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Delta Eliminates SkyMiles Expiration

SkyMiles members gain new industry-leading benefit
Feb 15, 2011

ATLANTA, Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today announced it has eliminated the SkyMiles mileage expiration, creating a new industry-leading benefit for all members. This program change is effective for all accounts as of Jan. 1, 2011, and makes Delta the only major U.S. carrier without mileage expiration.

Previously, miles expired 24 months after a member’s last qualifying mileage activity, which required a member to earn or redeem miles within that period.

“Now that our massive frequent flyer program integration is complete, we are focused on smart ways to improve the SkyMiles program for all members,” said Jeff Robertson, Delta’s vice president – SkyMiles. “We know how much customers value their miles, so eliminating mileage expiration is a major win for them. This is yet another benefit that sets us apart from the pack, making Delta a clear leader in loyalty program benefits.”

This change is the latest of several enhancements made to the SkyMiles program in the last year including the new Diamond Medallion tier with complimentary lounge access and Rollover Medallion Qualification Miles. These features complement other recent changes such as the elimination of all award redemption fees and a free first checked bag on Delta flights for Gold, Platinum and Reserve Delta SkyMiles credit card holders from American Express.

Members can look forward to more in 2011, including significant improvements to delta.com such as an upgraded award travel calendar, improved booking process and better flight information displays. Additionally, Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members can expect several new benefits when flying select alliance partner airlines – including Air France, KLM, Alitalia and Alaska Airlines.

Now in its 30th year, SkyMiles is one of the longest-running and most successful loyalty programs in the travel industry. Last year, frequent flyers redeemed more than 264 billion miles in the SkyMiles program for more than 12 million award redemptions. In 2010, 8.3 percent of revenue miles flown on Delta were for award travel. Delta offers more ways to redeem frequent flyer miles than any other airline, including airline tickets, mileage upgrades, car rentals, hotel stays, Delta Sky Club memberships, merchandise and more than 30 types of gift cards. SkyMiles was named “Best Domestic Frequent Flyer program” for 2007 through 2010 by readers of Executive Travel magazine and “Best Frequent Flyer Program” for 2006 through 2010 by Business Traveler magazine. For more information on the SkyMiles program, Medallion status and mileage redemption options, visit delta.com/skymiles.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 357 destinations in 66 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 75,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline’s service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, the world’s largest airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $2 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.

All SkyMiles program rules apply to SkyMiles program membership, miles, offers, mile accrual, mile redemption and travel benefits. The rules are subject to change. To review the rules, please visit delta.com/memberguide. Taxes for Award Travel are the responsibility of the passenger and must be paid at the time the ticket is booked. Award Travel seats are limited and may not be available on all flights or in all markets. Alliance partner airline benefits subject to change and subject to the terms and conditions of each partner. Offers and benefits subject to change without notice.

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    Pinnacle Bird Strike


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    What: Delta/Pinnacle Airlines Canadair CRJ-440 en route from Columbia,MO to Memphis,TN
    Where: Memphis
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    Why: On approach to Memphis International Airport, the flight incurred a bird strike. The flight made a safe landing.

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    Aircraft Accident Rate is Lowest in History – Still Room for Improvement, Regional Concerns Remain

    Tokyo – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced the aviation safety performance for 2010 showing that the year’s accident rate for Western-built jet aircraft as the lowest in aviation history.

    The 2010 global accident rate (measured in hull losses per million flights of Western-built jet aircraft) was 0.61. That is equal to one accident for every 1.6 million flights. This is a significant improvement of the 0.71 rate recorded in 2009 (one accident for 1.4 million flights). The 2010 rate was the lowest in aviation history, just below the 2006 rate of 0.65. Compared to 10 years ago, the accident rate has been cut 42% from the rate recorded in 2001. A hull loss is an accident in which the aircraft is destroyed or substantially damaged and is not subsequently repaired.

    “Safety is the number one priority. Achieving the lowest accident rate in the history of aviation shows that this commitment is bearing results. Flying is safe. But every fatality is a human tragedy that reminds us of the ultimate goal of zero accidents and zero fatalities. We must remain focused and determined to move closer to this goal year by year,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

    In absolute numbers, 2010 saw the following results:

    • 2.4 billion people flew safely on 36.8 million flights (28.4 million jet, 8.4 million turboprop)
    • 17 hull loss accidents involving western-built jet aircraft compared to 19 in 2009
    • 94 accidents (all aircraft types, Eastern and Western built) compared to 90 in 2009
    • 23 fatal accidents (all aircraft types) compared to 18 in 2009
    • 786 fatalities compared to 685 in 2009

    IATA member airlines outperformed the industry average with a Western-built jet hull loss rate of 0.25. That rate is equal to one accident for every 4 million flights. The IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) became a condition of IATA membership from 1 April 2009. All 234 IATA member airlines are now on the IOSA registry. The IOSA registry is open to all airlines and it currently consists of over 350 airlines.

    “The numbers tell the story. In the first full year after the IOSA became a condition of IATA membership, the accident rate for IATA carriers has never been so low. The data confirms that IOSA is helping to drive safety improvements around the world. It is an important part of a comprehensive safety strategy involving governments and industry working together to further reduce the number of accidents and fatalities,” said Bisignani.

    There are significant regional differences in the Western built jet hull loss accident rate:

    • North America (0.10), Europe (0.45), North Asia (0.34) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (0.0) performed better than the global average of 0.61
    • Asia-Pacific was higher than the global average at 0.80 in 2010 and about the same from the previous year (0.86)
    • The Middle East and North Africa region saw its accident rate fall significantly to 0.72 (compared to 3.32 in 2009) with only one accident involving a carrier from the region
    • Latin America & the Caribbean reported a higher accident rate of 1.87 with four airlines from the region involved in accidents, compared with a zero accident rate in 2009
    • Africa had an accident rate of 7.41, which was lower than the 2009 rate of 9.94. While showing improvement, Africa once again has the worst rate in the world. There were four Western-built jet hull losses with African carriers in 2010. African carriers are 2% of global traffic, but 23% of global western-built jet hull losses.

    Safety in Africa

    In 2010, the accident rate of IOSA carriers in Africa (for all aircraft types) was more than 50% better than non-IOSA airlines. Among IATA’s efforts in Africa, it established the IATA Program for Safe Operations in Africa (IPSOA). IPSOA ensured that flight data analysis tools are available to all IATA carriers in Africa, and as of the last quarter of 2010, all IATA carriers have this essential safety tool in place. IPSOA will provide IATA with the data needed to develop safety programs targeted at specific challenges in the region.

    “Flying must be equally safe in all parts of the world. An accident rate in Africa that is over 12 times the global average is not acceptable. Improvements can happen. IATA’s African carriers performed significantly better than non-IATA airlines in the region. I encourage all governments in the region to make use of the IOSA tool to boost the region’s performance,” said Bisignani.

    An analysis of the causes of the 2010 accidents focuses on several areas:

    Runway excursions, which are instances when an aircraft departs the runway during takeoff or landing, were once again the most common cause of accidents, accounting for 21% of all accidents in 2010 (vs. 26% in 2009). The number of industry runway excursions accidents dropped by 13% (20 vs. 23 in 2009) and IATA members have reduced their runway excursion accidents by 43% since 2008 (4 vs. 7 in 2008).

    IATA analysis shows about 35% of runway excursions on landing occurred on wet runways. Another leading cause of runway excursions on landing is an “unstable approach,” where the aircraft is approaching too fast, too high, or touches down beyond the desired runway touchdown point. IATA is working with industry and regulators to address this safety challenge.

    In 2009, IATA released the Runway Excursion Risk Reduction (RERR) toolkit which provides high-level reference material as well as an in-depth analysis of runway excursion accident data and a compilation of significant risk factors. The toolkit also provides recommendations for operators, pilots, airports, air traffic management, and regulators. A major update to the RERR toolkit is planned for the spring of 2011 and will bring together all major international safety organizations in a collaborative effort to eliminate these types of accidents.

    Ground damage accounted for 11% of all accidents in 2010, improved from 17% in 2008 when IATA launched the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) to address this challenge. ISAGO is the industry’s first global standard for the oversight and auditing of ground handling companies. The program, containing over 400 standards, was launched in February 2008 and the first audits took place in May of the same year. To date, a total of 288 audits have been conducted and 56 providers operating at 81 different locations are already on the ISAGO registry. The program has gained broad support from several aviation authorities and airports and has been mandated in Lebanon and Turkey.

    Data Driving Further Improvements

    Further improvements to the industry’s safety performance will be guided by data that can assist airlines in identifying trends and initiate preventive measures. IATA established the Global Safety Information Center (GSIC) in 2010. This interactive website is a one-stop resource combining safety data from sources such as IOSA and ISAGO audits, flight data analysis, pilot reports and accident investigations without compromising commercial privacy.

    “Safety is a constant challenge. Industry and governments need to accelerate their efforts on data sharing. In 2010, IATA launched GSIC providing its members with unprecedented access to safety information. More than 430 different organizations are already submitting safety data into the GSIC, and over 50% of IATA member carriers are participating. Substantial GSIC expansion is planned over the next few years and the industry will reap the benefits,” said Bisignani.

    In September 2010, IATA signed an historic agreement with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the US Department of Transportation and the Commission of the European Union to launch the Global Safety Information Exchange. This first global private/public partnership will exchange safety information aimed at improving safety by reducing risk.

    “Safety is not a competitive issue—among carriers or governments. Improvement is in everybody’s interest. By sharing data and best practices we will continue to drive improvements to make a safe industry even safer,” said Bisignani.

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    Press Release: Airline Consumer Complaints Down From Previous Year


    WASHINGTON – Airline consumer complaints filed with DOT’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division during the first nine months of this year were down 14.1 percent from the first nine months of 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report released today.
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    NASA MEDIA ACCREDITATION FOR NEXT SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT ENDS FEB. 11

    WASHINGTON — The deadline for media accreditation for the February space shuttle launch to the International Space station ends on Feb. 11. Shuttle Discovery and six astronauts are targeted to launch on the STS-133 mission on Feb. 24 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

    Reporters must apply for credentials to attend the launch or cover the mission from other NASA centers. To be accredited, reporters must work for verifiable newsgathering organizations. No substitutions of credentials are allowed at any NASA facility.

    The 11-day mission will be the 35th flight to the station and the 39th and final scheduled flight for Discovery. The mission will deliver and install the Permanent Multipurpose Module; the Express Logistics Carrier 4, an external platform that holds large equipment; and critical spare components for the station. Discovery also will deliver Robonaut 2, or R2, to become a permanent resident of the station as the first human-like robot in space.

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    Additional time may be required to process accreditation requests by journalists from certain designated countries. Designated countries include those with which the U.S. has no diplomatic relations, countries on the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, those under U.S. sanction or embargo and countries associated with proliferation concerns.

    Contact the accrediting NASA center for details. Journalists should confirm accreditation before traveling.

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

    Accreditation for the STS-133 mission badges remains open. Mission badges previously issued for Discovery’s first launch attempt in November 2010 are valid.

    Reporters applying for credentials at Kennedy should submit requests via the Web at:

    https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

    Reporters must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when applying. Applicants will receive confirmation via e-mail when accreditation approved.

    Accredited media representatives with mission badges will have access to Kennedy from launch through the end of the mission. The application deadline for mission badges is Feb. 11 for all reporters requesting credentials. Reporters with special logistic requests for Kennedy, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, electrical connections or workspace, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger by Feb. 11 at:

    laurel.a.lichtenberger@nasa.gov.

    Wireless Internet access is available at Kennedy’s news center. Workspace in the news center and the news center annex is provided on a first-come basis, limited to one space per organization. To set up temporary telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, media representatives must arrange with BellSouth at 800-213-4988. Reporters must have an assigned seat in the Kennedy newsroom prior to setting up lines.

    To obtain an assigned seat, contact Patricia Christian at: patricia.christian-1@nasa.gov.

    Journalists must have a public affairs escort to all other areas of Kennedy except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria.

    JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

    Reporters may obtain credentials for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston by calling the center’s newsroom at 281-483-5111 or by presenting STS-133 mission credentials from Kennedy.

    Media representatives planning to cover the mission only from Johnson need to apply for credentials only at the center. The application deadline for mission badges is Feb. 11 for all reporters requesting credentials.

    Journalists covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy credentials must contact the center’s newsroom by Feb. 11 to arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics.

    Johnson is responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at NASA’s White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. If a landing is imminent at White Sands, Johnson will arrange credentials.

    DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER

    Notice for a shuttle landing at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards Air Force Base in California could be short. Domestic media outlets should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel who could travel quickly to Dryden.

    Deadlines for submitting Dryden accreditation requests are Jan. 28 for non-U.S. media, regardless of citizenship, and March 1 for U.S. media who are U.S. citizens or who have permanent residency status.

    For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens representing domestic media outlets must provide their full name, date of birth, place of birth, media organization, driver’s license number with the name of the issuing state, and the last six digits of their social security number.

    In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives, regardless of citizenship, must provide data including their citizenship, visa or passport number and its expiration date. Foreign nationals representing either domestic or foreign media who have permanent residency status must provide their alien registration number and expiration date.

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    Delta Airlines Plane Returns to Amsterdam after Engine Shut Down

    250px-Delta_logo.svgDelta Airline flight DL-73 had to return to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Netherlands, on September 22.

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    Fact Sheet – Regulating and Licensing Commercial Space Transportation Activities

    Background

    The FAA is responsible for regulating and licensing U.S. private companies and individuals involved in commercial space transportation. To date, the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation has licensed over 200 successful launches.

    Licensing Requirements

    • An FAA license is required for any launch or reentry, or the operation of any launch or reentry site, as carried out by U.S. citizens anywhere in the world, or by any individual or entity within the United States.
    • An FAA license is not required for space activities the government carries out for the government, such as most NASA or Department of Defense launches.
    • Once the FAA determines a license application package is complete, the FAA has 180 days to complete an evaluation and issue or deny a license.
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    Experimental Permits

    • To help facilitate in the eventual licensing process, the FAA can issue experimental permits, rather than licenses, for the launch or reentry of reusable suborbital rockets.
    • Experimental permits are issued for research and development; demonstrating compliance with requirements leading to licensing; or crew training prior to obtaining a license.
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    Oversight

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    • The FAA has the authority to suspend or revoke any license or issue fines when a commercial space operator is not in compliance with statutory or regulatory requirements.
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