So, Delta's Chief Customer Experience Officer, Erik Snell, sends out this letter saying everything's peachy for holiday travel, even with the government shutdown looming. Right. Nine out of ten flights arriving on time? That's the claim, anyway. You can read the An update for Delta customers from Chief Customer Experience Officer Erik Snell - Delta News Hub.
Let's be real, that's PR 101. "Use the Fly Delta app!" they chirp. Easy for them to say when they ain't stuck in some overcrowded terminal with screaming kids and a rapidly dwindling supply of overpriced airport snacks. Delta wants us to believe they're ready for anything. But are they really?
And these "stories" from customers about "exceptional service and care"? Give me a break. I’m sure some people have good experiences, but I’m willing to bet those folks ain't writing angry blog posts about it. It's called cherry-picking, folks. They pick the good stories to make themselves look good.
I mean, come on, they successfully "navigated the longest government shutdown in history." That's their benchmark for success? Just surviving? Is that what passes for excellence these days?
The letter says operations are "running normally despite uncertainty." Uncertainty is putting it mildly. A government shutdown ain't just a minor inconvenience; it's a cascading clusterfuck of potential delays, understaffed security lines, and general chaos. And Delta thinks a few kind words from Erik Snell are gonna make it all go away?
It's like they're trying to gaslight us. "Don't worry your pretty little heads, folks, Delta's got this!" But what happens when air traffic controllers start calling in sick because they ain't getting paid? What happens when TSA agents start walking off the job? Delta's "normal operations" go right out the window, that's what.
Then again, maybe I'm the crazy one here. Maybe I'm just too jaded to believe anything a corporate PR flack says.
Delta's got 100,000 employees worldwide. That's a lot of people. And Erik Snell oversees the end-to-end customer experience, including 60,000 team members. Aint that a lot of mouths to feed? And a lot of potential points of failure?
They're encouraging customers to use the Fly Delta app. Okay, fine. But what about the elderly folks who can't figure out how to use a smartphone? Or the people who don't have access to reliable internet? Are they just screwed? Maybe. It seems like we are moving to a world where if you don't have a smartphone you are left behind, and offcourse that is not right.
Let's not forget the history of air travel. Remember all those times airlines promised smooth sailing and delivered… well, the opposite? I do.
Delta's letter is nothing more than corporate damage control. They're trying to reassure passengers and investors that everything's under control. But let's be real: a government shutdown throws a wrench into everything. Nine out of ten flights on time? I'll believe it when I see it. And I'm not holding my breath.
Chief: What Does It Even Mean Anymore?
2025-11-17
