New York, USA -- Say Good bye to Terminal 3 at JFK Airport, Queens, New York, if you ever traveled through Delta Airlines Terminal 3. Terminal 3 has a historic past as it was used by the defunct Pan American World Airways, known as Pan Am.
In a major step forward, Delta Airlines has moved to Terminal 4 by investing $1.4 billion and making it a state of the art facility for international travelers.
In presenting this project to the media, Delta Airlines on May 23rd-24th invited journalists from around the world for an international Media Summit which occurred at the Westin Times Square, Manhattan, New York, a block from the New York Port Authority on 42nd Street.
On the opening day of the summit, members of the international media gathered for a press conference with Richard Anderson - the Chief Executive Officer of Delta Airlines. Some of the biggest and world renowned media houses for business travel were at the ceremony.
Mr. Anderson expressed his pride in leading such a great organization through the necessary steps to become one of the leading airlines in the world. He was exceptional in presenting his vision to the members of the media. What was interesting at the Press conference was during the question and answer time when journalists asked questions in diverse languages and were translated.
In recent times there have been a myriad of complains from many Ghanaian travelers all over the United States who travel on Delta Airlines . The press conference ushered in a rare opportunity to address these concerns with Company.
Mr. Anderson was asked about the steps he will take as a leader in building a relationship with the Ghanaian community in New York since it is common knowledge that many Ghanaian travelers have had bad experiences with Delta Airlines through the Direct flight route from JFK. The Delta leadership have not reached out to the community as part of their corporate social responsibilities. It appears Delta seems to focus heavily in Ghana for the market. The route deserves better aircraft's and great customer service. Mr. Anderson affirmed that the Ghanaian market was an important one since Delta is the only US Airline currently flying directly to Ghana and will take steps to address any issues brought to his attention.
The key points noted at the Press conference was how Delta is;
-Committed to being the best in the world
-Building strong relationship with partners in the world.
-Recognizes JFK as its leading Gateway to the US, Nearly 35% Delta's Transatlantic flights operate via JFK. JFK is a critical airport for business passengers.
-Recognizes its employees and invests in its people.
-Is an iconic brand in the aviation world.
-Investing in operations and product as well as improving customer service
-Taking a step to owning an oil refinery company.
-Adding a partnership with Virgin Atlantic. The deal is going through both the US and UK regulatory process and will get it through by the 3rd Quarter.
Perry A. Cantarutti, Snr. Vice President, Europe, Middle East and Africa also went further to brief journalists on what Mr. Anderson had earlier said at the Press conference. He mentioned he appreciated the question posed to Mr. Anderson and will take steps to build a strong relationship with the Ghanaian community. Gail Grimmett, Senior Vice President, NY and Olivia Cullis, Regional Director, Corporate Communications respectively also shared the same idea that they will work together with the community in an effort to build better relationship and communication.
An Economic Development/Tourist Panel Discussion took place with panelists who have enormous experience in Tourism and Business. Moderated by; Bob Losure, Former CNN Headline News anchor, correspondent and author.
The Finale, the grand opening of state of the art Terminal 4 was like a movie premiere, full of pomp and pageantry. It featured some of the noted dignitaries/speakers; Delta's CEO, Richard Anderson, Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Group and New York Mayor Bloomberg, New York Lt. Governor, Robert Duffy, .US Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), US Rep.Gregory Weldon Meeks (D-New York's 5th congressional district) and others. A visit to the Sky Club was one of a kind. One thing for sure, travelers waiting at the airport, will not be bored. There are many popular restaurants, shops and a lot to do before boarding the plane.
The international summit and was a good platform to establish a great relationship with some of the executives of Delta Airlines. It was also a meeting to network with Journalists. At the end of it all, there are the right people to discuss issues concerning the Ghanaian traveler.
Some people have shared their bad experiences with this writer upon informing them about the new Terminal 4.
One Traveler who had just returned from Ghana through Delta Airlines said Delta should give out forms for travelers to complete concerning their traveling experience or complains. It is up to the traveler to complete the form so that complains or their experiences can be communicated to the airline so something can be done about it immediately.
Acknowledgement - Global Media Alliance(gmaworld.com) and Delta Airlines
Source: Charles Nimmo N-Mensah (Mr. CNN). www.3gmediaonline.com/Ghanaweb.com
