Delta expands partnership with Roadie for delivery of delayed baggage

ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM

ALYSSA POINTER/ALYSSA.POINTER@AJC.COM

Delta Air Lines has expanded its partnership with Atlanta-based sharing economy delivery service Roadie to get delayed baggage delivered to customers.

Atlanta-based Delta has partnered with Roadie since 2015 to deliver delayed bags, and recently expanded its use of Roadie to more than 50 cities, including Atlanta.

Roadie is designed to connect deliveries with people already driving in that direction who can make money by picking up an item and dropping it off. Investors in Roadie include shipping giant UPS, rapper Ludacris and Google chairman Eric Schmidt's TommorowVentures fund.

Delta says it has seen a 65 percent decline in delivery times compared with traditional delivery service. Customers can also track their bag from the airport.

Drivers can get paid $8 to $50 for deliveries, according to Roadie.

“Working with a startup like Roadie gives Delta the flexibility to try new and creative ways to solve customer pain points,” said Delta chief operating officer Gil West in a written statement. With startups in Atlanta, “Delta can go to our backyward to partner with and invest in companies,” he said.

At airports, Delta tracks baggage using RFID tags and has a new system to alert a passenger whose bag will be delayed if the bag misses a checkpoint, and allow the passenger to file a bag claim through the Fly Delta app instead of having ot visit a baggage service office.