Delta Introduces Sleep Kits and New Amenities for Long-Haul Economy Passengers

Delta Air Lines has introduced new sleep kits and several updated amenities for passengers seated in the carrier’s Economy cabins on long-haul international flights.

Flight attendants will offer each Delta Air Lines long-haul Economy passenger a sleep kit, which will include eyeshades along with earplugs to help customers get better rest when traveling between continents.

In April 2014, Delta Air Lines began offering sleep kits to Economy-class passengers on its long-haul international flights. The carrier also began offering long-haul Economy passengers bottles of water and mid-flight ice cream service, the latter initiative a move pioneered in the 1980s by Virgin Atlantic Airways, a strategic partner of Delta

In addition, on all transatlantic flights of 3,850 miles or less from the U.S. to Europe, customers in the Economy cabin will receive a full-size bottle of water following meal service and updated snack offerings for morning and afternoon or evening arrivals.

A mid-flight ice cream service will also be offered on these flights returning from Europe to the U.S.

This move appears to reflect a positive service influence on Delta Air Lines by its new strategic-partner airline Virgin Atlantic Airways. Virgin Atlantic introduced mid-flight ice-cream service for economy-class passengers on its flights between the UK and the U.S. as long ago as the 1980s.

These service improvements will expand to Delta’s longer-haul international flights in early summer, according to the airline.

Delta Air Lines is one of only two operators of the Boeing 767-400ER and has 21 of the type in its fleet, operating them mainly on routes linking the U.S. with South America and Europe. This photograph shows a Delta 767-400ER bearing the SkyTeam Alliance livery

“Delta continues to focus on making travel better by introducing amenities that our customers find both helpful and comforting when they travel,” says Joanne Smith, Delta’s senior vice president – in-flight service.

“Adding new items in Economy on international flights improves the quality of the product and helps our customers arrive at their destination rested, entertained and refreshed,” adds Smith.

This summer, customers flying in Delta’s domestic First Class cabins and the Economy cabins on domestic and international flights will be offered newly upgraded earbuds that will be theirs to keep for use with Delta’s seatback in-flight entertainment systems.

Atlanta-based Delta says it is the only U.S. carrier to offer personal, on-demand entertainment at every seat on all long-haul, international flights.