Have you ever had a question about your airline reservation, only to sit with your phone up to your ear listening to cheesy elevator music for what seems like an eternity? While some U.S.-based airlines have replaced humans with computers and automated voices which never quite understand exactly what you’re saying, Delta Air Lines is moving in the opposite direction. Already offering assistance via social networks like Twitter and Facebook, the Atlanta-based company announced today the launch of a test program allowing its customers at Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Regan National Airport to video chat with a member of its reservations team. Delta says it’s a first for any U.S. airline.
The video chat feature is accessible at its re-designed Delta Sky Assist kiosk in DCA, now featuring five interactive digital screens with individual receivers, allowing Delta customers to connect, face-to-face, with a specialist. Simply pick up the receiver, select a button on the digital display, and a live representative will be available to help you with anything from changing a flight, to sharing feedback about your experience.
“More and more people are choosing video chat to connect in their everyday lives, so we wanted to bring that channel to Delta customers,” said Charisse Evans, Delta’s Vice President – Reservations Sales and Customer Care, in a press release. “We have the best specialists in the business – and now, they’ll be able to deliver customer solutions in an even more personal, face-to-face way.”
In addition to implementing a keypad option for engagement via text, the Sky Assist displays are located at a lower height making the new feature accessible to all of Delta’s customers, including those with disabilities.
The program is the latest pilot program offered by Delta at DCA; earlier projects allowed eligible passengers to enter Delta’s SkyClub and board their flight using their fingerprint. The airline will review feedback received from its latest venture later this year to decide whether or not its worth implementing in other Delta-served cities.
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