Delta announces the first Airbus A220-100 routes

Delta Air Lines has made this announcement:

The next era of air travel starts Saturday with Delta selling top domestic business routes on the new Airbus A220-100 aircraft, a state-of-the-art narrow body jet with all the amenities and luxury of a wide body aircraft.

Inaugural A220 flights are set to depart on January 31, 2019, from Delta’s hub at New York’s LaGuardia Airport to its growing operation at Boston Logan International, and from LaGuardia to top business destination Dallas/Ft. Worth.*

Routes featuring the A220 that will be available for sale October 13 include:

Market	In-Service
New York-LGA to Boston	January
New York-LGA to Dallas/Ft. Worth*	January
Detroit to Dallas/Ft. Worth**	March
New York-LGA to Houston-IAH*	April
Salt Lake City to Dallas/Ft. Worth	May
Minneapolis/St. Paul to Dallas/Ft. Worth	June
Houston-IAH to Detroit & Minneapolis/St. Paul	July
Houston-IAH to Salt Lake City*	July
New York-JFK to Dallas/Ft. Worth*	August

*Denotes route that will eventually be operated fully by A220

**Available for sale Oct. 20

Delta will be the first U.S. airline to take delivery of the A220, formerly known as the “C Series (CS100),” which will feature a modern interior with a spacious, wide body feel, and best-in-class fuel performance.

Delta is upgrading its fleet to replace less-efficient aircraft with highly efficient and state-of-the-art aircraft like the A220 as well as new Boeing 737-900ERs, Airbus A321s, Airbus A350s as well as Airbus A330-900neo and Airbus A321neo.

“This aircraft is the culmination of years of listening to our customers and responding with design innovations that continue to improve Delta’s domestic in-flight experience,” said Tim Mapes, S.V.P. and Chief Marketing Officer. “From high-resolution seat-back entertainment screens to the widest Main Cabin seats in our fleet, the A220 will deliver an experience our customers will look forward to every time they fly.”

Delta A220-100 Highlights:

109 seats total, including seating for 12 in First Class, 15 in Delta Comfort+ and 82 in Main Cabin
State-of-the-art interior featuring seat-back screens, 2Ku Wi-Fi and among the widest seats of any narrowbody aircraft
Thoughtful innovations like high-capacity overhead bins, extra-large windows and full-spectrum LED ambient lighting

Main Cabin

Delta’s A220s will feature 18.6″ wide Main Cabin seats – the widest Main Cabin seats in Delta’s fleet – in a two-by-three layout. Each customer will also have personal power ports and complimentary premium entertainment on individual seat-back screens.

Delta Comfort+

Customers flying in Delta Comfort+ on the A220 can expect thoughtful extras, like more legroom and dedicated overhead bin space, in a customer-preferred two-by-three seat configuration.

First Class

In the First Class cabin, customers can look forward to the debut of a new, modern First Class seat design in a two-by-two layout, featuring the largest IFE screens of any Delta domestic First Class seat.

Powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest geared turbofan PW1500G engine, the A220 takes advantage of advanced technology and composite materials designed to deliver an expected 20 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over similar-sized aircraft when it enters service with Delta.

The first A220 rolled out of the paint shop in Mirabel last month and is now receiving finishing touches on the assembly line after its first test flight last week. Delta will take delivery of the first aircraft later this month.

All photos by Delta and Bombardier/Airbus.

Delta to add Detroit – La Crosse, WI service

Delta Air Lines will add Delta Connection service between the Detroit hub and La Crosse, WI starting on March 2, 2019.

The new spoke route will be operated daily with Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft operated by SkyWest Airlines according to Airline Route.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by SkyWest): Delta Connection-SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) N454SW (msn 7749) SLC (Tony Storck). Image: 933365.

Delta Connection-SkyWest aircraft slide show:

The world’s longest nonstop flight lands in Newark

From Singapore Airlines:

Story by Claire Knox

The longest commercial flight on the planet set off from Changi International Airport Terminal 3 last night at 11:37pm, and arrived at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport a day later at 5:29am (US Eastern time).

Excited passengers boarded the sleek, brand-new, two-class Airbus A350-900ULR (ultra-long-range) aircraft at around 11pm before settling into SQ22’s 67 business suites and 94 premium economy seats. As they headed down the aerobridge, airline staff handed out memorabilia that included a signed flight certificate from Captain SL Leong.

The marathon 19-hour, 16,700km route will initially be served three times a week, departing Singapore on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, with daily operations commencing on 18 October. The airline has an additional seven A350-900ULRs on order and from 2 November will fly non-stop to Los Angeles.

The two flights are just the latest services that signify the airline’s stronger presence in the US: in October 2016 SIA commenced non-stop flights between Singapore and San Francisco and by the end of this year will be operating 27 non-stop services a week from Singapore to the US.

Campbell Wilson of Singapore Airlines speaks at the inaugural flight of SQ22 — Senior vice-president for sales and marketing Campbell Wilson

“These new flights will also provide convenient connections beyond Changi Airport, helping to boost connectivity to and through the Singapore hub,” the airline’s senior vice-president for sales and marketing, Campbell Wilson said at a pre-flight reception inside the gatehold room.

“Flying on Singapore Airlines is not about one single service or feature – it is a holistic experience comprising the best seats, great food, plenty of entertainment, the opportunity for good rest and, of course, unparalleled service,” he told SilverKrisas he boarded the flight, adding that he was looking forward to relaxing with several “nice meals and a few good sleeps” before clearing through emails and being ready to hit the ground in New York.

SQ22 inaugural plane — The plane features higher ceilings, larger windows and an extra wide body

To fight any jet lag, the A350-900ULR will offer passengers a more comfortable travelling experience with features such as higher ceilings, larger windows, an extra wide body and lighting designed to reduce jetlag. Its carbon composite airframe also allows for improved air quality due to optimised cabin altitude and humidity levels.

The airline has also engaged wellness brand Canyon Ranch to design additional meals as well as exercise and stretching videos specifically tailored to the flight. Business class suites benefit from a new mattress topper and a choice of hard or soft pillows, while premium economy seats have also been updated with calf rests. The IFE now has 1,200 hours of movies, television and audio to choose from.

Passengers – many of them plane enthusiasts who had flown in from around the globe just to take this flight – arrived at the gate earlier for the reception, clinking champagne flutes and enjoying a colourful performance by cabin crew crooners, including the Frank Sinatra classic New York, New York and Etta James’ smooth-as-velvet At Last.

Guests enjoyed performances from some very talented cabin crew

CNN international anchor and self-confessed “avgeek” Richard Quest was also on board the flight, live-blogging the entire journey. As an experienced long-haul flyer – in 2005 Quest was aboard a 22-hour Boeing demonstration flight that entered the Guinness Book of Records – he had a few words of wisdom for his fellow passengers.

“The key is all in how you plan a flight of this duration, otherwise you’ll sit there bored. You need to maximise the time that is relevant to where you are going – set the clock to where you are going and sleep at all the right times,” he advised.

SQ22_Inaugural_Richard Quest — CNN international anchor Richard Quest was onboard the inaugural flight

Quest himself didn’t get much sleep though, tweeting and filing updates to his live CNN story for most of the 19 hours.

“There has always been a level of, and dedication to, quality that is very unique to Singapore Airlines,” he told SilverKris. “But in the last five years I’ve seen that improve even more. There is now an even greater degree of flexibility, and that’s huge. I am most impressed not by the frills but by the perfectionist nature [of the airline].”

Singapore Airlines kebaya — Singapore Airlines flight attendants in their iconic kebaya uniforms

Vippin Bagga from New Delhi decided to take a detour to a business meeting in Toronto in order to be on the inaugural SQ22. “I could have easily have flown from India to Toronto, but I chose a longer path so that I could experience all of this,” he said.

Cherag Dubash flew in from his home base of Dubai just to be on board SQ22. “I’m an ‘avgeek’ and have an Instagram [dedicated to aviation]. This will be the longest flight I’ve taken, but I’ve got my routine planned – I’ll first set up my GoPro and then settle into movies and surfing the net,” he said.

The “First to Fly” group were also on the inaugural A380 flight, 11 years ago

Dr Chong Jeng How from Singapore is from a group called “First to Fly”. He was travelling on SQ22 with eight other members of the group, who met during another of SIA’s world firsts 11 years ago – its first commercial flight of the double-decker Airbus A380 – and discovered a common interest in aviation. “This flight is a friendship thing for us – it’s a time to bond with each other,” he said.

And while connecting to the flight’s WiFi was priority for many passengers, Tilo Kruger from Ireland was doing just the opposite. “For me, a flight of this length is a great opportunity to escape and disconnect,” he said. “That’s what I love about flying.”

All photos by Singapore Airlines.

Garuda Indonesia to discontinue the Jakarta – London route

Garuda Indonesia Airways has announced starting on October 30, 2018, the start of the winter season 2018-2019, Garuda Indonesia will no longer serve its Jakarta – London (Heathrow) route.

The airline continued;

The termination of our London route is one of our several internal adjustments to optimize our International flights network in 2019 and enhance our Jakarta-Amsterdam route.

Nevertheless, we will continue to fly to The United Kingdom via our main hub at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport with all our partners especially Sky Team Alliance airlines.

Together with our travel agency partners, Garuda Indonesia will work closely with the impacted passengers for their itineraries and re-accommodate them through our Jakarta-Amsterdam route or other alternative flights.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Garuda Indonesia): Garuda Indonesia Airways Boeing 777-3U3 ER PK-GIG (msn 29143) LHR (SPA). Image: 934898.

Garuda Indonesia aircraft slide show:

Boeing delivers SpiceJet’s first 737 MAX airplane

Boeing and SpiceJet celebrated the delivery of the carrier’s first 737 MAX 8 (VT-MAX). The airline plans to use the 737 MAX to expand and standardize its fleet, while leveraging the super-efficient jet to reduce fuel costs per airplane by $1.5 million a year.

This is the first of up to 205 737 MAX airplanes SpiceJet has announced with Boeing. The new and improved single-aisle airplane will help SpiceJet lower its emissions output, which is a key initiative for the carrier as it looks to increase regional and international routes.

SpiceJet’s first 737 MAX 8 takes-off from Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington (Craig Larson photo).

SpiceJet’s new 737 MAX airplanes arrive at a time when India’s commercial aviation market continues to grow at significant rates. According to industry data, domestic air traffic in India has grown about 20 percent in each of the past four years with an upward growth trajectory going forward.

In preparation for their new 737 MAX, SpiceJet signed up to leverage Boeing Global Services’ tailored flight simulator and maintenance training, which will help train SpiceJet’s world-class pilots and mechanics in all areas of 737 MAX flight operations, resulting in maximized cost-savings. The airline also employs Onboard Performance Tool, powered by Boeing AnalytX, which allows flight crews and ground personnel to perform real-time calculations based on current weather and runway conditions, improving efficiency and maximizing payloads.

The 737 MAX 8 is part of a family of airplanes that offer about 130 to 230 seats and the ability to fly up to 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 kilometers) or nearly eight hours of flight. For SpiceJet’s full fleet of up to 205 airplanes, the MAX will emit up to 750,000 fewer metric tons of CO2 and save up to 240,000 metric tons of fuel per year, which translates to more than $317 million in cost savings annually*.

In addition, the MAX 8, will have the lowest operating costs in the single-aisle market with an 8 percent per-seat advantage over the competition. The operating advantages, along with the popular Boeing Sky Interior, explains why carriers have been choosing to fly the MAX.

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating more than 4,700 orders from 104 customers worldwide.

*Based on: General rules, 750-nmi mission, two-class seating, fuel price: $4.00 per U.S. gallon, 737 MAX 8

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Boeing): SpiceJet Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 VT-MAX (msn 60644) BFI (Joe G. Walker). Image: 943613.

SpiceJet aircraft slide show:

Air Canada to increase Vancouver-Delhi flights to daily, expands Dreamliner service from Vancouver for Summer 2019

Air Canada announced today enhancements to four international routes from Vancouver, including increasing service to Delhi with daily flights on a year-round basis starting June 2, 2019.

In addition, Air Canada is increasing its nonstop Melbourne service to four times weekly year-round, and summer seasonal service to Zurich will increase to five flights a week. YVR-Osaka (Kansai) flights will be five times weekly from June to October next summer.

All flights will be operated with Air Canada’s flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Connectivity:

All routes are timed to optimize connectivity at Air Canada’s Vancouver hub to and from the airline’s extensive network across North America. All Australia flights are timed to connect to and from Adelaide, Canberra, Perth and to Tasmania with codeshare partner Virgin Australia. Additionally, Air Canada’s Vancouver–Zurich flights will connect to and from destinations in Europe and Africa.

Schedule details:

Route	Frequency	Operating	Depart YVR	Arrive Destination	Depart Destination	Arrive YVR
YVR-Delhi (DEL)	Daily	Year-round as of June 2, 2019	AC044 01:25	DEL @ 04:00 (+1 day)	AC045 @ 06:00	07:30
YVR-Melbourne (MEL)	4 times weekly	Year-round as of June 3, 2019	AC037 @ 22:50 Mon/Wed/Fri/ Sun	MEL @ 08:05 (+2 days)	AC038 @ 09:40 Tue/Wed/Fri/ Sun	07:35
YVR-Zurich (ZRH)	5 times weekly	Jun. 6 – Oct. 13 2019	AC802 @ 13:00 Tue/Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun	ZRH @ 07:55 (+1 day)	AC803 @ 10:05 Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun	11:25
YVR-Osaka (KIX)	Up to 5 times weekly	Jun. 1 – Oct. 25 2019	AC039 @ 13:30 Mon/Tues/Wed/Thu/Sat	KIX @ 15:45 (+1 day)	AC040 @17:15 Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sun	10:10

Vancouver expansion in 2018:

To date this year, Air Canada launched new services from its Vancouver hub to: Melbourne (extended to year-round), Paris(summer seasonal), Zurich (summer seasonal), Sacramento (year-round) and will launch new services to Lihue, Hawaii(seasonal) beginning Dec. 15, 2018. This summer, Air Canada operated an average of 185 daily flights representing up to 23,500 available seats departing YVR every day.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by Air Canada): Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner C-GHPQ (msn 35257) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 937929.

Air Canada aircraft slide show:

Amazon Air is now operating to Miami

Miami International Airport is now part of Amazon Air’s (Prime Air) cargo flight operations. The company has launched double-daily freighter service at MIA to destinations across the U.S. The new cargo service is being operated by Atlas Air Worldwide with Boeing 767-300F aircraft, and includes an onsite facility to sort packages bound for their next destination.

Amazon already operates four warehouses in Miami-Dade County, all within 12 miles of MIA – the largest of which is a new 885,000-square-foot fulfillment center at Miami-Opa locka Executive Airport just completed this year.

Amazon Air’s launch comes nine months after Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) officials hosted its first e-Commerce strategy workshop with more than 30 local air cargo industry stakeholders, with the goal of establishing Miami-Dade County as one of the world’s leading e-commerce hubs. Market research firm eMarketer forecasts Latin America to be a strong e-commerce growth region during that span, with a projected doubling of annual sales from $47.4 billion in 2015 to $84.8 billion in 2019. MIA is America’s busiest airport for international freight and handles more freight to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport.

Amazon Air will operate two daily flights.

Photo: MIA.

Taos Air to launch flights to Austin and Dallas

The Town of Taos today announced that the Taos Regional Airport will begin direct charter flight service to and from Austin International and Dallas-Love Field airports beginning December 20. The air service will be known as Taos Air and will be comparably priced to traditional commercial airlines.

The Taos Air launch follows the Taos Regional Airport’s opening of its new crosswinds runway last August. The milestone event was the result of a thirty-year, $24,000,000 development process, in conjunction with the NM Department of Transportation’s Aviation Division and the FAA.

“With the new runway in place, we are committed to positioning the Taos Regional Airport as an economic driver for Taos County and Northern New Mexico,” said Daniel Barrone, Mayor, Town of Taos. “To that end, we are working with the state and our regional partners to develop and fund year-round, long-term air service. Improved accessibility to the area will provide opportunities to diversify the local and regional economy. Initiating seasonal air service with Taos Air is the first exciting step on that journey.”

One stakeholder working with the Town of Taos to bring the new Taos Air charter service to the airport is Taos Ski Valley, Inc., which purchased a 30-passenger jet and entered into a management agreement with Ultimate Jet Charters to operate the new Taos Air service in and out of Taos Regional Airport.

“We’re supportive of the Town’s vision for the airport as a regional economic driver and premier tourist destination,” said David Norden, CEO of Taos Ski Valley, Inc. “Taos Air will now offer the closest, fastest and easiest route to the Rockies from Texas, a thrilling development for skiers, snowboarders and outdoor enthusiasts from that region.”

Starting December 20 and continuing through the end of March, Taos Air will begin direct charter flight service between Taos Regional Airport (TSM) and Austin International (AUS) and Dallas-Love Field (DAL) airports. Winter service will consist of one flight to and from each destination every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday or holiday Monday, for a total of six round trips per week.

Copyright Photo: Ultimate Air Shuttle (Ultimate Jetcharters) Fairchild Dornier 328-310 (328JET) N406FJ (msn 3156) CLT (Jay Selman). Image: 402970.

Ultimate aircraft slide show:

Delta announces its third quarter profit

Delta Air Lines today reported financial results for the September quarter:

2018. Highlights of those results, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are below and incorporated here.

Adjusted pre-tax income for the September quarter 2018 was $1.6 billion, and adjusted earnings per share were $1.80, at the high end of guidance. Adjusted earnings per share were up 16 percent compared to the prior year quarter, driven by revenue momentum, tax reform benefits and a four percent lower share count. Results reflect a $30 million negative impact from Hurricane Florence.

“Our solid eight percent revenue growth, combined with flat non-fuel unit cost performance, helped offset 85 percent of the $655 million fuel cost increase in the quarter. These achievements are a testament to the strength of the Delta business model and the hard work of the Delta people, and I am pleased to recognize their performance with an additional $395 million toward 2018 profit sharing,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer. “Our commercial momentum and improved cost trajectory give us confidence that we are on a path to deliver continued top-line growth and expand margins as we move into 2019.”

Revenue Environment

Delta’s adjusted operating revenue of $11.8 billion for the September quarter improved eight percent, or $912 million versus the prior year. This quarterly revenue result marks a record for the company, driven by improvements across Delta’s business, including a nearly 20 percent increase in premium product ticket revenues and double-digit percentage increases in cargo, loyalty and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul revenue.

Total unit revenues excluding refinery sales (TRASM) increased 4.3 percent during the period driven by strong demand and improving yields. Foreign exchange benefit of approximately half a point was offset by the impact of Hurricane Florence.

“We generated record revenues in the September quarter on strong demand across the business and a favorable yield environment. In the December quarter we expect total unit revenue growth of three to five percent, driving full year revenue growth to eight percent, the high end of our guidance,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s president. “The benefits of our brand, industry-leading network, and relentless focus on the customer are driving revenue growth, improving margins and accelerating the pace of our recapture of higher fuel costs.”

Increase (Decrease)

3Q18 versus 3Q17

Change Unit
Revenue 3Q18 ($M) YoY Revenue Yield Capacity

Domestic $ 7,395 9.2% 3.3% 3.2% 5.6%

Atlantic 1,996 10.7% 7.8% 7.0% 2.7%

Pacific 730 3.0% 4.8% 6.3% (1.7)%

Latin America 675 (2.6)% (2.9)% (0.8)% 0.3%

Total Passenger $ 10,796 8.2% 4.2% 4.2% 3.9%

Cargo Revenue 226 18.5%

Other Revenue 931 4.4%

Total Revenue $ 11,953 8.1% 4.0%

Third Party Refinery Sales (108)

Total Revenue, adjusted $ 11,845 8.3% 4.3%

December Quarter 2018

Despite an expected 30 percent increase in fuel price, Delta expects pre-tax margins to stabilize in the December quarter driven by continued top-line growth and improving cost performance.

See Note A for information about reconciliation of projected non-GAAP financial measures

Cost Performance

Total adjusted operating expenses for the September quarter increased $1.0 billion versus the prior year quarter, with more than half of the increase driven by higher fuel prices.

CASM-Ex was flat for the September quarter 2018 compared to the prior year period, a three-point improvement from the June quarter. Efficiency gains successfully offset cost pressures from higher revenue-related costs and product and employee investments.

“The September quarter marked an important inflection point in changing our non-fuel cost trajectory, and we expect to deliver on our full-year target of one to two percent non-fuel unit cost growth,” said Paul Jacobson, Delta’s chief financial officer. “Continued focus on cost control, along with incremental efficiency gains from refleeting and One Delta, give us confidence in our ability to keep our non-fuel unit cost growth below two percent next year.”

Adjusted fuel expense increased $655 million, or 35 percent, relative to September quarter 2017. Delta’s adjusted fuel price per gallon for the September quarter was $2.22, which includes $12 million of benefit from the refinery.

Adjusted non-operating expense improved by $30 million versus the prior year, driven primarily by pension expense favorability. The company expects 2018 full-year adjusted non-operating expense to be approximately $300 million, representing a $160 million improvement over prior year due to favorable interest and pension expenses, offsetting reduced partner earnings due to higher fuel.

Adjusted tax expense declined $221 million for the September quarter primarily due to the reduction in Delta’s book tax rate from 34 percent to 23 percent.

	4Q18 Forecast
Earnings per share	$1.10 – $1.30
Pre-tax margin	9% – 11%
Fuel price, including taxes, settled hedges and refinery impact	$2.47 – 2.52
Total revenue growth (year-over-year)	Up ~8%
Total unit revenue excluding refinery sales (year-over-year)	Up 3% – 5%
CASM – Excluding fuel and profit sharing (year-over-year)	Flat – down 1%
System Capacity (year-over-year)	Up ~4%

Cash Flow and Shareholder Returns

Delta generated $1.5 billion of operating cash flow and $655 million of free cash flow during the quarter, after the investment of $865 million primarily for aircraft purchases and modifications.

For the September quarter, Delta returned $566 million to shareholders, comprised of $325 million of share repurchases and $241 million in dividends.

Strategic Highlights

In the September quarter, Delta achieved a number of milestones across its five key strategic pillars.

Culture and People

Received certification as a great workplace by the independent analysts at Great Place to Work for a third straight year, with 93 percent of employees proud to work for Delta, reiterating the importance of the Delta culture.
Earned a spot in the transportation section of the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index for the eighth consecutive year, as the first airline to offer carbon offsets to customers and the only airline to cap emissions at 2012 levels through purchase of carbon offsets.Operational Reliability

Delivered 97 days of zero system cancellations across the combined mainline and Delta Connection operations on a year-to-date basis, up 46 days from 2017 and exceeding the previous full-year record in the first nine months of the year.
Achieved industry-leading operational performance with mainline on-time performance (A0) of 71.5 percent year-to-date; and top baggage performance as measured in the latest Department of Transportation report.Network and Partnerships

Achieved major milestones in the Delta/Korean joint venture including the completion of pricing harmonization, co-location of teams in Seoul and Atlanta, and broad alignment of commercial strategy.
Signed a definitive agreement with WestJet that, after regulatory approval, will create a transborder joint venture serving more than 30 cities, which covers over 95 percent of U.S.-Canadian demand, providing enhanced offerings and more choice for customers.
Continued Delta’s global and domestic expansion with the announcement of plans to expand access to London-Heathrow and Paris-Charles de Gaulle from key hubs and gateways including Detroit, Los Angeles, New York-JFK, and Portland, Ore; new Boston to Lisbon service; new Tampa to Amsterdam service; additional frequency to Tel Aviv from New York-JFK; and, new Honolulu service from Detroit.Customer Experience and Loyalty

Installed seat-back entertainment on its 600th aircraft, more than any airline in the world, giving more customers than ever convenient access to free in-flight entertainment on Delta Studio.
Announced the launch of the first biometric terminal in the United States, transforming the customer journey with a seamless travel experience through the Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal in Atlanta.
Launched personalized company sites to allow individual corporate travelers to stay up to date on benefits they receive through their company’s Corporate Sales Agreement with Delta.Investment Grade Balance Sheet

• Received reaffirmation of an investment-grade credit rating by S&P Ratings, showing the confidence of the market in the sustainability and durability of the company.

September Quarter Results

Special items for the quarter consist primarily of mark-to-market adjustments on refinery fuel hedges and unrealized gains/losses on investments.

GAAP Adjusted

($ in millions except per share and unit costs) 3Q18 3Q17 3Q18 3Q17

Pre-tax income 1,674 1,776 1,601 1,696

Net income 1,312 1,159 1,236 1,109

Diluted earnings per share 1.91 1.61 1.80 1.54

Operating revenue 11,953 11,061 11,845 10,933

Operating expense 10,311 9,238 10,220 9,184

Fuel expense 2,498 1,785 2,514 1,859

Average fuel price per gallon 2.21 1.61 2.22 1.68

Consolidated unit cost (CASM/CASM-Ex) 14.15 13.17 9.62 9.62

Non-operating income/(expense) 32 (47) (24) (53)

Total unit revenues (TRASM/TRASM, adjusted) 16.40 15.77 16.25 15.58

Delta aircraft slide show:

Delta announces its third quarter profit

Wizz Air, the fastest growing airline in Europe and the leading low cost carrier in Central and Eastern Europe, today announces its new and transparent baggage policy which is aimed at easing boarding for passengers and which guarantees all passengers to bring one free carry-on bag into the aircraft cabin on all Wizz Air flights, from 1 November 2018.

The airline’s historic figures show that more than 10,000 flights per year are affected by baggage-related delays. Figures also show that in the past five years the average length of stay at a destination has been continuously declining and by now every third Wizz Air traveller books trips for three days or less. As a consequence of shorter trips, WIZZ passengers pack light and smart. Every third passenger purchased a checked in bag while only every seventh passenger opted for the Trolley bag, which could be brought on board.

As of 1 November, every passenger is entitled to bring one free carry-on bag (40x30x20 cm) on board, while those passengers who purchase WIZZ Priority will be allowed to carry a trolley bag (55x40x23 cm) into the cabin as well. Based on customer feedback and the changing travel patterns, Wizz Air has introduced a 10kg checked in bag to facilitate comfortable travel experience with prices starting from as low as €7.

The airline’s new clear and fair baggage policy is the policy of choices for our passengers as it allows WIZZ customers to choose among more than 50 carry-on and checked in baggage variations based on their individual preferences.

Johan Eidhagen, Chief Marketing Officer of Wizz Air said: “Passengers want unbundled products and that is at the heart of the Ultra Low Cost Model, Wizz Air applies too. We want to offer our customers the lowest possible fares as well as a transparent view into ticket pricing. By unbundling products and services, Wizz Air democratizes the way of travelling and allows for a pay-per-need offer.”

We encourage our passengers to pack smart and purchase WIZZ Priority, which includes a free carry-on bag (40x30x20 cm), a trolley bag (55x40x23 cm) to be carried on board, Priority check in and Priority boarding from as low as €5.

Bookings without WIZZ Priority made before 10 October for the travel period after 1 November 2018 will be upgraded with a free 10kg checked in bag, while bookings with a checked in baggage will be upgraded with WIZZ Priority.

Wizz Air believes that this transparent and clear approach to baggage policy will contribute to a more comfortable and quicker boarding, a better customer experience and at the same time enhance the airline’s on time departure performance. With more certainty that a bag can fit on board, and a new, wider selection of baggage size and weight options, customers now have an unprecedented assortment of combinations to choose from.

Johan Eidhagen added: “We are delighted to introduce our new, transparent and fair-for-all baggage policy which offers the widest selection of baggage choices for our customers, while allowing a free carry-on bag for every passenger. We are convinced that our versatile offer of more than 50 baggage combinations will address the needs of our customers in a personalized manner and our passengers will continue to pay only for those services they want to use. Starting 1 November we will make travelling more comfortable while continuously offering the lowest possible fares throughout our extensive network of 143 destinations in 44 countries.”

Video: