[daveapage]

Travelers today expect delays (security & airline), lost luggage, poor service and few amenities. Sentiment towards the airlines is poor. This low level of expectation is an opportunity for carriers like Delta.
I am traveling today with my family. Wife and 3 daughters, 6, 3 and 9 months. Right now we are not seated together. I think my 6 & 3 year old are together. My wife is with our infant (near by) and I am several rows away. I am sure some nice person will switch with me but still, how did this happen?
Here is the deal – Establish a Family First Policy.
Reason: Almost everyone has a family – treat them right and everyone will take notice. Secondly, traveling with kids is a pain-in-the-ass so make it easier and everyone benefits. There is nothing worse then a crying kid.

Simple changes that would make a huge difference.

1) Families board first (with people who need special assistance). Promote this policy
2) Families all sit together. If you are retired or single put them in an area of the plane where they can relax and enjoy their flight and not be around kids who may fuss. Existing parents are much more patient with other people’s children and more likely to help out someone whose child is misbehaving. Kids also find other kids as a source of entertainment – leverage this cure for boredom.
3) Play areas: There are always delays – Buy a bunch of toys and games and designate an area in the terminal next to the gates where families can all hang out and watch their kids. Again, reduce child boredom is key. I guarantee you other parents from other airlines will in the Delta play areas.
4) Give kids airlines swag. Flying on a plane is exciting for kids, play on this positive feeling and keep the kids happy and entertained. A happy kid results in a happy parent. I remember getting wings from nice pilots and flight attendants when I was a kid. What happened?
5) Additional service: Have the flight attendants over service families by providing juice boxes, coloring books, cool healthy snacks etc.

Delta has a huge opportunity to improve the travel experience for all their patrons by better servicing the traveling family. These services cost little $$ and promote our societies core values, taking care of families.

Maybe today, I’ll sit with my family for our 3 hour flight. If not, I wish the current passengers good luck with my 6 and 3 year old!

David Page

[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

Bring-on AIR AMTRAK!

This is another example of the need for a government-supported airline which would not have profit as a motive, but only service to the public. Such an airline should be limited to using secondary airports (Example: Islip, White Plains, or Newburgh in NEW YORK to Burbank or Long Beach in CALIFORNIA). This would limit the competitive effect on the for-profit airlines. On the other hand, it’s possible the for-profit airlines might feel pressure to clean-up their act when it comes to delays—weather-related and otherwise. The, comparatively, light traffic at these airports allow them to continue operating, without delays, when a larger airport, say 30 miles away, has major delays due to the extra “spacing” of flights required by bad weather.

In return for the inconvenience of traveling through a secondary airport, families could receive, for perhaps a modest surcharge, the amenities described above. Likewise, the handicapped would be guaranteed accommodations compatable with their condition. For “people of size,” there could be two seats “blocked-out” on each flight. Hence, this government-supported airline would be directed at the IN-frequent flyer.

The US-based for-profit airlines make their money from full-fare coach tickets, first class tickets, and men and women, in business suits, with laptop in tow. Families, the handicapped, the elderly, and college students, are seen by these airlines as an unavoidable annoyance. Indeed, this “annoyance” sometimes takes the form of open hostility, on the part of gate agents and flight attendants, for no good reason. Who has NOT heard the story of the Continental Express (Express Jet Airlines) flight attendant who kicked a mother, and her 5-year old son, off the plane because the boy wouldn’t stop saying “bye, bye plane.”

For the foreseeable future, these circumstances will probably not only NOT change—it will get WORSE!

[Corbel]

David, i do hope you can find a few to switch with you, im sure someone will.
1)they still allow families with small children to board, its just some of those travellers who dont have a family who still think they get to board first just to be the first ones on the plane..dont understand that lol
2) the last flight i took on KLM there was a family sitting in row 12 or so on a 747, they were letting their kid run all around the aircraft on this 9 hour flight, so even letting the retired people and single people, doesn't mean their going to get a quiet place on the plane, i would love the back 10 rows to be for families, that would be GREAT!!
3)play areas would also be great. i know in chicago o'hare terminal 5 they do have a few play areas around the terminal which is nice for kids
4) i loved the wings too!! i guess they cost too much money to make, when i worked for an airline we gave kids a coloring book, crayons and wings.

but as you stated.."These services cost little $$ and promote our societies core values, taking care of families" thats why the airlines wont do the extra service or wings....money

have a safe flight