Delta says quality is key in regional carrier lineup

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines Inc., which has indicated it might sell feeder carrier Comair after it exits bankruptcy protection, could make changes to the lineup of regional carriers that handle its connecting flights in the interest of quality, Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein said Wednesday.

"If we're not getting the right service, we'll make the substitutions," Grinstein told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview.

Grinstein's comments follow statements by Delta executives last month that the Atlanta-based airline could sell or spin off Comair, based in Erlanger, Ky., after Delta emerges from bankruptcy. They also come as Delta renews its push to improve customer service.

Comair, a subsidiary of Delta, and Atlantic Southeast Airlines, which Delta sold to St. George-based SkyWest for $425 million in 2005 but still uses for connecting service, were ranked near the bottom of a recent airline quality survey on lost baggage and flight delays.

Grinstein did not say any changes were imminent, and he noted that Delta's connection carriers are valued partners and Delta will work with them to try to correct issues.

But he also said the customer service by Delta's feeder carriers reflects on Delta's brand image.

"When we experience baggage failures or connection failures there, it does reflect on the parent, so anytime you have a connection carrier and it doesn't perform at the level you hope it will, it's going to reflect on the carrier that it's connected with, that it is serving," Grinstein said. "I think those are important parts of your brand image going ahead."

Grinstein said that's not an issue Delta had focused on while in bankruptcy because it was focused on its restructuring.

But Delta is coming out of bankruptcy.

"There is a lot of attention being put on that now," Grinstein said.

Grinstein said his own baggage has been lost on flights on Delta and other airlines, though he said he always got the baggage back. He didn't say what carriers besides Delta misplaced some of his baggage.

Grinstein said the decision about what to do with Comair, as far as a potential sale, is one Delta's new board of directors will have to make.

"From my own perspective, I think there is a virtue of concentrating on the mainline," Grinstein said. "But you do need that feed, and how best to get it is something the new board is going to have to figure out."