Delta Air Lines has reportedly paused the rollout of a controversial new recognition tool that sends passengers a pre-flight email with the first names of the pilots and flight attendants due to work on their flight.
The tool was meant to give passengers the opportunity to select an individual crew member and provide them with specific feedback – although Delta said it would only forward positive feedback and compliments to crew members.
Flight attendants were told about the tool only after it had gone live, and following what has been reported as an immediate backlash, the airline then decided to add an opt-out process for crew members who didn’t want to share their names.
The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA), however, warned that the opt-out process could take five days or more to be approved, during which the program would still be live.
Fighting for the right to represent non-unionized Delta flight attendants, the AFA labelled the tool “deeply concerning” and said it was a violation of privacy and “potentially increasing risk to crews”.
“The reality is that this is a thinly-veiled attempt to manage us without being on the aircraft, implemented without our knowledge or input,” a memo from the union read.
“For those who have dealt with harassment, intimidation and even assault, the violation of our privacy is deeply concerning,” the memo continued.
Delta had attempted to reassure flight attendants, explaining that the emails sent to customers linked to a secure site and that only the first names of crew members would be shared – in the same way that flight attendants already wear their names visibly on their uniforms.
Despite these assurances, however, Delta has decided to pause the rollout of the tool amidst a vocal backlash over its plans. The airline did not immediately say when the recognition tool might be brought back online.
Don’t the FAs wear nametags? Seems like there’s nothing that a union won’t complain about. But management was stupid to just put this new idea live without getting in put from anyone. When will people learn to COMMUNICATE???? It’s not that difficult to think about the other guy when you’re making plans that affect the other guys!
What Delta was attempting to do is terrible. First off, the DL flight attendants wear name tags already. Second, I have been on enough flights hearing passengers blame flight attendants for anything, and everything that the flight attendants have absolutely no control over. The weather, TSA, the fact that they ran out of chicken, size of the seats etc. People will complain 90% more than they will complement. This just put the flight attendants at a major disadvantage.
And , before you get into it, yes, there’s rude, unhelpful flight attendants, but most seem to try their best with trying to manage rude, entitled passengers.
That’s right! Stay in your lane and seated Delta management.