Most passengers I’ve talked to in the Northwest and Delta communities have been pretty gloomy about the merger of the two airlines. Many see it as an excuse to cut out the best aspects of either airline and merge all of the cost-saving and sloppy parts together, from the old aircraft to frequent flier benefits to business lounges in the airport.
What’s done is done however, and we now need to start looking forward to a new global airline with new marketing, strategies and attitudes towards customer service. With that in mind, Gadling has put together the The top five reasons to be happy about the Delta and Northwest Merger
- More routes: With the combined volume or routes between the two airlines it should be easier to get from point A to point B on one airline, check your luggage straight through and deal with one customer service line.
- Better award availability: For those of us who do invest in frequent flier mile programs, it will also be easier to cash in our miles on the larger volume of available routes — without changing carriers.
- In-flight entertainment: Many of Delta’s domestic aircraft are outfitted with in-seat LCD screens. For those of you without a laptop or book on the plane, this can be a lifesaver for longer flights. Hopefully they’ll start upgrading the NW fleet as well.
- Reciprocal upgrades: It used to be that elite members from one carrier carrier didn’t get upgrades into first class on the other. With all aircraft now flying under the same banner, NW passengers can expect upgrades out of Cincinnati and Atlanta while DL passengers can get the same out of Memphis, Detroit or Minneapolis.
- Northwest flight attendants will now get to wear nifty red hats!
Don’t get me wrong either — there’s plenty to complain about in the merger, especially as we all consider the future of our miles and investments in each airline. These pros are but a silver lining as the merger clouds begin to form. Get ready for a storm.