I hate bad news. You have NO IDEA how happy I was to find out South Bend was going to get once a day service with a Delta bird with 1st class seats. Then again maybe you do since I spent 50,000 SkyMiles to fly the inaugural flight on a CRJ700 and then later ended up on the inaugural CRJ900 as well.
During my research for this morning’s post about mixed cabin award booking I found an issue and it is a tragic one for those of us who fly in and out of SBN (now I know how some MYR flyers are feeling with the loss of some 717 service). You see I was looking for one-way business class flights from SBN to DTW, that is, South Bend to Detroit, and look what I found (see the screen shot above).
CHILLS went through my very sleepy jet lagged body and I first assumed I had done something wrong at 3AM (9AM Swedish time for my sleepy head). I am surprised I did not yelp out loud and wake up my wife. Could this be true? Yep – it was true!
Delta seems to be cutting “my” 1st class service as of June 30th. I think I need to cry! So what are they putting in place for our 1-ish SBN to DTW flight each day? An Embraer ERJ-145! Really Delta. Really?
Now you may not like the ERJ-145 but I will take it over the CRJ200 anytime. I like the single seat row when flying alone. Granted this is NOT an upgrade from a CRJ700, but at least it is one tiny step better than the alternative.
So is it over for us in SBN? Are the days of 1st class service at an end? Thankfully no! Looking ahead at the schedule through the beginning of September Delta will return 1st class service now and then throughout the end of the year. But just not the same regular service as we have seen since the beginning of March.
You cut me with this one Delta, you really cut me this time – sniff! – René
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I would like to think that they made the swap due to high demand on other routes during the summer.
Relax and wait. Remember patience is a virtue, you’ll soon be enjoying that delicious Woodford Reserve again from SBN.
I see service and equipment changes from both of my airports as well. We sure aren’t getting any more cr7s or 900s.
Rene they have been doing this out of BHM to DTW for several months now…….they actually flew ONE 717 flight between the two and then have been flying CRJ7 or CRJ9 just depending so I don’t know if it has to do with time of year or what but its been strange.
Similar stuff at BGM. As I predicted, some days have no flights at all now since they cut out some of the CRJ200s.
@Bill – I don’t see how going BACK to a 50 seat aircraft changes the flights? I would be TRILLED to have less flights and have a 1st class choice. TRILLED!
It’s SBN, just be glad it’s not powered by cows running on a treadmill!
1st world problem! Few else are crying.
@rene Yes, I know that’s the opinion of many people here. I respect that. But simply put, when we were served exclusively by CRJ200s there were 2 or 3 flights every day. When the CRJ7/9s are run, then that is often the only flight of the day and sometimes the next day there are no flights at all. DL only wants to run full planes (of course) so that means eliminating other flights when the 7s are being used. For the 55-65 minute flight to DTW I certainly can endure the CRJ200s if that means more choices in flights.
One flight a day is impractical for connections, especially when it’s an evening flight. And obviously zero flights is not a good thing. Having “1st class” for an hour long flight just doesn’t mean much to me, and I’m a person of size so I feel those seats! Schedule is much more important in this case.
I assume this will bring WiFi with it. That will be great!
American Airlines is permanently ending service to/from Oakland, California (OAK). If I have to go to the Dallas area in Texas in the future, I will not be able to just do OAK-PHX-DFW on American Airlines. I do not want to fly on Southwest, but I just may have to, unless I am willing to connect in Portland (PDX) or Seattle (SEA), on Alaska Airlines, on the 737-900ER, and I know that you don’t like the 737-900ER.