I just got back from a week's long trip to Amsterdam and Paris. I took my brother along as he's never been outside the U.S and I thought it'd be a good experience for him. Besides, he's always wanted to go to AMS anyway, and seeing how i've never been, it worked out well. Paris was an added bonus partly because I contacted one of my friend's who lived there and she happened to be free to hang out with us while we were there...never hurts to have a local show you around.

I took well over 200 pictures on this trip...and as you'll see, I didn't take any from the domestic flight segments (in part 1, MSY-ATL was operated by a MD88....totally full flight....seat 15D...flight #1019). In part 1 of this report, you'll see some pictures from DL's new 763ER economy product...a landing video in AMS....some pics from AMS...and a short video taken from an AMS canal cruise.

Let me start by giving you my impression of DL's new economy transatlantic product: it's a work in progress. I can see it becoming a top tier service in the future. As it stands now, out of the U.S carriers that i've flown across the pond, DL falls begind CO and UA, but it beats AA easily.

First, a few not-so-great things about DL38:

1) Needless delay.

Our aircraft had arrived into ATL at 6:00am that morning from Brazil (as was announced by the gate agent) and had been sitting in the remote parking area for a good nine+ hours. You'd think during that time the plane would be cleaned, serviced, and would be waiting at the gate at least 1.5 hours before DL38 was scheduled to depart. That was not the case. The plane didn;t show up to the gate until 5:15pm....for a 5:20pm scheduled departure. They got the plane cleaned and catered quickly, and it only ended up being 1 hour late pushing back, but still, they should have pre planned it better and had the aicraft ready to go for an on time departure. It seemed like a logistics problem, if anything.

2) Filthy blanket.

It looked nice enough, all wrapped up and lying there on my seat. But when I opened it, I noticed a strange looking dried white substance located on the blanket, it patches, in a few locations. Perhaps someone used this in an attempt to reach the mile high club and the cleaning crew missed it? In any case, I got a new one, no big deal. But it was kind of nasty. I'd expect something like that on WN, not on a DL transatlantic flight.

3) No duty free.

I never buy duty free anyway, but the Dutch couple in front of me inquired about it, and the FA said "sorry no duty free on this flight'. That was a first.

4) No mid flight snack.

When something is printed on your menu, you'd expect the company to deliver as to what is typed on there. And there it was, printed as plain as day: "a mid flight snack will be served". Never happened. I was up the entire flight. Maybe the mid flight snack was when they came around with cups of water?

Now, a few good things:

1) The plane itself.

For a tried and true workhorse, N186DN sure looked great, with those new leather seats in coach, and the upgraded Business Elite cabin. The coach seats were very comfortable, but headrests were sorely missed...by me anyway.

2) Coach amenity kits/menus

Just a couple of nice touches which bring DL a little more in line with the European carriers on transatlantic flights.

3) Food/overall service

Dinner was excellent (chicken breast with orange chipotle sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, pasta, salad, bread, and a really good brownie), as was breakfast (warm croissant with a banana and a granola bar). All the f/a's were friendly and helpful.

Now, onto the pictures....



1) at the gate in atlanta


2) new leather seats in coach....pretty comfortable...


3) mostly full flight today, just a few open seats


4) airborne!


5) climbing...


6) a "mile high mojito"...pretty good for $5...had a beer for free with dinner


7) sunset at cruise altitude


8) somewhere over the ocean...."monk" was playing on the main screen


9) sunrise over the UK


10) almost there now...


11) getting ready to cross over the North Sea


12) approach into AMS...


13) about 5 minutes from landing...


landing in AMS
Boeing 767 landing in Amsterdam

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14) schipol...what an airport...beautiful!


And now some pictures from the beautful, historic, and fun city of Amsterdam. We stayed at the Eden Hotel on the Amstel River, near Rembrandt Square. Amsterdam reminded me of New Orleans in a lot of ways...two places with a unique zest for life...and both, of course, below sea level.

















And to finish part 1, a short video from a canal cruise.
Amsterdam boat tour

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Nice report. I always love DL's transatlantic crossings. A+ service, IMO. A+ report as well, nice pics.

Those new 767 interiors look great. Haven't gotten the chance to fly on one yet, but would not hesitate now. Drink service looks pretty decent, too bad they can't throw in free drinks though (but they did give out one free beer?). I liked the report a lot.

Quoting RockyRacoon (Reply 2): (but they did give out one free beer?).

During the dinner service they offered you one free alcoholic drink of your choice. Better than nothing.

Thanks for a great report on Delta. When i was in the US last december they served a mid flight snack on both ways. On the flight back they even had like a little snack bar in the galley.
When my parents flew on them in Febuary from ATL to FRA they didn't serve the mid flight snack nor did they hand out the amenity kits. Somehow inconsistent.

cheers: DALelite

Another great report, many thanks.

Depsite the issues yoiu pointed out, the overall improvements could place DL at the top of US carriers over the 'pond', though that said, is not difficult!

Quoting MSYtristar (Reply 3): During the dinner service they offered you one free alcoholic drink of your choice. Better than nothing.

- Agreed, better than nothing/having to pay for it.

Rgds

Mark

Thanks for the report. I'll be on a DL 763 in May ATL-EDI. I like the leather seats but kind of figured they would have updated the overhead bins as well.

Quoting DFW13L (Reply 6): Thanks for the report. I'll be on a DL 763 in May ATL-EDI. I like the leather seats but kind of figured they would have updated the overhead bins as well.

Unfortunately, no. I wish they would as well. I just took a 763 from ATL-SFO and back, and didn't want to check luggage. My rollaboard would only fit in the bin lengthwise, which seems like a huge waste of space. The new bins also (obviously) look much better as well.

Great trip report! That landing was definately firm...

Odd that ATL-AMS didn't have a mid-flight snack, my last JFK-SVO flight with them they made a pass with the snack basket with chips/cookies/crackers a few hours into the flight (which I thought was standard procedure) and then left the basket out in the galley.
-A

I flew MAD-JFK two weeks ago on DL in the new coach product. The entire aircraft had been refreshed, including the BE cabin. Let me say, the enhancements are measurable progress by Delta, whose overall service was never memorable on any flight. However, I don't think DL is truly on its way to offering an industry leading product across the Atlantic that will put in on par with European carriers. It has a long way to go. First, there needs to be PTV's. Food is OK (a much better offering than what DL used to serve on TA flights). The cabins look better and cleaner, but the "casual, down home" attitude of the crew is off putting. Delta is probably #2 behind CO in its cabin service. Both are ahead of AA and probably UA, but there is room to grow.

Very good TR. I must add that the pics are very awesome.

MCOflyer

Very nice TR. I liked the video of the landing, and the pictures from the city are also great!

Thanks

All I can say is that AF spoiled me going over to CDG with the number of IFE selections, not to mention the food. Coming back from CDG on DL, left a bad taste in my mouth that I hope will go away, should I choose to take them overseas again. Also, if I were to fly DL transatlantic, I would also prefer to take a flight with a 772. I don't know what my odds are of that, however, I'd prefer that over a 763, (although the leather seats are a nice sell.)

The pictures of ATL look great and I can't wait to see the airport in about 2 weeks.

Great trip report and thanks for posting!

Regards,
Jeremy Carlisle