Seattle-based flight attendant Christie Colegrove, a 25-year Northwest Airlines veteran, will hang up her Northwest uniform in exchange for a new Delta Air Lines’ uniform. Colegrove is joining nearly 40,000 flight attendants, pilots, airport lounge representatives, ticket counter and gate agents who now wear Delta uniforms — one of the first outwardly visible signs that the two airlines are now one. Delta’s $500 million investment to integrate the two airlines takes center stage this week in U.S. hubs — including Detroit, Memphis and Minneapolis-St. Paul — with new Delta signage appearing at more than 400 ticket counters, gates and baggage claim areas within the three airports. Delta has already rebranded 119 airports worldwide.
The airline expects to have all domestic airports transformed by year’s end, with all international locations scheduled for completion in 2010. By the end of next year, nearly 250 pre-merger Northwest mainline aircraft will be painted in Delta’s red, white and blue flagship colors. To date, 33 Northwest-branded aircraft have already been repainted. Also by year’s end, all Delta- and Northwest-operated mainline aircraft will feature similar interiors, including Delta’s standard blue leather seats and carpet. The two airlines merged last October. They have also synchronized flight schedules and aligned route maps.
Product and service improvements to be seen this week include expanded first class food offerings, more meals served on flights 900 miles or greater, as well as a wider variety of snacks on flights over 250 miles. Economy class food offerings have also been expanded. Customers traveling in economy class on all Northwest-operated mainline flights of more than 250 miles will enjoy the return of free snacks, as well as the introduction of Delta’s food-for-purchase program, EATS, on flights over 600 miles. Onboard entertainment will also be expanded. For more information, visit http://www.delta.com/.
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