06/04/2020

Cincinnati Business Courier / Chris Wetterich / June 4, 2020

Delta Air Lines, which serves the most passengers of any carrier out of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, is extending measures it has implemented to make flying safer in the era of Covid-19 into the fall.

Through Sept. 30, Delta will cap seating in First Class at 50% and 60% in the main cabin, Delta Comfort-plus and Delta Premium Select and 75% in Delta One. All middle seats will not be available or assignable when selecting seats and some aisle seats also will be blocked when there are only four seats in a row.

Delta wants customers to feel safe when they're ready to fly again, said Bill Lentsch, the airline's chief customer experience officer.

“Reducing the overall number of customers on every aircraft across the fleet is one of the most important steps we can take to ensure a safe experience for our customers and people,” Lentsch said.

Delta also said it will increase capacity on routes where it hits the new capacity limits by either using a bigger aircraft or adding flights.

Delta has added an extra trip between CVG and its Atlanta hub in June, with three flights per day total, and will add three more trips in July for a total of six flights per day, officials confirmed to the Business Courier.

In July, the Atlanta-based airline will add two trips per day from CVG to Detroit and Minneapolis, for a total of four each day.

Delta will resume flights from CVG to New York-LaGuardia in June, with one trip per day. The airline will add a second daily trip in July.

Delta also is adding back automatic Medallion upgrades effective June 10 to Delta One, First Class and Delta Comfort-plus. Those perks were previously being managed at gates. The perks will only be available in the context of seat cap availability.

Since the virus began to spread, Delta has instituted several safety measures, including requiring employees and customers to wear face coverings; plexiglass shields at check-in counters, Delta Sky Clubs; social distance markers and additional cleaning, including electrostatic spraying.

Delta also has waived change fees through June 30 on new flights purchased until that date. The date was extended from May 31.

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