Following January’s severe jet-lag, U.S. Airlines, Delta Air, has finally expressed deep regrets for inconvenience that the on-time performance (or the lack thereof) of its flights between Liberia, Ghana and the United States sometimes in 2012 caused its passengers, while reassuring its passengers of quality service.
Since Delta resumed flights to Liberia in 2010, following the end of the Liberian civil war, President Johnson Sirleaf and most of her officials frequently have used the carrier for travel to the United States. But frequent cancellation of flights and intermittent technical problems that dogged Delta Airlines up to January 2013, forced authorities of the Liberia Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) to sternly warn President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and government officials against travelling by the American airline. The Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) and the Ministry of Transport also ordered a safety audit on the airline.
However, in a statement issued last night in Monrovia, Delta said while numerous delays and cancellations have certainly been beyond its control, it knows there is more to be done to ensure that it delivers a service its customers deserve and of which it can be proud. It furthered that although it strives for on-time departures, the safety and security of its passengers and crew is its number one concern and would always take precedence over schedule.
However, in a statement issued last night in Monrovia, Delta said while numerous delays and cancellations have certainly been beyond its control, it knows there is more to be done to ensure that it delivers a service its customers deserve and of which it can be proud. It furthered that although it strives for on-time departures, the safety and security of its passengers and crew is its number one concern and would always take precedence over schedule.
In its statement, Delta announced that it has appointed a task force to improve the reliability of its Liberia flights and that it has already implemented a number of measures that would have a positive impact in the short-term. According to the airline, it continues to make significant ongoing investments in the Liberian market. It said since it began services to Monrovia in 2010, it has made enhancements to both the airport infrastructure and aviation technology at the Roberts International Airport.
It outlined its contribution to enhancing the airport as the development and funding of a GPS Approach technology, which, it said, when launched would improve the reliability if aircraft operations at the airport. This technology, it added, will be available to airlines from around the world, potentially increasing commercial opportunities for Liberia. The airline also named the upgrading of airport facilities and the opening of a new departures terminal as some its contributions to the airport.
It may be recalled that in January 2013, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) met with officials of the Delta Airlines in a bid to resolve complaints from passengers stemming from flight delays, cancellations and poor customer service. The airline had faced passenger criticisms for flight cancellations and delays, amid poor service on its United States to Accra route around the same time that the delays and cancellations became apparent and was felt by passengers along the Monrovia, Accra, U.S.A itinerary (direction, path).
Its good to see that maybe Delta is finally learning their lessons. I can see how maybe flight cancellations cannot be avoided at all times because of so many different circumstances, but you have to be able to relay important information to your loyal customers and also try to make it up too them anyway possible. I think it is important for them to consider putting more reliable people in the places of those that just don’t care or maybe install some sort of queue management system in order to stay on top of returning customers and the many problematic issues that come with the territory.
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