Delta Air Lines Recognized as Best Airline to North America by Grupo Companhia
Award recognizes airline´s commitment to the Brazilian market and ongoing efforts to enhance the travel experience
(Photo: http://news.delta.com/file.php/2969/delta_premio-39.JPG)
SÃO PAULO, Brazil, Feb. 28, 2013 –Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) was recognized as the “Best Airline to North America” award on the Prêmio Destaque Companhia de Viagem, delivered by Grupo Companhia, responsible for travel magazine and television show Companhia de Viagem. In its second edition, the award was created to recognize the best tourism services for Brazilian customers in 15 categories.
“We are excited to receive this recognition because it is a testament to our efforts to become the best U.S. airline in Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Nicolas Ferri, Delta´s vice president— Latin America and the Caribbean. “Being recognized by travel industry peers echoes the preference that customers are demonstrating by selecting Delta Air Lines for their business and leisure travel to and from Latin America.”
The award ceremony took place last night at Museu Brasileiro da Escultura – Mube, and the winners were announced by Marcio Moraes, CEO of Grupo Companhia, TV show presenter and master of ceremonies for the event. Christophe Didier, Delta´s Director- Brazil and Multi National Accounts, received the award on behalf of Delta.
“Delta is honored to be recognized as the Best Airline to North America by Companhia de Viagem. I want to thank our Brazilian team for their relentless dedication to excellence and to Delta’s vision to become the best airline in Latin America and the Caribbean,” Didier said. “Delta values greatly customer feedback and the recognition proves that when you listen to your customers and invest in their comfort and experience, their preference and loyalty follow.”
“I am thrilled to be honoring Delta Air Lines as the Best Airline to North America at the most important travel awards in Brazil, Prêmio Destaque Companhia de Viagem Brazilians are traveling more than ever before, with North America being the number 1 international destination,” said Marcio Moraes, CEO of Grupo Companhia. “Delta Air Lines’ commitment to the passengers is superior in the industry, as shown through their outstanding service and technological innovation. It is clear that each traveler is Delta’s number one priority, making them an easy choice for our number one airline to North America.”
Delta has invested $3 billion over the last two years to improve customer experience, and also made an investment in strategic regional partnerships such as the one with GOL. Through its alliance with GOL, Delta offers access to more interior Brazil destination points than any other U.S. airline. Delta customers can travel to 21 cities through Brazil covering 99 percent of the destinations passengers traveling from the U.S. want to visit. Delta operates 35 nonstop weekly flights between Brazil and the U.S., including from Atlanta, Detroit and New York-JFK to Sao Paulo, as well as from Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia.
Passengers flying to and from Brazil on Delta´s BusinessElite cabin enjoy a full range of premium products for a comfortable, relaxed, and productive in-flight experience, including full flat-bed seats. Delta also announced that beginning in June 2013 the BusinessElite cabin will offer the new In-Flight bedding by Westin Heavenly which includes a Westin Heavenly sleeping pillow and a high thread count comforter with extra-luxurious loft, as well as a lumbar pillow for passengers on flights of more than 12 hours, designed and manufactured exclusively for Delta.
Additional investments to enhance customer experience include the recently redesigned menu for BusinessElite by Chef Michelle Bernstein as well as Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson's upgraded wine program, state-of-the-art entertainment system with library of 250 movies, 100 TV programs, 50 hours of HBO, video games and kid-friendly programs, priority check-in and baggage claim and the new amenity kit featuring Tumi and Malin+Goetz products.
In terms of technology innovation, last month Delta launched its Fly Delta app for iPad, part of a $140 million investment in technology and the latest in a phased rollout of a significantly improved online and digital customer experience, which also included the 2012 launches of the new delta.com in November and revamped self-service kiosks in September.
Seeking to enhance Portuguese-speaking customer experience, last summer Delta launched two new social media channels, fostering communications through different channels. Delta’s Twitter channel, @DeltaAjuda, provides real-time customer support before, during, and after travel, while the Facebook channel goes beyond customer service to provide helpful Brazil specific travel tips and guidance to enhance the travel experience for Brazilian consumers. It may be found at: http://www.facebook.com/DeltaAirLinesBrasil.
About Delta Air Lines
Delta is working to become the best U.S. carrier in Latin America and the Caribbean. As part of that goal Delta has established a long-term exclusive alliance with GOL Línhas Aereas Inteligentes investing more than US $100 million in GOL. Likewise, Delta has invested more than US $65 million in Aeroméxico as part of a long-term exclusive commercial alliance and entered a code sharing agreement with Aerolíneas Argentinas solidifying its footprint in Latin America. Executive Travel magazine recognized Delta with the Gold Leading Edge Award for the Best Flight Experience to Mexico. Delta provides service to 32 countries and 43 destinations in the region offering more than 1,000 weekly flights between Latin America and the U.S. Spanish speaking Delta customers can receive real-time, on-the-go travel assistance in Spanish and Portuguese through its Twitter channels @DeltaAssist_ES and @DeltaAjuda 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST. Brazilian customers can also access Delta´s dedicated Brazil Facebook page visiting http://www.facebook.com/DeltaAirLinesBrasil.
Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. During the past year, Delta won 33 airline industry awards sweeping the major corporate travel surveys including Business Travel News, Travel Weekly, Travel Age West, Recommend Magazine and The Beat. Delta was also a recipient of the Secretary of Defense Freedom Award for exceptional support of National Guard and Reserve employees. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 319 destinations in 59 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 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.
