Delta Will Give Business Customers Travel Credits If Its On-Time Rate Dips Below Both United & American

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In a move that seems meant to reassure business customers while simultaneously patting itself on the back for a job well-done, Delta Air Lines is talking up its current lead over United Airlines and American Airlines in the area of on-time flights by promising to pay travel credits into corporate accounts if it falls behind its rivals.

With 83.7% of mainline flights arriving on time in the 12 months through December, Delta is currently No. 3 for on-time arrivals, which is defined by the government as any flight that lands within within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival. It’s only behind non-global carriers Alaska Airlines and Hawaii Airlines at the first two spots, while American and United came in at sixth and seventh places in 2014, respectively.

“We’ve been focused on relentless operational success, because any carrier could replicate anything we do, whether it be seats or food or Sky Clubs, but they can’t replicate our performance,” Bob Somers, vice present of global sales told Bloomberg.

If both — not one or the other — American and United beat Delta’s on-time and completion rates for a year, Delta will award travel credits of $1,000 to $250,000 to businesses with a contract. The amount of credits offered will vary depending on those who suffer the most delays and cancellations.

It’s a bit of a long shot that Delta will have to pay up, however — the deal doesn’t take into account international flights or regional affiliates, and United and American would have to significantly up their game to outdo Delta as well: according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, their on-time rates for the 12 months ending in December 2014 were 75.99% and 75.79%, respectively.

Delta to Pay Business Fliers If It’s Later Than American, United [Bloomberg]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist