Delta Earns Business Travel News Top Rating for 2012

Airline earns second consecutive win, sweeps all 10 categories

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Nov 27, 2012, 04:00 ET

ATLANTA, Nov. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate travel managers again rated Delta Air Lines No. 1 in this year's Business Travel News Annual Airline Survey. The airline ranked first among all carriers in key categories including: Value of Relationships with Account Managers and Sales Representatives; Distribution Channels; Complaint/Problem Resolution; Quality of Customer Service; and Networks, Airline Partnerships and Frequencies.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090202/DELTALOGO )

Delta also earned the distinction of being the first carrier in the survey's 15-year history to be rated No. 1 in all 10 categories.

"This award reflects how our most important corporate customers continue to embrace the $3 billion we are investing to improve our flying experience while highlighting the hard work and service commitment of our 80,000 employees," said Ed Bastian, Delta's president. "Recognition from our most frequent customers is the most important recognition we can receive. To finish first a second year in a row and in all 10 service delivery categories is a great acknowledgement of our efforts to build a better airline."

"We offer our congratulations to Delta Air Lines for their strong showing across all the categories we measured in our latest Annual Airline Survey. Their efforts over the past several years are clearly resonating within the business travel community," said Tim Reid, vp-Group publisher, The BTN Group.

Through 2013, Delta is investing more than $3 billion in airport facilities, global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customer improvements include a $1.2 billion facility renovation at New York-JFK's Terminal 4, a $160 million project to modernize LaGuardia's Terminals C and D, as well as updating the Los Angeles airport jet bridges, baggage claim hall and ticket counter areas and other facility improvements in Salt Lake City and Seattle.

Onboard Delta is adding full flat-bed seats to all BusinessElite cabins and enhancing in-flight food, beverages, entertainment and amenities. In 2012 Delta expanded its popular Economy Comfort seating and completed Wi-Fi access to its fleet of more than 800 two-class aircraft. Beginning in 2013, customers will benefit from additional productivity and entertainment options when the airline adds streaming content to all two-class aircraft and satellite based Wi-Fi to its fleet of international widebody aircraft.

In and around the airport, Delta is updating technology on delta.com and at kiosks to enhance the purchase experience and improve transaction times. The airline also is adding recharging stations at more than the 30 airports, supplying power to customers' electronic devices.

Operationally, Delta's on-time and completion factor rank among the industry's best, while its results in mishandled baggage and customer complaints have decreased 24 percent and 37 percent, respectively, compared to 2011.

The annual Business Travel News survey is voted on by corporate travel managers who are key influencers of business travel decisions. Participating airlines surveyed include American, Southwest, United and US Airways.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. During the past year, Delta was named domestic "Airline of the Year" by the readers of Travel Weekly magazine, was named the "Top Tech-Friendly U.S. Airline" by PCWorld magazine for its innovation in technology, won the Business Travel News Annual Airline Survey and was the recipient of 12 Executive Travel Magazine Leading Edge Awards for U.S. airlines. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 313 destinations in 58 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, a world-class airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $3 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.