Delta gears up amid stiff competition

MANILA, Philippines – Patricia Celis started her career in the airline industry in 1997. But her love affair with the industry goes all the way back to her childhood – her mom worked as reservations and ticketing manager for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for more than 30 years, hence the perks of traveling and discovering new places. Today, Patricia is the country manager-Sales and Affairs for Delta Air Lines in the Philippines.

Her new post takes a lot more than traveling. As country manager for Sales and Affairs, she focuses on leveraging strategic opportunities to improve Delta Air Line's competitive position in the market as well as managing overall sales activities, administration, and industry affairs in the country.

Celis has been in this industry for almost two decades now, and she looks back fondly on the memories.

"I grew up enjoying traveling and seeing different cultures and mingling with various types of nationalities. Unfortunately, when I graduated from college and once you are 21, a dependent loses the travel benefits. This prompted me to look for a job in the same industry," she said.

Going local

Celis started as marketing support for American Airlines after graduating from the Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Legal Management.

Celis stayed with the company for about six years.

She then joined Northwest Airlines as Sales and Marketing manager for the Philippines. Her responsibilities increased – she had to also oversee the Guam sales team – when the airline merged with Delta in 2008. Most recently, Celis took care of the Philippines, Australia, and Micronesia markets as Sales and Marketing manager.

"Delta believes that to be truly global, we need to localize. That said, as a Filipino who have been with the company for 12 years, I am familiar with the local market and its eccentricities. In addition, there will be fewer turnovers in the local leadership, which makes it easier for our customers to know and remember who to contact," said Celis, who counts honesty, integrity, respect, perseverance, and servant leadership as essential values to live by.

Her open-door leadership style allows her to make sound decisions.

"I recognize that I don’t know everything. Listening and getting the opinion of the team is important.

Stiff competition

The airline industry is very dynamic. There are constant changes in the competitive environment as well as internal network structure. We need to constantly adapt and evolve so that we remain the airline of choice to the US," Celis said.

Travellers' needs have evolved through the years and Delta is pulling out all stops to address these needs.

According to Celis, customers now want innovative tools that put them in control throughout their travel experience and give them the information they need, when they need it.

"As a company, Delta has invested more than $140 million in technology to answer these needs. Our Fly Delta app features 'Glass Bottom Jet', where customers will have the ability to view the ground below in a unique way that includes maps, social networks, and internet content while connected to the internet on any of Delta's more than 800 WiFi-equipped aircrafts. Also, the new delta.com design features a new 'My Delta' section, which allows customers to easily access the personalized features that mean the most to them and help maximize their travel plans. Just recently, Delta deployed Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology, a first for US carriers, providing customers with improved real-time tracking of luggage throughout the travel experience," Celis said, who singles out New York as her favourite Delta Air Lines destination because it is a melting pot of culture and people.

Vital part

The Philippines is an important part of the Delta Air Lines network, Celis said.

"We have been in this country since 1947 as Northwest Airlines. A DC-4 set out from Minneapolis/St. Paul on a 33-hour journey across the Pacific Ocean to Tokyo. Non-stop flights of this distance were unheard of at the time, and the trip pioneered by Northwest along the great circle route included a number of stopovers to refuel. From Tokyo, passengers continued on to Seoul, Shanghai, and Manila. It is interesting to note the inaugural plane was called 'The Manila' and was christened by a Filipina, Fileman Bautista. We have a long history in the Philippines. Also, majority of our revenue comes from our Global Corporate Accounts that have businesses in the Philippines," Celis said.

Delta knows how to take good care of its employees, Celis happily shares. "The company understands that the most important asset it has is its people. If its employees are happy, then that translates to great service, which means satisfied customers, too."

Delta operates daily flights from Manila to Tokyo-Narita, its hub in Asia, where passengers can conveniently connect to seven US mainland gateways and beyond.