When Flight 2614 arrived at Lafayette (La.) Regional Airport around 9 one night last week, a ground supervisor immediately noticed a problem. The airplane’s landing gear doors were still down, touching the ground, and wouldn’t close – a maintenance and safety issue that could have delayed or even canceled the flight.
Instead, two Delta mechanics rode to the rescue – on a Delta Private Jets aircraft, no less. With the aircraft’s next flight at 6 a.m. the following morning, Proctor Boone, Delta’s Lafayette Station Manager, knew he needed to act fast to ensure customers wouldn’t be affected.
Boone called maintenance control and learned that the aircraft required Delta mechanics to inspect and repair. That’s when the Operations & Customer Center chose to fly two mechanics to Lafayette.
“I don’t think there’s a better demonstration than this to show how committed the company is to its customers,” said Gary Anderson, Regional Manager – Airport Customer Service. “Thanks to the quick actions by both Proctor and Delta, the customer never felt a negative impact from the situation.”
Delta Private Jets, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta, offers customers the private jet experience with the air travel experience and resources of Delta. In rare circumstances, DPJ jets are used to deploy mechanics to aircraft in need of quick servicing.
“Our fleet is strategically positioned across the U.S. so that we can be there for our customers at a moment’s notice,” said David Sneed, Delta Private Jets Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “We’re proud to be able to provide on-demand aircraft to ensure the highest level of service for our customers. No other airline can do what we do.”
Within 30 minutes of the mechanics’ arrival, the aircraft had been repaired and subsequently departed on time, leaving the gate at 5:59 a.m. for the 6 a.m. departure.
Boone told Anderson he didn’t fully realize the lengths Delta would go for passengers until that night.
“Delta’s commitment to our customers goes beyond getting them where they need to be,” said Dave Holtz, Senior Vice President – OCC. “It means getting them where they need to be, when they expect to be there, whether they’re travelling from a smaller spoke city or a large hub.”
Delta Air Lines
