Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) is allowing its travelers to pay for LYFT Inc (NASDAQ:LYFT )’s rides using their SkyMiles. The company is also updating its apps to provide instant messages to the travelers to plan when to call for a cab or when to stand in a queue to board the flight. Its app will become a one-stop-shop for travelers with details like security and wait time, traffic, and weather information.
In Las Vegas, Consumer Electronics Show on Tuesday, Delta said it is exploring options to allow the passengers to pay for their Lyft rides using the earned miles. It is on the backdrop of an alliance that it entered with Lyft in 2017. The travelers can also earn miles for rides on Lyft.
Chases corporate travelers
Delta, which is the profit-making airline in the US, is chasing the high-spending corporate executives in markets that include Boston, Seattle, and New York. The company is earning higher revenues from business class cabins when compared to coach class seats.
Offers arrival estimates to travelers
With updated apps, Delta is providing expected arrival time for travelers from Lyft to decide when to call a cab to reach the airport. The customers can also select their favorite meals through the app and receive TSA wait times. Delta will start sending the messages by the end of this month to travelers on when to stand in the queue to board a flight.
Ed Bastian, Chief Executive Officer of Delta, said the company is taking a lot of initiatives to make the travel easy and comfortable for the travelers. The travelers can check one app for airport parking, the second one for traffic, and the third one for TSA wait times. They can manage everything bag delivery to in-flight entertainment to ridesharing. The market capitalization of Delta is $37.66 billion.
AI-driven system for smooth operation
Delta announced the introduction of an AI-driven system to make smart decisions even in rough weather and ensure smooth operation. The new system allows the flight crew how to handle the situation and reduce disruptions for the passengers. Senior Vice President (Operations and Customer Center) of Delta, Erik Snell, said the customers expect that Delta reaches them at their destination safely. Therefore, the company is adding machine learning capability to its systems to solve the problems quickly and efficiently.
