Delta plans to pamper its employees with private airport spas

Don't be surprised if your baggage handler or gate agent has that has that fresh-from-a-facial glow or a noticeable spring in their step during your next trip. Delta Air Lines is taking a page out of a Marketing 101 textbook, the one that explains that happy employees mean happy customers. Delta intends to make its staff happy by launching a new employees-only spa concept later this year.

The airline already has plans to open three SkySpas in several of its hub airports. The first will open later this year in Salt Lake City, with two more scheduled to open in Atlanta and Detroit in 2016. Delta will be partnering with airport relaxation guru XpresSpa to provide discounted spa and beauty treatments (nope, nothing in life is ever free) for its airport-based employees including flight attendants, airport customer service staff, baggage handlers and cargo and tech ops staff.

In a company news article Allison Ausband, Delta’s Senior Vice President–In-Flight Service (and a former flight attendant herself) said:

“Making sure our employees are well taken care of and have the tools to look and perform their best is something we’re proud to do for our people. We know working at the airport or on board can take a toll, and offering the SkySpa at some of our busiest hubs helps address that.”

Employees don't need advance appointments for a quick mani-pedi or post-flight shoulder rub – they can just walk into the spa while flying to, from, or through one of these hub airports.

Many airlines offer spa services for their premium class passengers in the airport lounge, but to throw some love toward employees like this is quite an impressive move for a U.S.-based airline. So the next time you notice a particularly grumpy crew member on one of your flights, politely suggest that they stop in for some stress-relief at their nearest SkySpa.

No, wait, don't do that.