OREANDA-NEWS. December 14, 2015. When Delta’s Operational Performance Commitment was unveiled at the Global Business Travel Association convention in July, corporate customers applauded Delta for “finally taking credit for years of excellent operational performance” and “putting its money its mouth was” by offering a competitive guarantee.

Delta’s industry-first offer commits to compensate corporate accounts if operational reliability falls below its primary U.S. competitors. Delta’s corporate account base appreciated that the pledge is more than a marketing ploy. Business travelers, realizing the value of Delta employees’ commitment to getting them to their destinations on-time, refreshed, with bags in hand and ready to work, have actually shifted additional business to Delta in the less than five months since the Operational Performance Commitment (OPC) was launched.

“When we talk with customers about our operational performance commitment we hear ‘it’s fantastic’ and that the benefits to their business are ‘real,’” said Bob Somers, Delta’s Vice President - Sales. “We are always looking to be a trusted travel partner for our customers, and with OPC, we are really seeing an increased response is in how companies are beginning to change the ways they do business with us.”

Corporate policies have started to shift as a result of OPC:

  •          A healthcare provider raised the allowable spending cap for Delta \\$50 above other airlines when shopping for travel, acknowledging cost savings associated with Delta’s on-time reliability
  •          A non-U.S. based company recently selected Delta and its joint venture partners, citing operational reliability as a deciding factor
  •          A major U.S. retailer released a request for proposal for its business travel with language that holds carriers accountable to making a commitment to operational performance

Capitalizing on Delta’s more than \\$8 billion in product, performance, and technology investments, Delta’s Global Sales team has invested in creating meaningful, industry-first programs like OPC to assist businesses in their efforts to manage employee travel.

Since 2011, corporate travel buyers have annually rated Delta the top U.S. carrier in the Business Travel News survey based on their perceptions of airline performance in negotiating and maintaining preferred programs, delivering service and providing value. Delta’s corporate revenue has grown more that 20 percent over that period.