Delta Red Coats Return - An Open Letter to Virginia Avenue

The famous Red Coat customer service agents are back. I've attached a pic that appeared today in USA Today.

The Delta of today in no way resembles the Delta that was around when the Red Coats established themselves as the greatest customer service team I've ever worked with in travel.

So why am I calling this an open letter?

The old Delta was a famously friendly, customer service oriented airline. I remember many occasions when I personally tracked down a Red Coat. In those days, these people had power and could do things for passengers without having their hands tied. I remember a lady agent in SLC who took me into her office and personally overrode the computer and upgraded my daughter to first class with me on an upcoming trip to Madrid.

But today, Delta is managed, operated, and simply run by people who were not around in those days. Most Delta elite customers have held on for dear life as we have seen this airline contort, compress, and god-knows-what-else. We have seen our elite privileges "enhanced" (sarcasm intended), and our options virtually evaporate.

Whereas this is the norm in the airline business, us "oldtimers" have put in more time on Delta metal than these new managers have been in their offices in ATL.

So to these new people:

Please, allow the Red Coats to solve problems as they did in the old days. Please, do not handicap them, and attach strings to them. Please give them the latitude to make decisions without having to "check with a supervisor".

Please.

Life has changed so much. Older folks like myself remember simpler, better, calmer, less complicated times. It would be nice to see this kind of spirit return to Delta.

I've flown over 4,000,000 miles with these guys. They have been a big part of my adult life.

Please