Delta Introduces Additional Flights with Full Flat-Bed Seats in BusinessElite for Purchase on its New York-JFK to Los Angeles Route

Oct 29, 2013

ATLANTA, Oct. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) will debut three updated Boeing 757 aircraft on the transcontinental route between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport beginning July 1, 2014, with tickets now available for purchase. These will be the first 757 aircraft in service to feature Delta's previously announced upgrades which will include full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite on transcon flights between New York-JFK and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. All transcon flights on these routes will feature flat-bed seats by summer 2015.

The aircraft will include 16 full flat-bed seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration in the BusinessElite cabin. Each seat is 20 inches wide – expandable up to 22 inches – with an average bed length of 76 inches. Cabin mood lighting and high definition 16-inch video monitor at each seat will further improve the onboard experience.

"Delta customers traveling from New York and Los Angeles continue to tell us that the comfort of full flat-bed seats is a meaningful element of their travel experience," said Tim Mapes, senior vice president–Marketing. "This expansion demonstrates our commitment to listening to what customers value most and then acting quickly to provide it."

The addition of flat-bed seats to the 757 transcon fleet will complement Delta's existing Boeing 767 transcon flights which already feature flat-bed seats for a total of eight daily flights on the route. Customers will enjoy a gourmet three-course menu from renowned chef Michael Chiarello paired with wine from Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson's specially curated Delta Winemaker Series, Westin Heavenly In-Flight bedding, a Tumi amenity kit featuring skincare products from Malin+Goetz, a noise-reduction headset, Starbucks coffee and sparkling wine round out the BusinessElite experience.

Modifications to Delta's 757 transcontinental fleet will also include changes to the economy cabin, with the addition of Economy Comfort seats. The 44 extra-legroom seats offer 35 inches of pitch and 50 percent more recline in a 3-by-3 configuration in addition to 108 standard economy seats. All seats in the economy cabin will feature a slim-line design for more personal space, an adjustable headrest, a nine-inch video monitor and standard 110v and USB power ports available at every seat.

Delta has been enhancing the transcon experience from nose to tail throughout 2013 with the addition of products such as complimentary Starbucks coffee and headsets for all passengers. The entire transcon fleet will feature in-flight Wi-Fi and all upgraded aircraft will offer an entertainment library of more than 1,000 on-demand options. Additionally, the 757 fleet will feature 18 channels of live satellite TV. 

On the ground, customers will also enjoy Delta's new Terminal 4 at New York-JFK International Airport and the $229 million investment in progress to overhaul Terminal 5 at Los Angeles International Airport.

Images of Delta's new 757 transcontinental BusinessElite seats and Delta's Terminal 4 at New York-JFK are available at news.delta.com:

Today's announcement builds on Delta's industry leadership in exceeding customer expectations by being the first U.S. airline to introduce in-flight Wi-Fi five years ago, the Sky Deck at Delta Sky Clubs in New York-JFK and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport this year, being the only U.S. domestic carrier to offer personal, on-demand entertainment at every seat on all long-haul international flights by the end of 2013 and offering flat-bed seating with direct-aisle access across its international widebody fleet by mid-2014.

Delta has invested more than $3 billion in the customer experience since 2010 including installation of full flat-bed seats on Delta's widebody international aircraft, a new Terminal 4 at New York-JFK, Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in Atlanta. Delta has also spent more than $100 million to expand, renovate and consolidate terminals C and D at New York-LaGuardia Airport. Additionally, customers have seen Delta's investment in its more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs throughout the system, power poles at dozens of airports, mobile apps which include features such as baggage tracking, and Wi-Fi on more than 800 aircraft. 

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. Delta was named by Fortune magazine as the most admired airline worldwide in its 2013 World's Most Admired Companies airline industry list, topping the list for the second time in three years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 312 destinations in 56 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Delta is investing more than $3 billion in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta and Facebook.com/delta.

SOURCE Delta Air Lines

For press inquiries: Delta Corporate Communications, 404-715-2554

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Delta to Add Boeing 717 Fleet in 2013, Replacing Small Jets

Jul 9, 2012

ATLANTA, July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) will add 88 Boeing 717-200 aircraft to its fleet starting in 2013, an addition that will improve the efficiency of Delta's operations and enhance the customer experience.

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Delta has finalized an agreement with Southwest Airlines and Boeing for the Boeing 717s, which are currently in service at Southwest subsidiary AirTran Airways. The aircraft will begin delivery next year, with 16 scheduled to enter Delta's fleet in 2013. An additional 36 will be delivered in 2014, and the remaining 36 in 2015.

The Boeing 717s will primarily replace small 50-seat regional jets on a capacity-neutral basis. The 110-seat aircraft will feature new, fully upgraded interiors, with 12 First Class seats, 15 Economy Comfort seats and in-flight WiFi throughout the aircraft. Seats in Economy will be arranged in a 2-3 configuration with just one middle seat per row.

"Adding the Boeing 717 to our fleet will give customers, particularly business travelers, more mainline aircraft service that features their preferred amenities," said Delta CEO Richard Anderson. "The 717s also provide Delta with a significant improvement in economic efficiency relative to the aircraft they are replacing."

The 717 initiative is the latest step in Delta's domestic fleet optimization plan launched in 2010, focused on improving the profitability of the company and providing customers an industry-leading customer experience.  Delta will begin taking delivery next year of new fuel-efficient state-of-the-art Boeing 737-900ER jets, which will primarily replace older Boeing 757 and 767 and Airbus A320 aircraft. Delta will add 100 new 737-900ERs between 2013 and 2018.  In addition, Delta has upgraded its fleet with the addition of more than 80 MD-90 and two-class regional jets, retiring less efficient mainline and regional aircraft.

The newly acquired 717 aircraft continue Delta's ongoing $3 billion investment in improving the customer experience on the ground and in the air. The improvements include investments in technology, employee training, aircraft upgrades and enhancements and expanded and enhanced airport facilities worldwide.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. During the past year, Delta was named domestic "Airline of the Year" by the readers of Travel Weekly magazine, was named the "Top Tech-Friendly U.S. Airline" by PCWorld magazine for its innovation in technology and won the Business Travel News Annual Airline Survey. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 350 destinations in 65 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, a world-class airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $3 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.

SOURCE Delta Air Lines

For press inquiries: Delta Corporate Communications, +1-404-715-2554, news archive at news.delta.com

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Delta TechOps Receives ISO 9001 Certification for Engine Maintenance and Landing Gear Shops

Sep 22, 2011

Delta Air Lines’ maintenance division, Delta TechOps, has received certification from the International Standards Organization (ISO) for its Engine Maintenance and Landing Gear shops.

Delta TechOps is one of only a few airline maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service providers to achieve this certification, which is an internationally tested framework designed to manage an organization’s processes and help generate a high quality product that satisfies customers’ expectations. The airline received ISO 9001 certification for its Component Maintenance shop in 2008.

“Our processes at Delta TechOps have been independently certified to be effective in delivering the highest quality and reliability products and services to our customers”, said Tony Charaf, president–Delta TechOps. “We are pleased to have our people and processes validated by this internationally recognized quality standard.”

Delta TechOps provides engine maintenance and propulsion engineering to a broad range of engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) for all common models of commercial aircraft. Delta TechOps’ Engine Maintenance division employs Lean/Six Sigma processes to provide flexible, comprehensive production planning of engines for Delta and other airlines and operators around the globe. Annually, the engine shop services more than 650 engines, with 300 plus customer engines in over 70 engine bays. Additionally, Delta TechOps houses five test cells and a state of the art Nondestructive Testing (NDT) facility. The organization also dispatches highly skilled Engine-On-Wing teams to engines needing repair while in service.

ISO 9001 is implemented in more than a million organizations in 176 countries and has a proven track record of leading companies to enhanced operations and improved performance and quality.

About Delta TechOps
Delta TechOps is the largest airline maintenance, repair and overhaul provider in North America, generating approximately $500 million in revenue in 2010. In addition to providing maintenance and engineering support for Delta’s fleet of more than 750 aircraft, Delta TechOps serves more than 150 other aviation and airline customers around the world, specializing in high-skill work like engines, components, hangar and line maintenance. Delta TechOps employs more than 9,600 maintenance professionals and is one of the world’s most experienced providers with more than seven decades of aviation expertise. More about Delta TechOps is available at deltatechops.com.

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Delta Continues Domestic Fleet Restructuring With Order for New Two-Class Bombardier Regional Aircraft

Dec 6, 2012

ATLANTA, Dec. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has finalized an agreement with Bombardier Aerospace that will allow the airline to continue restructuring its domestic fleet by replacing less efficient single-class 50-seat aircraft with new two-class 76-seat aircraft. As part of the agreement, Delta will acquire 40 new CRJ900 two-class regional jets, with the option to purchase an additional 30 CRJ900 aircraft, and Bombardier will assist Delta in phasing out 60 single-class CRJ200 aircraft.   

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"The economics and customer features of the Bombardier CRJ900 made it the right aircraft to add to our Delta Connection fleet," said Delta President Ed Bastian. "Combined with the removal of 50-seat aircraft, this opportunity bolsters our ongoing fleet restructuring program to remove less efficient, smaller regional aircraft from the system."

The addition of the CRJ900 is the latest step in Delta's domestic fleet optimization plan focused on reducing inefficient flying, implementing strong capacity discipline by matching the right size aircraft to each market and improving the customer experience. The 76-seat CRJ900 will primarily replace less efficient 50-seat aircraft on a capacity-neutral basis. Retiring these aircraft reduces fuel and maintenance expense, improving Delta's cost structure and environmental profile.

This announcement follows previously announced transactions supporting Delta's domestic fleet optimization plan, including the addition of 88 Boeing 717-200 aircraft to primarily replace 50-seat aircraft, and acquisition of 100 new Boeing 737-900ER jets to replace Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft. 

Delta will begin taking delivery of CRJ900, 717-200 and 737-900ER aircraft in the latter half of 2013.

This agreement also supports Delta's efforts to improve the customer experience. The 40 76-seat CRJ900 aircraft enhance Delta's efforts to offer customers more first class seats than any other airline. The CRJ900 will be configured with 12 seats in the first class cabin, 12 seats in Delta's popular Economy Comfort section and 52 seats in economy. The aircraft will feature Delta's all-leather seating in a two-by-two configuration with window and aisle seats only. Customers flying on Delta's regional aircraft will continue to have access to the planeside valet program, with the opportunity to drop off larger carry-on baggage at the boarding door and pick it up planeside upon arrival.

Larger two-class regional jets flying for Delta also offer in-flight Wi-Fi access, Delta's complimentary snacks and beverages, food available for purchase and complimentary first class meals on flights over 900 miles. 

Delta's regional fleet currently features 255 larger two-class regional jets, including 101CRJ900 aircraft.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. During the past year, Delta was named domestic "Airline of the Year" by the readers of Travel Weekly magazine, was named the "Top Tech-Friendly U.S. Airline" by PCWorld magazine for its innovation in technology, won the Business Travel News Annual Airline Survey and was the recipient of 12 Executive Travel Magazine Leading Edge Awards for U.S. airlines. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 315 destinations in 59 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, a world-class airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $3 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.

SOURCE Delta Air Lines

For press inquiries: Delta Corporate Communications, +1-404-715-2554, news archive at news.delta.com

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Delta Announces Order for 40 Airbus Aircraft

Sep 4, 2013

ATLANTA, Sept. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today announced plans to purchase 40 Airbus aircraft for delivery between 2015 and 2017. The order, which comprises 10 international widebody A330-300 and 30 large domestic narrowbody A321 jets, is the latest step in Delta's prudent fleet renewal to enhance profitability while diligently managing capacity.

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"This Airbus agreement is another opportunistic fleet transaction for Delta in which we acquire economically efficient, proven-technology aircraft," said Richard Anderson, Delta's chief executive officer. "These A330s and A321s will provide tremendous flexibility for Delta to optimally manage our capacity over the next five years while further improving the flight experience for our customers and returns for our shareholders.

"Disciplined capital deployment is a cornerstone of Delta's comprehensive financial plan," said Paul Jacobson, Delta's chief financial officer. "These Airbus aircraft will generate free cash flow and improve our return on invested capital from the time they enter service."

Airbus A330-300
The 10 A330-300 aircraft will augment Delta's existing fleet of 32 A330s. The first A330 delivery is scheduled for spring of 2015, with three additional airplanes scheduled for that year, four in 2016, and the final two in 2017.

Delta will be the first airline to operate the enhanced 242-metric ton A330-300, which offers additional payload capacity and range. Delta will use the aircraft's versatility to optimize its Pacific and Atlantic networks.

These aircraft will be powered by General Electric CF6-80E1 engines. Delta currently operates similar GE CF6 engines on more than 60 widebody aircraft.

The A330 will feature 34 full flat-bed seats with direct aisle access in BusinessElite, 32 extra-legroom seats in Economy Comfort and 227 Economy seats. The international aircraft will feature in-flight Wi-Fi and industry leading in-flight entertainment with a library of more than 1,000 on-demand options, as well as standard 110v power, modern interiors with LED lighting, and extra-capacity overhead bins.

Airbus A321
The 30 A321s will expand Delta's existing fleet of 126 A320-family domestic aircraft. Delta's first three A321s are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2016, with 12 more due in that year. The remaining 15 jets are scheduled for 2017.

Delta's A321 will be equipped with CFM56-5B engines produced by CFM International, a joint venture of General Electric Co. and Snecma of France. Delta operates more than 200 aircraft in its fleet today with CFM56 engines, including all Airbus narrowbody aircraft. The A321s will also feature wingtip sharklets, which will provide up to 4 percent improvement in fuel efficiency.

The Airbus A321 will have 20 First Class seats, 22 extra-legroom seats in Economy Comfort and 148 seats in the Economy cabin. Every A321 will feature in-flight Wi-Fi, industry leading in-flight entertainment with live satellite TV and on-demand options, and standard 110v power. The A321 will also offer Economy cabin seats that are among the widest in the industry.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. Delta was named by Fortune magazine as the most admired airline worldwide in its 2013 World's Most Admired Companies airline industry list, topping the list for the second time in three years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 317 destinations in 57 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Delta is investing more than $3 billion in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta and Facebook.com/delta.

SOURCE Delta Air Lines

For press inquiries: Delta Corporate Communications, 404-715-2554, news archive at news.delta.com

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