is able to figure out what you can't.
Your user name comes as absolutely no surprise.
UA-NYC: “Tim - you are truly a stupid, desperate fck.”
Timmy: “nobody doubts that.”
For once, we agree.
“Ben's had a bad week - and it ain't over yet”
But he’s never been fired from Delta.
you can only wish you knew someone who was.
Doesn't change that this review is recycled.
“Doesn't change that this review is recycled.”
But it’s not. How dense are you? (OK, that was rhetorical.)
I find Ben’s writing trite. Unimaginative. I disagree with many of his ratings. And it IS frustrating that he posts reviews months later and in such a way that makes following a particular trip nearly impossible. He repeats “In this post I wanted to” in way too often and uses words like “compelling” to describe credit cards...
“Doesn't change that this review is recycled.”
But it’s not. How dense are you? (OK, that was rhetorical.)
I find Ben’s writing trite. Unimaginative. I disagree with many of his ratings. And it IS frustrating that he posts reviews months later and in such a way that makes following a particular trip nearly impossible. He repeats “In this post I wanted to” in way too often and uses words like “compelling” to describe credit cards too much (try using a thesaurus once in a while).
And while he does repost content, often without stating what is new, this is not one of those cases. He posted his “initial thoughts” or whatever months ago, and said a full review was coming. Sad that it took 2 months, but that’s what this is.
But you are just too much of an idiot to ascertain the difference.
put your jammies on like Ben and go to bed.
This is a recycled article and anyone can see it.
When he posts the link for the original article and says we are responding to that article when the link is not the same as this one, he is either confused or intentionally being misleading.
The more you fail to grasp that reality, the more you do a disservice to everything you else you write...
put your jammies on like Ben and go to bed.
This is a recycled article and anyone can see it.
When he posts the link for the original article and says we are responding to that article when the link is not the same as this one, he is either confused or intentionally being misleading.
The more you fail to grasp that reality, the more you do a disservice to everything you else you write - which isn't hard to do.
Ben is smart enough to realize that this is Saturday night, he will post a bunch of new articles tomorrow, this one will fall off the first page and only a few of us will know what really happened.
Ben recycles articles to enhance his page views. DL articles manage to get the most page views; his credit card and non-airline reviews (such as hotels) are of no interest. He wants to generate controversy and I do it for him.
In return for bailing him out, I also get to call balls and strikes.
You're out.
Go to bed.
You are a moron. Really. It is daytime where I am, so I’ll stay awake if you don’t mind.
You don’t bail him out. You make it worse.
Calculator: 1 + 1 = 2
Tim Pigeon: 2000+ words, and the end result is 3.
And he flies away hardly being able to contain himself.
There is no use engaging in “discussions” with people like this. The best to thing to do is to give him the stage and let him talk alone, they usually end up proving how small of a person they are.
now that Ben has brushed his teeth and put his jammies on down in MIA and the article pageviews are slowing down, I'll add the facts and commentary that everyone has missed.
Ben is correct that he only has only taken one DL 738 review. In fact, he published this review on September 21, 2024 under the name "Delta 737-800 First Class: Ancient Yuckiness" He then REPUBLISHED the same article this week, slapped the UPDATED...
now that Ben has brushed his teeth and put his jammies on down in MIA and the article pageviews are slowing down, I'll add the facts and commentary that everyone has missed.
Ben is correct that he only has only taken one DL 738 review. In fact, he published this review on September 21, 2024 under the name "Delta 737-800 First Class: Ancient Yuckiness" He then REPUBLISHED the same article this week, slapped the UPDATED label on it, and stripped the comments out to make his readers think this was a new article; most of his updated articles leave the previous comments intact.
Ben didn't just take his trip to Latin America. He took it months ago and like, most of his content, dribbles it out when he needs to create page clicks because that is how he gets paid.
You see, folks, Ben and I have been having fun with each other for quite some time. He got very uncomfortable when I pointed out that Gary over at VFTW noted that OMAAT trails VFTW and a whole lot of other aviation blog sites by a good deal.
Ben himself included yours truly in a number of articles - because he knows I will deliver the page views for him.
Honestly, I LOVE COMPETITION and I have had lots of fun watching Ben work his tail off to get his page views up - and I wouldn't be surprised if he beats Gary's "plump" backside this year.
but what I deliver for Ben comes at a cost. This week that cost was departing from the sheeple and telling Ben that he it was an incredibly boneheaded move to tell the Egyptians that they have the worst airport in the world, or at least the Middle East.
Honestly, Ben, did it not occur to you that some people aren't in the least interested in having an OUTSIDER tell them their flaws, even if they know it full well to be true. It is beyond shocking that someone who has seen as much of the world as you do doesn't understand that BASIC principle of human existence.
Of course, Delta's 738s need to be refurbed. It is noteworthy that Ben didn't bother to include the aircraft number for this aircraft - even though he frequently does manage to track aircraft and include the registration number.
It would be more than interesting to know if anything has changed with this aircraft's interior in the 2 months since Ben actually flew it - and more than that, to know where it fits in the refurb schedule since that too is at least partially known and published.
Ben needed page views so regurgitated a review; only he can tell us why he chose to do this one but, since the original version of this article got over 100 comments, I am sure he knew what would translate into the most page clicks.
Other than kicking kicked out of Egypt or being castigated by his readers for sucking up to the ME3 airlines given their countries' stance on gay people, there hasn't been much that Ben has written that generates as many page views as articles about Delta.
Ben's world is smaller than it was a couple weeks ago, thanks to his cultural blunders.
We will probably see a lot more regurgitated content masked as something new in the future.
Ben's gotta make a living.
The peanut gallery has to do what the peanut gallery will do.
@ Tim Dunn -- "Ben is correct that he only has only taken one DL 738 review. In fact, he published this review on September 21, 2024 under the name “Delta 737-800 First Class: Ancient Yuckiness” He then REPUBLISHED the same article this week, slapped the UPDATED label on it, and stripped the comments out to make his readers think this was a new article."
Factually false. You're currently commenting on the review, and here's...
@ Tim Dunn -- "Ben is correct that he only has only taken one DL 738 review. In fact, he published this review on September 21, 2024 under the name “Delta 737-800 First Class: Ancient Yuckiness” He then REPUBLISHED the same article this week, slapped the UPDATED label on it, and stripped the comments out to make his readers think this was a new article."
Factually false. You're currently commenting on the review, and here's the original post, with comments:
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/delta-737-800-first-class/
C'mon, Tim, you've gotta work harder to be accurate.
Google is smarter than you, Ben.
the article I cited was published on September 21, 2024 and has 106 replies. and says "updated 1 day ago" and yet there are no replies.
This article is NOT the original.
Google also isn't stupid enough to tell the Egyptians that they are the worst.
Your world is smaller today, Ben, because of your stupidity.
Sorry for getting you out of bed.
No, not sorry.
The link to the original article is
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/delta-737-800-first-class/
this is the header to the link for "ancient yuckiness"
Delta 737-800 First Class: Ancient Yuckiness
Ben Schlappig
Published: September 21, 2024
Updated: 1 day ago
106
Ben's integrity is at stake here.
He claims that we are commenting on the original article but the header is different and the most recent and top comment is
Rafael Guest
September 25, 2024, 9:50 pm
Cuantos aviones 738 de delta se han reconfigurados ya?
No wonder the Egyptians don't want Ben back
@ Tim Dunn -- "the article I cited was published on September 21, 2024 and has 106 replies. and says 'updated 1 day ago' and yet there are no replies. This article is NOT the original."
Tim, you're coming up with a wild, baseless conspiracy theory here. The reason that other post shows that it was updated one day ago is because I added a link in that post to the full review post. The...
@ Tim Dunn -- "the article I cited was published on September 21, 2024 and has 106 replies. and says 'updated 1 day ago' and yet there are no replies. This article is NOT the original."
Tim, you're coming up with a wild, baseless conspiracy theory here. The reason that other post shows that it was updated one day ago is because I added a link in that post to the full review post. The "updated" date is based on when *anything* was last changed about the post.
I *always* update my "preview" trip posts with a link to the full trip report, so you'll *always* see the "updated" date reflect that. That's not because the post was reused.
For example, my LATAM preview post was updated on November 10:
https://onemileatatime.com/insights/latam-787-business-class/
And that's because my LATAM trip report was published on November 10:
https://onemileatatime.com/reviews/latam-business-class-787/
Told ya. Chess with a pigeon.
You really are a sad, pathetic person.
Tim, are you okay?
your concern should be for Ben.
He will have another sleepless night.
How many does that make this week?
The link even he cites is for the OLD article and not this one, he DOES regurgitate content, and he stripped out contents while trying to tell us we are commenting on the original content.
Ben is after pageviews. First and foremost.
I play his games. and I call him out when he stumbles.
Tonight is the latter.
You’re a total cuck. Just a small, pathetic, weak person. On the Mt. Rushmore of pathetic commenters across the travel blogs, with a couple other of your infamous brethren.
you have simply confirmed that you are one of the sheeple that is incapable of critical thinking.
You have no critical thinking skills and buy hook, line and sinker whatever is fed to you.
I proved my point.
I don't expect to get cheers.
I do expect that people w/ half a brain would simply walk away and realize THEY were played. You simply confirm that you are cut from the scraps left on the cutting floor.
Hey Timmy….Let’s compare who actually travels more. I can go first if you’d like. It’s always great hearing from an “expert” that doesn’t actually leave their basement.
My personal out of pocket travel probably triples what you do in a year, so I would love to hear more about your “expertise”.
well, I was just in Egypt within the past month and managed to get in and out with no scars. I managed to flush the toilets just fine, got through security multiple times at airports on top of all of the security checkpoints at buildings.
And that was just part of what will be about 200k miles of travel this year. about 15 countries. 20 airlines or so. hardly basement life
I get that you...
well, I was just in Egypt within the past month and managed to get in and out with no scars. I managed to flush the toilets just fine, got through security multiple times at airports on top of all of the security checkpoints at buildings.
And that was just part of what will be about 200k miles of travel this year. about 15 countries. 20 airlines or so. hardly basement life
I get that you and others love to believe falsehoods in order to prop yourselves up but there have been and will be no trips to the basement
Tim Dunn the Pigeon. Very apt.
What Tim does not realize or never be able to fully understand is that he thinks most profitable airline in the world actually means anything to the flyers. If DL were so good why can’t they have a stellar first class product like Air France, ANA or Emirates? That is because Tim just cherry picks what he wants to write and he has selective hearing.
If he is going to play the number games...
What Tim does not realize or never be able to fully understand is that he thinks most profitable airline in the world actually means anything to the flyers. If DL were so good why can’t they have a stellar first class product like Air France, ANA or Emirates? That is because Tim just cherry picks what he wants to write and he has selective hearing.
If he is going to play the number games because DL is a for profit company (which still means diddly-squat to the customers) then let’s have a go at it then.
1. Can we use this metric to crown United Airlines as the best airline in America?
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/26/the-rise-of-united-airlines.html
United has the best performing stock of the year for a U.S airline? It has more than double the gains of DL. UA may outdo DL as the most profitable airline. I wonder what would Tim say about that if and when it happens. He wouldn’t be able to equate most profitable with most premium anymore.
Now, if we go by what Tim says about companies being for profit then apply his analogy to fast food restaurant chains.
https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/5-most-profitable-fast-food-chains-935887/?singlepage=1
‘McDonald’s has a market capitalization of $173.85 billion and is the most profitable fast-food chain globally.’
Does this make McDonald’s the most premium brand globally because it is the most profitable in the world? Well, with Tim’s analogy it does. He keeps mentioning most profitable like it has any real value to the average Joe or Jane but it only matters to investors and the business world.
No matter what though it is still junk food…well maybe premium junk food because it is the most profitable. As for DL its planes still pale in comparison to the likes of other foreign competitors especially with the interiors. And yeah it still does not matter to Tim. Most profitable is the only metric that matters so its planes definitely are still the most premium.
Though, I am still shocked when Tim mentioned about flying on non-Delta planes. The true s—-show for him to be flying without the essence of Ed Bastian!! How can he betray DL? Based on his previous comments it seems that he only flies on DL metal and he should if he were a true DL fanboy.
Ha! The McDonald's analogy is perfect. What a great example.
Profitability and size do not equal premium. Otherwise Toyota would be more premium than Porsche because of higher profit and market cap. Even GM and Ford would be more premium if you looked at gross profits or volume....
@DC thanks. At least you actually read the what I wrote instead of the cherry picking and selective reading done by Tim.
If there is entertainment value in reading this and other aviation blogs, it comes from people like you that manage to create an image of me that is not only so different from other people but so different from reality.
Where did I ever say I only fly Delta? I fly more than a dozen airlines every year and have flown millions of miles so know the customer-facing side of the global industry quite...
If there is entertainment value in reading this and other aviation blogs, it comes from people like you that manage to create an image of me that is not only so different from other people but so different from reality.
Where did I ever say I only fly Delta? I fly more than a dozen airlines every year and have flown millions of miles so know the customer-facing side of the global industry quite well.
If I had a magic wand, I would lock all of you that seem to have an opinion about me - and make that opinion a focal point of this and other blogs - in a padded room and not let you out until you all come to a single image of me so that I could counter it alone instead of all of the permutations. If it takes knocking off everyone except one person to get to that point, so be it.
As for your incessant "finances don't matter" comment, you surely can't be as naive as you appear. AA has been hemorrhaging money for years and continues to reduce its presence in key markets while running to its fortress hubs which are ill-equipped to handle the volume AA tries to push through them, further degrading AA's already low customer service metrics. WN was the darling of the industry for decades but didn't adapt and is now being forced to make very dramatic changes or have those changes forced on it. Ben fawns all over UA's international network all the time and yet UA aggressively overexpanded its network post covid, is now pulling back parts of its network that it added just last winter including from LAX, said before summer 2024 that its TATL network was not performing where it should be (which I have been saying for years), and now says the same thing about the Pacific - where it will have very low rates of growth compared to what it has been doing.
All of the US airlines are for-profit companies, and most are publicly traded which means there is high visibility into their finances. They simply cannot continue to do things that don't make money - and every one of the examples I cited above prove that those companies are addressing issues which I raised on this and other sites years ago.
and, the final point still remains that no one has addressed the two issues which I raised when I joined the discussion.
1. What did Ben realistically expect given that he reviewed the same aircraft type for DL just a few months ago and noted the same deficiencies he found here - and DL clearly knows about since they are in the process of modding that fleet type? Flight tracking and interior mod status is readily available on the internet for all of the US carriers - and many foreign carriers - so there should be no surprise about what one gets as soon as an aircraft number is assigned.
2. When any reviewer comes up w/ evaluations of anything that differ markedly from what aggregate, statistically large evaluators see, there should be a question as to how someone's view of the world differs from others and that is exactly the question I ask of Ben.
I just watched a piece on investing in the airline industry and the commentators actually did recommend buying US airline stocks noting that UAL has done very well this year - but is still worth just 75% of DAL as a company.
They noted that DAL remains the gold standard for the industry not just financially but also from a customer service standard. That was just another business-focused Saturday morning discussion about investing that was playing in a public place where I was this morning.
AAL and UAL should be performing similarly to DAL but they don't - and for good reasons.
The fact that DAL is at the top of the industry allows it to do things that other airlines are not doing - just as investing more of its fleet spend in new generation, highly efficient international aircraft, rebuild airport terminals and upgrade its onboard product, and open new hubs = which are growing its revenue faster than any organic hub growth at any other airline.
as hard as it is for some to admit, DL's 738s are an aberration, everyone that understands the industry knows it, and on balance, DL still delivers a stronger product and higher profits which allows it to continue to grow in more strategic places than its competitors.
Cherrypicking a bunch of anecdotal facts does not change that reality.
@Tim
1. All I can say is you really like to evade anything that does not fit your reality.
2. Didn’t Ben already answer your questions. This is what Ben wrote if you cared enough to read it through and through:
‘This was my only flight on a Delta 737-800 in a long time. When I review flights, I always share initial impressions during a trip, and then publish a full, detailed review, later...
@Tim
1. All I can say is you really like to evade anything that does not fit your reality.
2. Didn’t Ben already answer your questions. This is what Ben wrote if you cared enough to read it through and through:
‘This was my only flight on a Delta 737-800 in a long time. When I review flights, I always share initial impressions during a trip, and then publish a full, detailed review, later on. The post you're referring to were initial impressions based on the interior of the jet, and this was the full review.
Nothing changed between the flights because there weren't multiple flights. There was just one flight.
Why did I fly the Delta 737-800? Well, as I explained in the post, because I was looking for a good value SkyMiles award, and pricing was much lower when connecting to Mexico City. Delta exclusively flew 737-800s between Atlanta and Mexico City on the day I was traveling, so I had no option between flights.’
By the way, what Ben wrote to you as his reply is golden here:
‘ While I generally don't find much value in engaging with you (though you're free to yell whatever you'd like)……. I hope that clarifies things. If I were engaging with a person who could be reasoned with, they'd probably say "thanks for clarifying, that makes a lot of sense, I misunderstood." But we're talking about you, so I trust you'll ignore what I wrote, and write 1,500 words about something else. Which gets back to the first point I made, about how it's really not worth engaging with you. But gosh, I'd sure love to be proven wrong!‘
3. I never assumed you only fly with DL. I said it is shocking because you are such a Delta fanboy based on your comments but maybe not enough because if you were you would only fly on DL metal.
4. Yeah, so you do agree with my analogy which is based off of your Timmy’s very own Most Profitable =Most Premium. Since, McDonalds’s is a for profit company and it is the most profitable fast food restaurant chain then it is the most premium fast food restaurant chain.
I always wonder what the point is of reviewing US airline products on equipment that is "domestic spec". I think truly domestic routes are mostly pointless to review since we all know how lackluster they are; I guess reviews on the routes with unique planes or some of these "domestic spec" international routes are helpful as a warning to keep our expectations low.
Any review on these routes is highly suspect if given better than...
I always wonder what the point is of reviewing US airline products on equipment that is "domestic spec". I think truly domestic routes are mostly pointless to review since we all know how lackluster they are; I guess reviews on the routes with unique planes or some of these "domestic spec" international routes are helpful as a warning to keep our expectations low.
Any review on these routes is highly suspect if given better than 3 stars; unless grading on a curve against other US airlines. But what's the point? If one airline is ever so slightly less garbagey than the others, that's hardly a prize- and certainly not a reason to choose one US airline over another. The differences between these carriers are small enough it doesn't really matter (assuming you're not flying Frontier or Spirit)
@DC.
Totally agree. It is just so weird. For me, right up there with trip reviews of economy cabins. But I suppose there is something for everyone.
Dirt aside, I quite like the old-school cabin for nostalgia sake. Nice meal options/presentation. Another good TR, Lucky.
I’ve been reading this fantastic blog for a very long time, and this is my first comment ever. I have no idea why some of you still waste your time engaging in discussions with this Tim Dunn guy. It’s pretty clear to me that he either has some very deep psychological issues or he’s created a character and enjoys the attention he gets (which is equally disturbing). There is no point in throwing data and...
I’ve been reading this fantastic blog for a very long time, and this is my first comment ever. I have no idea why some of you still waste your time engaging in discussions with this Tim Dunn guy. It’s pretty clear to me that he either has some very deep psychological issues or he’s created a character and enjoys the attention he gets (which is equally disturbing). There is no point in throwing data and arguments at people like that. It’s just like playing chess with a pigeon: he’s going to fly all over the board, throw all the pieces down, sh** all over the board, and then he’s going to fly away claiming that he won. I’d just ignore him and hope that he gets treatment.
first, I have been saying for years that all I want is to be able to make my informed commentary without having a bunch of people fly off the handle = and yet the latter is exactly what has happened in the comments section of yet another article.
let me repeat the two questions I raised as part of my first response
Serious question #1, Ben.
What did you realistically expect to change...
first, I have been saying for years that all I want is to be able to make my informed commentary without having a bunch of people fly off the handle = and yet the latter is exactly what has happened in the comments section of yet another article.
let me repeat the two questions I raised as part of my first response
Serious question #1, Ben.
What did you realistically expect to change between your review of the DL 738 just a few months ago? Your pictures are just about the same as before. Your focus on the cabin was no different. Since multiple people told you then - if you didn't know which I know isn't the case - that DL is in the midst of a cabin refurbishment program on its 738s, why did you assume that you would get a brand new interior?
There are sites that track DL's aircraft mods down to the specific tail number and you somehow manage to know what to expect on Ethiopian by aircraft type but can't figure out where DL is in in the refurb progress for its aircraft?
Do you truly love to gamble so you can be offended when you don't get what you expected or are you really just bad with math?
Serious question #2
How do you and others reconcile the fact that there are objective large-scale reviews of airline services and DL's premium products consistently rank higher than its direct US competitors?
there were more than 400 replies that lined up behind Ben regarding his disastrous encounter with Egypt; I don't rubber stamp anything and THAT is why I participate in aviation social media.
Ben does exactly what I have asked him to do - let me post what I want. He at least demonstrates the tolerance of other people's dissent even if he doesn't seem to understand that is not a value that all of the world holds.
No one bothered to answer those two questions, let alone deal w/ the fact that all of these warts that Ben and others seem to find on DL clearly don't change that it is the most profitable US airline.
I don't ask anyone to have a financial interest in any airline but I do expect that people are smart enough to realize that ALL of the US airlines are for-profit companies in competitive markets.
If DL or any of them keeps doing things which the market will not support, then they will fail.
We need only look at NK and even WN which was the financial darling of the industry just a few years ago.
DL has figured out how to adapt while those two are in deep crises.
30 or 40 currently unrefurbished 738s that will get modded do not change the trajectory of DL and since Ben either chose not to investigate the very known condition of the particular aircraft he flew since the mod status of DL's 738 fleet is very well known and published online
Ben and others can selectively manage to find a few DL aircraft that are below standard in the company's onboard standards but it clearly didn't change his decision to fly that aircraft.
Further, if there was half the focus on an actual side by side comparison of what DL offers and delivers as a standard rather than the cherrypicked and manipulated anecdotes from some people, it would be clear why DL gets the revenue premium to the industry it does which is directly related to getting more high value corporate and business traffic than any other US airline.
DL knows where its product is lacking which is why the aircraft Ben flew will get an interior mod.
Other airlines have either decided they aren't even trying to compete with DL's interior standards or announced upgrades to their fleet and are even further behind executing their own upgrades than DL is on this 738.
I write to provide perspective and it doesn't matter whether the subject is DL or Vietnam Airlines.
The fact that some people get so wrapped up by what I write does give me satisfaction at the power I have. :-)
@ Tim Dunn -- While I generally don't find much value in engaging with you (though you're free to yell whatever you'd like), let me just address your first point, since you're blatantly incorrect.
This was my only flight on a Delta 737-800 in a long time. When I review flights, I always share initial impressions during a trip, and then publish a full, detailed review, later on. The post you're referring to were initial...
@ Tim Dunn -- While I generally don't find much value in engaging with you (though you're free to yell whatever you'd like), let me just address your first point, since you're blatantly incorrect.
This was my only flight on a Delta 737-800 in a long time. When I review flights, I always share initial impressions during a trip, and then publish a full, detailed review, later on. The post you're referring to were initial impressions based on the interior of the jet, and this was the full review.
Nothing changed between the flights because there weren't multiple flights. There was just one flight.
Why did I fly the Delta 737-800? Well, as I explained in the post, because I was looking for a good value SkyMiles award, and pricing was much lower when connecting to Mexico City. Delta exclusively flew 737-800s between Atlanta and Mexico City on the day I was traveling, so I had no option between flights.
So I reviewed the experience I had, because, well, that's all I can review.
You're seeming to suggest I cherry picked this flight to have a bad experience. You're absolutely right, I did cherry pick flights, but not in the way you're suggesting. Specifically, on the SCL-ATL flight, I chose one of the dates that had Delta's best A350 flying. The day before or the day after, I would've been on an ex-LATAM A350, featuring 2-2-2 seats. So I was trying to highlight the overall best experience Delta has to offer.
I hope that clarifies things. If I were engaging with a person who could be reasoned with, they'd probably say "thanks for clarifying, that makes a lot of sense, I misunderstood." But we're talking about you, so I trust you'll ignore what I wrote, and write 1,500 words about something else. Which gets back to the first point I made, about how it's really not worth engaging with you. But gosh, I'd sure love to be proven wrong!
@Ben this is one of the best comment I have read in such a very long time. Thank you. You really brightened up my weekend with a good laugh.
@Ben - why don’t you ban Tim Dunn? You would still get a lot of page views (narcissist Timmy thinks your page views are because of him). The comments would be more helpful to readers. And frankly, you’d have more people engage seriously with you and one another. Just my opinion. A long-Tim(e) anti-reader who would come back more often with Timmy gone.
@Tim is so done: I am relatively new to this blog, and I find value in the Tim's post on this topic. Instead of calling for a ban, I would like to suggest perhaps the owner of the blog can develop an ignore button option. If not possible, then you should just ignore posts.
Very hilarious analogy @Eduardo
Right out of our president elects playbook.
At least it had real air vents that is a nice plus!
The plane was dirty. I had four legs on DL in October and noticed the same. That leaves a poor impression yet you know who will spin than into something elevated DL.
Objectively, DL has the best ground service @ LAX and JFK for long-haul business class, as of now. And most soft service onboard. They also have 220s and free Wi-Fi. HOWEVER, after reading Tim Dunn's comments, i forget everything good about Delta.
what you remember or forget doesn't change what DL is, regardless of how hard it is for some to accept.
For some reason which neither you, Ben or anyone else has managed to explain, why do a couple dozen dated 738s NOT totally pull DL's entire enterprise down?
And no one else including Ben has managed to explain what he thought would be different with this 738 than he saw just a few months...
what you remember or forget doesn't change what DL is, regardless of how hard it is for some to accept.
For some reason which neither you, Ben or anyone else has managed to explain, why do a couple dozen dated 738s NOT totally pull DL's entire enterprise down?
And no one else including Ben has managed to explain what he thought would be different with this 738 than he saw just a few months ago? How can he manage to track airplanes to/from Ethiopia and decide to get on an aircraft which he knew did not have the service he wanted but couldn't figure out that the DL 738 he was boarding had yet to be refurbed?
how stupid are you, "tim"?
you're mad at Ben because Delta still has a crappy 738 and Ben still thinks it's crappy?
you need an introduction to the real world.
@Jason this is so true. I have nothing against DL and I have flown them domestically and internationally but after reading comments by Mrs. Delta it sure makes me think twice about choosing them again.
It is the same with Mrs. Hilton. I do not have anything against Hilton but it is annoying to read unhinged comments by the one and only Mrs. Hilton.
People making fun of service in Iberia a few days ago, I wish I could post some pictures of the food (a 3-course proper meal, actually) and drinks (great wine in bottles) that I was served in their domestic first class while flying from Paris to Madrid.
Boy, that food and plating look like a Michelin gourmet compared to this DL crap! Then again all US airlines serve crappy food, which is why I...
People making fun of service in Iberia a few days ago, I wish I could post some pictures of the food (a 3-course proper meal, actually) and drinks (great wine in bottles) that I was served in their domestic first class while flying from Paris to Madrid.
Boy, that food and plating look like a Michelin gourmet compared to this DL crap! Then again all US airlines serve crappy food, which is why I don't fly with them internationally, and don't care to eat the food served in domestic first class. Lounge food is >>> domestic first class.
D...D...Domestic? Paris to Madrid?
Just kidding, I'm being facetious, I get why an American flyer might call that a domestic flight. The correct term, however, would be inter-European
Actually, it is consistent with DL over the past couple of year. I thought I'd lose out when I had to switch to AA due to the hub city I moved to but honestly, glad I don't have to deal with DL anymore. They are living on their past laurels, and much happier these days with the service, condition of the plan and using my on device on AA, then the crap that is now much of DL.
I'm not sure you can convince anyone that AA is better in any way. We're all sorry for your loss.
AA isn't perfect, but they don't have any crap birds like the DL 738 or the DL763s, AA also has high speed wifi on every mainline aircraft with wifi that works globally, something Delta is a long way off from being able to say, AA has had business class lounges for a decade (Delta certainly hasn't), and AA has, by far, a better mileage program and partners.
but sure... I'm sure the seatback screens and...
AA isn't perfect, but they don't have any crap birds like the DL 738 or the DL763s, AA also has high speed wifi on every mainline aircraft with wifi that works globally, something Delta is a long way off from being able to say, AA has had business class lounges for a decade (Delta certainly hasn't), and AA has, by far, a better mileage program and partners.
but sure... I'm sure the seatback screens and sky pesos really make anyone DL Captive once you're stuck in that ecosystem with no value.
you seriously believe that an AA 737-800/MAX8 with 12 more seats than the same model for DL is superior? The drugs you take must be something else.
and AA is ripping out the seatback screens it does have on its domestic fleet so, of course, let's focus on the several score DL aircraft w/ inferior screens.
and, the 717s don't and won't have AVOD but they compete with AA's RJs - which don't and...
you seriously believe that an AA 737-800/MAX8 with 12 more seats than the same model for DL is superior? The drugs you take must be something else.
and AA is ripping out the seatback screens it does have on its domestic fleet so, of course, let's focus on the several score DL aircraft w/ inferior screens.
and, the 717s don't and won't have AVOD but they compete with AA's RJs - which don't and won't have AVOD. Ever.
As for WiFi, we've been through that before. AA has precisely ZERO aircraft that have free WiFi so, again, focus on the transition period - which will end w/ DL expanding its position as having the largest high speed free WiFi fleet in the world.
Do try just a little harder to hide your inability to be objective.
Do I think an AA 738 is better than a Delta 738? Yes. I do.
AA oasis is literally a carbon copy of the Delta Airbus retrofits in case you missed the memo. The big differences are 1. Seatback TV, obviously. 2. AA fixed the first class bulkhead issue. Delta ignored it.
AA ripped out the screens because carriers, like Delta, had such inferior outdated technology so quickly. AA chose to invest in better...
Do I think an AA 738 is better than a Delta 738? Yes. I do.
AA oasis is literally a carbon copy of the Delta Airbus retrofits in case you missed the memo. The big differences are 1. Seatback TV, obviously. 2. AA fixed the first class bulkhead issue. Delta ignored it.
AA ripped out the screens because carriers, like Delta, had such inferior outdated technology so quickly. AA chose to invest in better wifi (something they're still better at than Delta) vs constantly updating screens.
Not saying I agree with it but it does prevent reviews like this were Delta's PTV is a huge joke.
And you're so quick to talk about free wifi. lol. It only matters when it works and it DOES NOT work on a very big part of the globe. And delta is the ONLY carrier without any wifi whatsoever on many mainline aircraft. Thanks for your usual ill-informed comments.
You're drawn to me like a fly to cream, I swear. lol
Denial is not a river in Egypt. Max.
AA ripped out AVOD because it was convinced that their schedule is their service.
You can and will harp endlessly about the lack of free high speed global WiFi even though AA offers it precisely nowhere.
There is actually a pretty small part of DL's global network that does not offer any WiFi - but you, who can't stand to admit that DL will have high speed...
Denial is not a river in Egypt. Max.
AA ripped out AVOD because it was convinced that their schedule is their service.
You can and will harp endlessly about the lack of free high speed global WiFi even though AA offers it precisely nowhere.
There is actually a pretty small part of DL's global network that does not offer any WiFi - but you, who can't stand to admit that DL will have high speed WiFi within months across its entire global fleet, fixate on what doesn't work right now while ignoring the 100% where AA (or UA or WN or anyone else) trails DL.
You make stupid statements. You will be called out - regardless of what name you or anyone else uses.
You’re boring tonight and repeating your usual nonsense
Enjoy the night
Do better
You don’t read what I write and infer your own stupid delta blind allegiance on others
You’re a joke and sad
I have family on a Friday
You clearly have no one but delta that fired you
And btw
Per Wi-Fi
There’s no WiFi on delta ANYWHERE in the pacific, Asia, most of South America, or Africa
If you want a chat on WiFi, don’t tie yourself to an airline that put its money on an already outdated WiFi satellite system that can’t provide WiFi globally
and out of the 1000 aircraft in DL's mainline fleet, how many fly to Africa, S. America and Asia/Pacific combined?
DL has well over 900 mainline aircraft that DO have functioning WiFi with the majority of those - over 600 that have free high speed WiFi.
You keep repeating the same stupid lies because you can't accept that AA and UA have precisely ZERO aircraft that have free high speed WiFi and I will keep...
and out of the 1000 aircraft in DL's mainline fleet, how many fly to Africa, S. America and Asia/Pacific combined?
DL has well over 900 mainline aircraft that DO have functioning WiFi with the majority of those - over 600 that have free high speed WiFi.
You keep repeating the same stupid lies because you can't accept that AA and UA have precisely ZERO aircraft that have free high speed WiFi and I will keep posting reality.
the only person that is blind is you and your complete inability to accept reality so you make up lies that anyone with half a brain knows - which is about 10X more than you have.
and when you lose the argument based on facts, you predictably attack the messenger of the facts that you can't accept.
AA will never offer anywhere close to the product that DL does and AA will never generate revenues or profits comparable to DL.
You're so **ing stupid
Your reaction is "how much of delta's non Europe network really matters"?
Delta is the one selling a global network with free wifi, not me. Delta is the airline with an airline advertising free wifi that doesn't work domestically or basically anywhere on the delta network ex-europe.
how do you even write this stupid nonsense? lol. Where do you find the gall for this level of stupidity?
Am I the only one who thinks potato salad is an odd side for a salad? Some gazpacho or chilled soup would probably be cheaper to make in quantity and make for a more interesting meal.
Lil’ Timmy really likes his 5” tv’s and skypesos.
Why not, Daddy says they're the most PREMIUM thing you can possibly experience in your lifetime! You should be thankful to live in a time with an opportunity like this!
How many 737-800 do they have left that aren't updated interiors? I believe they are supposed to be done in early to mid 2025?
now that the panic of dealing with Ben's failures in handling his visit to Egypt has passed - which clearly overtook all other writing priorities for days on end - Ben is back to his usual diet of predictable reviews.
Serious question #1, Ben.
What did you realistically expect to change between your review of the DL 738 just a few months ago? Your pictures are just about the same as before. Your focus...
now that the panic of dealing with Ben's failures in handling his visit to Egypt has passed - which clearly overtook all other writing priorities for days on end - Ben is back to his usual diet of predictable reviews.
Serious question #1, Ben.
What did you realistically expect to change between your review of the DL 738 just a few months ago? Your pictures are just about the same as before. Your focus on the cabin was no different. Since multiple people told you then - if you didn't know which I know isn't the case - that DL is in the midst of a cabin refurbishment program on its 738s, why did you assume that you would get a brand new interior?
There are sites that track DL's aircraft mods down to the specific tail number and you somehow manage to know what to expect on Ethiopian by aircraft type but can't figure out where DL is in in the refurb progress for its aircraft?
Do you truly love to gamble so you can be offended when you don't get what you expected or are you really just bad with math?
Serious question #2
How do you and others reconcile the fact that there are objective large-scale reviews of airline services and DL's premium products consistently rank higher than its direct US competitors? Of course, it would put you out of business if you acknowledged that DL's premium cabin service rates much higher by hundreds of evaluators than AA or UA's.
Have you truly not figured out that the average passenger is not swayed by anecdotal accounts when there are clear facts that everyone that is interested in objective measures of airline service knows?
The Egyptians won. They aren't the least bit interested in having foreigners come in and tell them what is wrong w/ their country. How long have you been alive that you haven't figured out basic principles of human civilization? And I have been in Egypt including at CAI recently. It was as I expected; they didn't promise fancy terminals like SIN but everything worked not much differently than it does at ORD or LGA or FRA.
Good thing for you is that the US and US airlines aren't going to blacklist you. If you want to keep writing about them, they will always sell you a ticket even if you seem incapable of putting 2 plus 2 together and instead rehash something that you just wrote about a few months ago.
This response is unhinged lmao
Where are these "objective large-scale reviews"? How can a review (not a spec-comparison, e.g. of seat pitch and width) be objective? Ben has widely acknowledged that DL on the whole is a cut above UA and AA but obviously not in 737 First Class which is the subject of this post. The refurbishment thing means nothing to a traveler right now who is paying for a First Class ticket and receiving this outdated product.
Where are these "objective large-scale reviews"? How can a review (not a spec-comparison, e.g. of seat pitch and width) be objective? Ben has widely acknowledged that DL on the whole is a cut above UA and AA but obviously not in 737 First Class which is the subject of this post. The refurbishment thing means nothing to a traveler right now who is paying for a First Class ticket and receiving this outdated product.
Ben neither loves to gamble, nor be offended, nor is he bad at math. Next question please. It's my turn.
Serious question #1, Tim.
Are you a virgin?
Serious question #2, Tim.
What is your mental healthcare regimen? Have you discussed your internet posting habits with your providers?
Serious question #3, Tim.
Have you designated yourself an organ donor? Your brain specimen may be invaluable for future research on autism spectrum.
Question #1...No, because I'm here!
Question #2...the sooner you learn that he is NEVER wrong, and everyone else is NEVER right, the better off we all will be.
Question #3...why bother? Daddy's favorite movie character is the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz! He also closely identifies with that Lion fellow.
This response is truly odd. It's a review. Of a Delta flight. Right now. So some passengers can indeed expect this level of grime, bad TVs and uncomfy seats.
Yes, Delta may, overall, have better reviews from passengers. So what? Ben reviews many Delta flights - some good, some bad. They are reflective of the Delta experience the average passenger may get. Honestly, just chill.
Have you tried therapy? This is not a normal reaction to have. I hope you get the help you need.
sorry, but Ben proved with the posts of his Egypt experiences that people largely follow.
I am not one of the followers in anything.
I think for myself. I don't need therapy.
To Ben's credit, he tolerates dissension. It is just surprising that he thinks that speaking your mind is welcome around the world just because he - and others such as me - do it in the US and other parts...
sorry, but Ben proved with the posts of his Egypt experiences that people largely follow.
I am not one of the followers in anything.
I think for myself. I don't need therapy.
To Ben's credit, he tolerates dissension. It is just surprising that he thinks that speaking your mind is welcome around the world just because he - and others such as me - do it in the US and other parts of the west.
As to this review, some of the points above are precisely my point. When a person repeatedly reviews the same thing and they manage to see things differently than a larger universe does on a macro basis, then you have to wonder why that person fails to see what other people see.
It is no surprise that DL's 738s have a dated product; they know that and are updating it.
Ben chose to take a flight and then review it when it was clear before he ever set foot on the plane what type of interior he had.
If Ben can run around the world to chase a specific interior on Ethiopian - which is far less transparent about their fleet than DL, it is very reasonable to ask the question as to why Ben continued with the review instead of just saying "yep, same aircraft type I reviewed a couple months ago and I still have bad luck in getting one of the updated aircraft"
as for the onboard service, with 25K FAs +/- on each of the big 4, it is a given that there will be highs and there will be lows.
and yet, I can't think of a single DL review that Ben has reviewed in which he said "this was an outstanding crew - no wonder DL is at the top of so many service lists"
DL's service isn't at or near the top of the industry because of its on-time. that's just a fact.
and anyone that plays on the internet and is unable to find JD Power or unaware that they do the type of customer service measurements across all industries should take some time out to do real research
oh Tim... you don't disappoint. You are truly unhinged. And you're going to point to paid JD Power reviews? Really? You must be the only person unaware that those are paid. Of course Delta has great product oftentimes. I personally haven't found delta first class to be a cut above United or AA but Delta is also incredibly inconvenient for me and their network is pretty useless to me so I only fly them first class 2-3x per year.
Take some meds and get a club soda.
yes we know.
If it actually shows DL in a leadership position, it is all made-up data.
You ARE laughably consistent in your view of the world.
It doesn't matter what you or anyone else FINDS.
It matters what companies actually deliver.
DL manages to burn far less fuel to generate far more revenue and profits than any other US airline.
And it has nothing to do with where DL's hubs...
yes we know.
If it actually shows DL in a leadership position, it is all made-up data.
You ARE laughably consistent in your view of the world.
It doesn't matter what you or anyone else FINDS.
It matters what companies actually deliver.
DL manages to burn far less fuel to generate far more revenue and profits than any other US airline.
And it has nothing to do with where DL's hubs are - as if AA and UA and everyone else hasn't had the same 50 years to open, build and close hubs.
DL simply gets a revenue premium for its services.
All of the anecdotal evidence you and others manage to provide doesn't change it.
When someone repeats essentially the same review they did a few months ago on the same type of aircraft and somehow also manages to consistently experience mediocre service on an airline that consistently outranks its competitors, then there is a noticeable disconnect between that person and reality.
and if you don't like JD Power, have a look at DOT data.
For some reason, UA consistently trails DL in customer service metrics including complaints. AA is in a league of horrible service with NK and F9.
There are plenty of data sources that prove the point. You just don't like any of them unless they tell the story you want to tell.
It's amazing how you write so much yet prove your ignorance over and over.
I like data. I just think you don't use it. And the facts you do use are usually stale from years ago and you rarely know how to interpret them correctly. That, and you constantly seem to think the world is black and white. Delta does a good job overall. I don't hate them though you seem to think EVERYONE,...
It's amazing how you write so much yet prove your ignorance over and over.
I like data. I just think you don't use it. And the facts you do use are usually stale from years ago and you rarely know how to interpret them correctly. That, and you constantly seem to think the world is black and white. Delta does a good job overall. I don't hate them though you seem to think EVERYONE, including Lucky, hates Delta by even the simplest reviews.
You truly have no idea how Delta makes money even though they tell you in their own investor days: ~$8B from their amex deal and interior monopoly hubs where their customers have little other choice.
Grow up, "Tim".
all you said to do to prove me wrong is to provide objective, non-airline industry data that cumulatively shows that AA or UA is in the leadership position.
You can't because it doesn't exist.
DL, by every objective measure from multiple sources is at the top of the industry.
and you can't stand that - no matter how much you want to tell us that you like data or think that DL does a good job overall.
Lol. Oh “tim”
Your black and white world never ceases to amuse. I don’t hate anything. I just can live in a world where people are allowed to think delta does a good job on some things, but not in others.
Most people call that “normal”.
I can stand a lot of things, just not your stupid dogma about delta where you criticize ANYTHING critical about delta and become unhinged at obvious...
Lol. Oh “tim”
Your black and white world never ceases to amuse. I don’t hate anything. I just can live in a world where people are allowed to think delta does a good job on some things, but not in others.
Most people call that “normal”.
I can stand a lot of things, just not your stupid dogma about delta where you criticize ANYTHING critical about delta and become unhinged at obvious delta shortcomings
Dude. They fired you lol
Move on from a company that clearly wanted rid of you.
Acknowledging DL is the best among the 3 US airlines is like saying my poop smells the best compared to others. DL is crap, and so are UA and AA, and it's nowhere near any top 25 airlines in the world unless Bastian bribes Skytrax like Lufthansa and other do under the table.
Honestly, all 3 airlines steals money by selling subpar quality domestic F tickets Chill out. So yeah, go take a shower, your ignorance is blooming...
and yet there is no foreign competition in the US so what US carriers offer is what you get to choice from in the US domestic market.
Feel free to fly foreign carriers - but the vaunted ME3 and SQ can't get you to/from the largest markets in the world.
I have flown LH multiple times in the past six months and the cabin condition of their aircraft is beyond appalling. There isn't a...
and yet there is no foreign competition in the US so what US carriers offer is what you get to choice from in the US domestic market.
Feel free to fly foreign carriers - but the vaunted ME3 and SQ can't get you to/from the largest markets in the world.
I have flown LH multiple times in the past six months and the cabin condition of their aircraft is beyond appalling. There isn't a US carrier that has seats that are as consistently worn as LH's are. there is no AVOD. no charging. just barebones, worn aircraft.
I didn't say that the US carriers offer a great product.
I have said that DL's product is better than other US carriers and I can back that up w/ actual data based on what hundreds of consumers say.
DL, like every airline that has a large fleet, has some aircraft that offer a level of product that is below their own norms - which is why they are refurbishing the 738s.
Just curious
How many people need to call you a joke and unhinged before you get some self awareness?
You seem blissfully unaware that even delta employees laugh at you
Tim - Real question here….Do you actually travel or do you just spew nonsense?
As someone who is hub captive to Atlanta, and travels on average 1-2 round trips per week domestically, and 7-8 round trips per year internationally, I find your commentary laughable.
I get that you regurgitate profitability data, but unless you literally own Delta, it’s a strange hill to die on. United’s stock returns over the last couple years destroys Delta....
Tim - Real question here….Do you actually travel or do you just spew nonsense?
As someone who is hub captive to Atlanta, and travels on average 1-2 round trips per week domestically, and 7-8 round trips per year internationally, I find your commentary laughable.
I get that you regurgitate profitability data, but unless you literally own Delta, it’s a strange hill to die on. United’s stock returns over the last couple years destroys Delta. So as a consumer, which I know you aren’t based on your constant nonsense, I truly wonder what it is you get out of this.
Delta makes more in profit. Great, what do you get out of it? It’s not stock performance.
Delta makes more in profit. Great, what do you get out of it? If you actually traveled you would realize the inconsistent product is atrocious. Furthermore, if you live in Atlanta, you will consistently pay 2-3X for an inferior product versus other airlines. You better be ready for those 763’s. Unless I am going to Incheon, Paris, or Amsterdam I am always connecting. Why would I pay the same price for Delta comfort (which I get for free as a Diamond) as I do for Turkish, United, and Qatar in business class?
Again, I find it laughable you feel the need to opine on every post when it’s so obvious you never travel.
I truly wonder what it is you get out of this……
@ BK: attention. Our replies to his nonsense fill a void in an otherwise empty existance. Don't feed the throlls.
The best part about his entire scenario is that he not only doesn’t leave his basement, which is obvious based on his rhetoric, but he quite literally is a mental midget when it comes to investing.
Could you imagine regurgitating profitability data and not having a clue that 99% of the world chooses not to invest in airlines because they make no money (comparatively)?
Tim - Let me know how the EBITDA of Delta compares to a teenager’s lawn mowing business.
I could be wrong, but it looks like Delta is using Aeromexico cutlery and Aeromexico serviceware. What's pictured is NOT the Alessi cutlery and serviceware.
Before the pandemic, some of the "business-class" routes to Latin America and the Caribbean out of Atlanta had printed menus and pillows/brankets.
I thought I read somewhere that Delta's 757 service to Colombia is now being branded as premium-economy, not business and not first. Similar to the 757s going to...
I could be wrong, but it looks like Delta is using Aeromexico cutlery and Aeromexico serviceware. What's pictured is NOT the Alessi cutlery and serviceware.
Before the pandemic, some of the "business-class" routes to Latin America and the Caribbean out of Atlanta had printed menus and pillows/brankets.
I thought I read somewhere that Delta's 757 service to Colombia is now being branded as premium-economy, not business and not first. Similar to the 757s going to Iceland, Shannon and Gatwick.
What, no TimmyTirade yet?
Daddy responded PERFECTLY above with his opinion based facts that are NEVER wrong. Numbers or data? He never needs them...his made-up opinions about the world's #1 PREMIUM airline are immaculate!
Just a note, there are actually three different interiors for the Delta 737-800s at the moment. You definitely got the worst of them. These are being refreshed with the newest first class seats, and a few of those planes are flying right now. There are also some of the 800's somewhere in the middle of those two, with the old seats, but with better (larger and newer) entertainment screens.
I wonder what is happening with the new retrofit… seems like it was announced a year ish ago and I’ve yet to be on one. Most often I get the middle of the pack one with old interiors and modern screens.
Hey Ben! I like this post. Delta really should update the interiors, but that costs money $$$. And why spend the money, when people will fly it anyway. Also, Delta's 737-800 are old, so they will be retired after their next retrofit. ANYONE AGREE??
"And why spend the money, when people will fly it anyway." You summed up the entire airline industry in the US, in one sentence.
I read somewhere that around 75% of that fleet have been updated with new interiors already and the rest of the fleet should be done within 6 months or so.
Good review, and what I expect from DL.
Just as an FYI, that picture of the airport from high up is NOT MEX airport, where you landed. i"m pretty sure it's the new airport that the previous president had built, which is very very far from the city itself. It's NLU airport. MEX was supposed to close down and they had started building a new replacement airport immediately to the north of it. You can...
Good review, and what I expect from DL.
Just as an FYI, that picture of the airport from high up is NOT MEX airport, where you landed. i"m pretty sure it's the new airport that the previous president had built, which is very very far from the city itself. It's NLU airport. MEX was supposed to close down and they had started building a new replacement airport immediately to the north of it. You can see the taxiways and much of the airport when you take off from MEX. Instead, the president of Mexico had that project stopped, flooded the grounds so it could never be developed, and had NLU developed and opened, which is what you took a picture of. You can read a lot about it everywhere online - tons of information.
@ Jason -- Whoops, good catch about the airport, thanks! Updating post to update that.
You're right that is NLU! just look at google maps and you can see it clearly
What a JV will do to these sorts of routes. Case in point:
I flew this route a week ago, round trip, and it was horrible.
Returning I was on one of the ancient 738's with the tiny screens, non-existent wifi, flight tracker and IFE.
Only upside was arriving terminal F mid-day it was a ghost town. Gate F02, through GE and in my car in 11 minutes. Of course none of this can be attributed to DL.
The FA's, for the most part, were apathetic and disengaged.
"The FA's, for the most part, were apathetic and disengaged."
Welcome to flying in the United States...
Sadly it's become more and more common.
Everyone knows what's coming...
Yep, my daddy will be along shortly, as soon as he showers off his latest layer of Ed Bastian's ectoplasm...