| October, 2007 |  |
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Detroit adds laptop charging stations
Detroit Metro has installed free laptop-charging stations in the Smith Terminal. Converted from unused phone banks, each charging area has a seat, a shelf and four electrical outlets. A station is located near Spirit Airlines’ gates in Concourse C. Another station is near the restrooms on the main level behind the check-in counters. More are planned for Concourses A and B.
Delta joins the blogosphere
Delta has become the latest airline to join the blogosphere after the carrier rolled out its “Under the Wing” blog yesterday. The blog opens with a post from Lee Macenczak, Delta’s executive vice president of marketing and sales, who says the effort is part of an outreach by “the new Delta” to connect “with our customers in ways we’ve never done before.”
Macenczak adds that “over the last few months we’ve received thousands of ideas at delta.com/change on how we can enhance the travel experience. So, we decided to add a blog to the site, where you can hear directly from Delta leaders on some of your most passionate and inspiring ideas, as well as some of the changes we’ve got coming.” The blog includes an e-mail link for those with story ideas.
Among the first comments submitted to the blog, one reader says: “This is a gutsy move… One that I admire. I hope it can stay civil, so there can be meaningful discussions.” Another adds that “as long as this is not a marketing tool, this is a brilliant idea. It’s a more personal way to hear from your customers.”
Spirit CEO accidentally hits ‘reply to all,’ tells flier ‘we owe him nothing’
Spirit is generating headlines in the blogosphere after its CEO apparently accidentally hit “reply to all” while addressing a customer-service complaint the airline received from a first-time customer. The incident began with a letter from “James and Christine” of Orlando, with the pair asking for compensation because they missed a concert in Atlanta after their Spirit flight was delayed by about three hours. They also cited poor customer service in asking to reimbursed not only for their $73.60 airfare, but also for their hotel, concert tickets and airport parking -– a grand total of $376.84.
The couple’s request seemed unremarkable, but thanks to a post on the blog AlexRudloff.com, the complaint got new life this week after the couple e-mailed Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza directly, copying several other Spirit employees on the complaint. That’s when Baldanza hit “reply to all” -– presumably by accident. According to AlexRudloff.com, Baldanza asked a staffer to get back to the couple, saying in the reply that “we owe him nothing as far as I’m concerned. Let him tell the world how bad we are. He’s never flown us before anyway and will be back when we save him a penny.” Prior to the couple’s e-mail to Baldanza, the e-mail chain posted on AlexRudloff.com indicates the couple was offered up to $200 in Spirit travel vouchers, but the pair said they instead preferred to be reimbursed in cash.
Unfortunately for Spirit, Alex Rudloff’s post on the story has been gaining momentum. It’s now been picked up by several other blogs, including The Consumerist, Jaunted, Gadling, elliot.org, Upgrade: Travel Better and on a blog by FareCompare.com CEO Rick Seaney.
BALTIMORE
Rock the time away in new chairs
Baltimore/Washington International has installed 25 wooden rocking chairs in the main terminal's Observation
Gallery, where visitors can look out onto the airfield. The chairs were manufactured by North Carolina-based
P&P Chair, which created the high-backed rocking chairs used by President John F. Kennedy to relieve his back pain.
| October, 2007 | |
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