Tag Archives: delta air lines atlanta

Delta Air Lines is in talks to purchase Singapore Airlines’ 49% share of Virgin Atlantic Airways

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Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) is reportedly in discussions with Singapore Airlines (Singapore) to acquire their 49 percent share in Virgin Atlantic Airways (London). If successful, Delta’s European partners, namely Air France-KLM, could then buy some of Sir Richard Branson’s shares to take control of the UK company according to this report by the Financial Times.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. If completed, it would be a bold move by SkyTeam to further increase its presence at slot-controlled Heathrow Airport in London against the Oneworld alliance. Boeing 737-832 N3755D (msn 29627) climbs away from Los Angeles International Airport.

Delta Air Lines:ย AG Slide Show

Virgin Atlantic Airways:ย AG Slide Show

Bottom Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough. Is the Virgin Atlantic brand in danger of becoming history? Boeing 747-41R G-VROC (msn 32746) arrives at New York (JFK) in the updated 2010 motif.

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Delta wins tentative DOT approval for Seattle/Tacoma-Tokyo Haneda service

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) has thanked the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for its preliminary approval of new service between Seattle/Tacoma and Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

Seattle is the largest West Coast city without nonstop service to Tokyo Haneda, which is the preferred Tokyo airport for many business travelers due to its proximity to the city’s central business district. The flight would complement Delta’s nonstop flight between Seattle/Tacoma and Tokyo (Narita), which will be expanded and upgraded next year to Boeing 747-400 service.

The Haneda flight adds to Delta’s growing Asian gateway in Seattle/Tacoma. In addition to Tokyo, Delta recently announced new service to Shanghai, and also operates flights to Beijing and Osaka, Japan.

The Haneda flight, which is scheduled to begin in March 2013, will operate using Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft featuring full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite, Delta’s popular Economy Comfort seating and in-flight entertainment in every seat throughout the aircraft.

In addition to its Asian gateway, Delta operates nonstop service to Paris and Amsterdam from Seattle/Tacoma. By next summer the airline will operate more than 40 daily flights to 15 destinations worldwide from Seattle/Tacoma.

Delta’s international growth in Seattle/Tacoma is possible because of its partnership with Alaska Airlines (Seattle/Tacoma), which operates a domestic hub at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Customers of both carriers enjoy access to an expanded network under a major codesharing agreement, as well as reciprocal frequent flier benefits and airport lounge access. The new Tokyo-Haneda flight will benefit from easy connections to 55 U.S. cities on Delta and Alaska’s domestic networks.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum. Airbus A330-323X N801NW (msn 524) arrives at SeaTac from Tokyo (Narita).

Delta Air Lines:ย 

Delta Air Lines completes the flat-bed installations on its Boeing 747-400s

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) has completed the installation of full flat-bed seats in the BusinessEliteยฎ cabin of all Boeing 747-400 type aircraft.

The last of 16 Boeing 747 aircraft, each with 48 BusinessElite seats, has been retrofitted with full flat-bed seats. It entered scheduled service this week on a flight between Singapore and Tokyo’s Narita airport, before making its way to Atlanta.

Delta previously completed installation of the full flat-bed modification on its Boeing 777 and 767-400 ER aircraft types.ย  To date, 13 767-300 ER aircraft have received the modification and three more will be complete by month’s end.ย  In total, approximately 50 percent of Delta’s widebody international fleet has received the upgrade.ย  In addition to flat-bed seats in BusinessElite, the cabin overhaul includes upgraded seats in the Economy cabin with personal entertainment at every seat.ย  The airline’s entire widebody international fleet of more than 140 aircraft will receive the full aircraft modification in both cabins by the middle of 2014.

Delta recently announced plans toย install full flat-bed seatsย on its transcontinental flights between New York โ€“ JFK and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

This autumn, Delta announced plans to add Wi-Fi to its entire international fleet.ย  The airline is already the largest operator of Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft on more than 3,000 flights serving more than 400,000 customers every day.ย  When complete, Delta will offer Wi-Fi on more than 950 aircraft, from 747s to two-class regional jets.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Boeing 747-451 N674US (msn 30269) climbs away from Los Angeles International Airport.

Delta Air Lines:ย 

 

Delta Air Lines to offer full flat-bed in BusinessElite on transcontinental flights

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will introduce full flat-bed seats in the BusinessEliteยฎ cabin of all transcontinental flights operating between New York and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle beginning in March 2013.ย  All of Delta’s Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft serving these transcontinental markets will offer the flatbed seats over approximately the following 24 months.

Transcontinental flying will be operated using a combination of Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft types.ย  The first 767 will begin flying in March of 2013, between New Yorkย – JFK and Los Angeles.ย This flight will be timed to provide seamless connections with Delta’s Los Angeles – Sydney flight in both directions, and offer JFK – Sydney customers a flatbed product and onboard experience throughout their itinerary. By June, four of Delta’s seven daily flights between JFK and LAX, and one of five daily flights between New York and Seattle/Tacoma, will operate with a 767 widebody aircraft featuring the flat-bed product in the BusinessElite cabin.

The 767 transcontinental product features an entirely new interior including 26 full flat-bed BusinessElite seats and direct aisle access at every seat in a 1-2-1 configuration.ย  The 21-inch wide seats offer an average bed length of 79 inches and feature a 10.6-inch video monitor.ย  The 767s are configured with 29 Economy Comfort seats featuring 35″ of pitch and 50 percent more recline, in addition to 171 Economy seats.ย  Every seat in the Economy cabin features a 9-inch video monitor and USB power.ย  Standard 110v power is available in the BusinessElite cabin and Economy Comfort section.

Sixteen full flat-bed seats on the updated transcontinental 757 fleet will be arranged in a 2-2 configuration and offer a 20-inch wide seat and an average bed length of 79 inches. Each BusinessElite seat will feature a high definition 16-inch video monitor.ย  This fleet modification will also include changes to the Economy cabin, with 44 Economy Comfort seats offering 35 inches of pitch and 50 percent more recline, in addition to 108 Economy seats.ย  All seats in the Economy cabin will feature a nine-inch video monitor, with standard 110v and USB power ports available at every seat. ย Prior to the full cabin modification and by next summer, the transcon 757 fleet will increase the number of Economy Comfort seats to 25, up from 11 today.

The entire transcon fleet will feature in-flight Wi-Fi and industry leading in-flight entertainment with a library of more than 1,000 on-demand options. Additionally, the 757 will feature 18 channels of live satellite TV.

Beginning in May of 2013, transcontinental customers flying into and out of New York’s JFK will experience first hand Delta’s new $1.2 billion expansion of Terminal 4, which will host all flights operating to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.ย  The Concourse B extension will include the largest Delta Sky Club in the system, as well as nine new international gates, for a total of 16 the airline will occupy. The project will improve passenger flow by adding more capacity at check-in areas and security checkpoints. The state-of-the-art facilities also will feature a new automated baggage handling system and larger shopping and dining areas post-security. The project expands baggage claim and Customs and Border Protection areas to speed fliers through the airport. Delta jets will see faster taxi times with the addition of dual taxiways, improving on-time performance.

Summer 2013 flight schedules for transcontinental flights in these markets are below.

July 2013 schedule between New York โ€“ JFK and Los Angeles

Departs Time Arrives Time Aircraft Type
JFK 7 a.m. LAX 10 a.m. 76Z
JFK 9 a.m. LAX Noon 75E
JFK Noon LAX 3 p.m. 75E
JFK 3:30 p.m. LAX 6:45 p.m. 76Z
JFK 5 p.m. LAX 8:25 p.m. 75E
JFK 6:15 p.m. LAX 9:35 p.m. 76Z
JFK 9 p.m. LAX 12:20 a.m. 76Z
LAX 6:30 a.m. JFK 3:05 p.m. 76Z
LAX 8:30 a.m. JFK 5:10 p.m. 76Z
LAX 11:15 a.m. JFK 7:55 p.m. 76Z
LAX 1:30 p.m. JFK 10:05 p.m. 75E
LAX 4 p.m. JFK 12:30 a.m. 75E
LAX 9:30 p.m. JFK 6 a.m. 76Z
LAX 11:30 p.m. JFK 8 a.m. 75E

July 2013 schedule between on New York’s JFK and Seattle

Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Type
JFK 7:30 a.m. SEA 10:40 a.m. 75E
JFK 9:30 a.m. SEA 12:40 a.m. 75E
JFK 3 p.m. SEA 6:25 p.m. 76L
JFK 5 p.m. SEA 8:33 p.m. 75E
JFK 7 p.m. SEA 10:36 p.m. 75E
SEA 7 a.m. JFK 3:20 p.m. 76L
SEA 9:35 a.m. JFK 5:55 p.m. 75E
SEA Noon JFK 8:25 p.m. 75E
SEA 3 p.m. JFK 11:15 p.m. 75E
SEA 11:30 p.m. JFK 7:45 a.m. 75E

July 2013 schedule between New York’s JFK and San Francisco

Departure Time Arrival Time Aircraft Type
JFK 7 a.m. SFO 10:25 a.m. 75E
JFK 10 a.m. SFO 1:25 p.m. 75E
JFK 2 p.m. SFO 5:30 p.m. 75E
JFK 4 p.m. SFO 7:45 p.m. 75E
JFK 5:30 p.m. SFO 9:20 p.m. 75E
JFK 7 p.m. SFO 10:50 p.m. 75E
SFO 6:15 a.m. JFK 2:55 p.m. 75E
SFO 8 a.m. JFK 4:40 p.m. 75E
SFO 11:30 a.m. JFK 8:10 p.m. 75E
SFO 4 p.m. JFK 12:35 a.m. 75E
SFO 9:15 p.m. JFK 5:45 a.m. 75E
SFO 11:15 p.m. JFK 7:50 a.m. 75E

Transcontinental Business Elite Product

Delta has already transformed coast-to-coast travel with its current transcontinental BusinessElite product, with service elements including a gourmet three-course menu from renowned chefย Michael Chiarelloย paired with a wine menu selected by Delta’s master sommelier Andrea Robinson; an extensive library of on demand movies, TV shows, music and games; and Gogo In-flight Internet access. Premium pillows, quilted duvets, noise-canceling headsets and adjustable winged headrests provide additional comfort.

Delta’s decision to install full flat-bed seats on its transcontinental flights complements the airline’s current investment in full flat-bed seats on its entire international widebody fleet of more than 140 aircraft.ย  To date, 46 percent of aircraft have been modified including all Boeing 747, 767-400ER and 777 fleet types, with the entire widebody fleet scheduled to be complete in early 2014.

The expansion of full flat-bed seats to the transcontinental product is the latest in the airline’s more than $3 billion investment in enhanced global products, services and airport facilities through 2015. In addition to investments in transcon, Delta operates the largest Wi-Fi-enabled fleet in the world, isย adding recharging stations at more airports, has added more First Class seats andย in-flight entertainmentย to its domestic product; offers Economy Comfort on all two-class aircraft; is adding personal, in-seat entertainment for both BusinessElite and Economy class customers on all long-haul international flights; hasย updated Delta Sky Clubsย throughout the system; and is overhauling its terminal facility for international customers at its two largest global gateways โ€“ the new international terminal inย Atlantaย now open and the expanded international terminal opening next May atย New York-JFK.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Boeing 767-332 N126DL (msn 24076) climbs away from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Delta Air Lines:ย 

Delta reports a $768 million net profit in the third quarter, excluding special items

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) today reported:

  • net income, excluding special items1, for the September 2012 quarter was $768 million, or $0.90 per diluted share.
  • Delta’s September 2012 quarter GAAP net income was $1.0 billion, or $1.23 per diluted share, including mark-to-market gains on open fuel hedges and other special items.
  • Delta’s unit revenues were up 3 percent for the quarter and the company has produced a unit revenue premium to the industry for eighteen consecutive months.
  • Results included $174 million in profit sharing expense, for a total of $309 million year to date, in recognition of Delta employees’ efforts toward the company’s financial targets.ย  In addition, Delta people have received $67 million in Shared Rewards in 2012 for hitting the company’s operational and customer service targets.
  • Delta ended the September 2012 quarter with $5.1 billion in unrestricted liquidity and adjusted net debt of $11.9 billion.

Revenue Environment

Delta’s operating revenue grew $107 million, or 1 percent, on 1.5 percent lower capacity in the September 2012 quarter compared to the September 2011 quarter.ย  Load factor for the quarter increased 0.3 points year over year to 86.4 percent.

  • Passenger revenueย increased 1 percent, or $124 million, compared to the prior year period.ย  Passenger unit revenue (PRASM) increased 3 percent, driven by a 3 percent improvement in yield.
  • Cargo revenueย decreased 5 percent, or $14 million, with lower cargo yields partially offset by higher volumes.
  • Other revenueย decreased $3 million as lower third-party maintenance revenues were partially offset by higher codeshare revenue.

Comparisons of revenue-related statistics are as follows:

Increase (Decrease)
3Q12 versus 3Q11
Passenger Revenue 3Q12 ($M) Change

YOY

ย ย  Unit

Revenue

Yield Capacity
Domestic $ ย  ย  3,690 4% 3% 4% 1%
Atlantic 1,751 (2)% 3% 2% (5)%
Pacific 1,108 5% 6% 3% (1)%
Latin America 468 3% -% (3)% 3%
Total mainline 7,017 2% 3% 3% (1)%
Regional 1,675 (2)% 6% 6% (8)%
Consolidated $ ย  ย  8,692 1% 3% 3% (2)%

“Our solid revenue performance reflects the benefits of capacity discipline, strong operational performance and the investments we have made in our products and service,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s president. ย “We expect our revenue performance to benefit from our continued capacity discipline and further corporate travel gains and we are forecasting our October unit revenues to increase 4 โ€“ 5% year over year.”

Fuel

Excluding mark-to-market adjustments, Delta’s average fuel price2ย was $3.14 per gallon for the September quarter, which includes 3 cents per gallon in settled losses from its fuel hedging program.ย  On a GAAP basis, which includes $440 million of mark-to-market gains on out of period hedges, the company’s average fuel price was $2.71 per gallon.

During the September quarter, jet fuel production began at Delta’s wholly-owned Trainer Refinery and the company expects the plant to be fully operational in the December quarter.ย  For the December quarter, Delta expects Trainer’s production to generate a contribution of breakeven to $25 million.

Non-Fuel Cost Performance

Consolidated unit cost (CASM3), excluding fuel expense, profit sharing and special items, was 5.6 percent higher in the September 2012 quarter on a year-over-year basis, driven by the impact of capacity reductions, higher maintenance expense, wage increases and service investments.ย  GAAP consolidated CASM decreased 2 percent primarily due to mark-to-market gains on open fuel hedges.

“With consistent investment in the business, our non-fuel costs have grown in the past few quarters and we expect that trend to continue into the first half of next year,” said Paul Jacobson, Delta’s chief financial officer.ย  “However, we are in the process of implementing a $1 billion program of structural initiatives that we anticipate will generate significant savings in the second half of 2013, while maintaining the high quality product, network and operation we have built.”

Cash Flow and Liquidity

As of September 30, 2012, Delta had $5.1 billion in unrestricted liquidity, including $3.2 billion in cash and short-term investments and $1.9 billion in undrawn revolving credit facilities.

Operating cash flow during the September 2012 quarter was $545 million, driven by the company’s profitability, which was offset by the normal seasonal decline in advance ticket sales.ย  Free cash flow for the September 2012 quarter was $120 million.

Capital expenditures during the quarter were $425 million, including $275 million for fleet, including advance payments for 737-900ERs, induction costs for MD-90s and interior modifications to Delta’s international fleet.

During the September quarter, Delta paid $270 million in net debt maturities and capital lease obligations.ย  At September 30, the company’s adjusted net debt was $11.9 billion, a reduction of $5 billion since the end of 2009.

Subsequent to the end of the quarter, Delta refinanced $1.7 billion in debt and undrawn revolving credit facilities secured by the company’s Pacific routes and slots.ย  As a result of this transaction, the company has maintained its revolving credit capacity and lowered the interest rate.ย  Delta expects the transaction will generate more than $30 million in annual interest expense savings.

December 2012 Quarter Guidance

Delta’s projections for the December 2012 quarter are below.

4Q 2012 Forecast
Average fuel price, including taxes and settled hedges $ 3.15 – $3.20
Operating margin 4 – 6%
Capital expenditures $450 – 550 million
Total liquidity at end of period $ 5.2 billion
4Q 2012 Forecast

(compared to 4Q 2011)

Consolidated unit costs โ€“ excluding fuel expense and profit sharing Up 5 – 7%
System capacity Down 1 โ€“ 3%
ย ย ย ย  Domestic Down 1 โ€“ 3%
ย ย ย ย  International Down 2 โ€“ 4%

Special Items

Delta recorded special items totaling a $279 million gain in the September 2012 quarter, including:

  • a $440 million gain on mark-to-market adjustments on fuel hedges settling in future periods;
  • a $39 million gain associated with the exchange of slots at New York-LaGuardia and Washington-Reagan National;
  • a $12 million loss on extinguishment of debt;
  • a $66 million charge for severance and related costs; and
  • a $122 million charge for facilities, fleet and other, including charges resulting from the closure of Comair.

Delta recorded special items totaling a $216 million charge in the September 2011 quarter, primarily related to mark to market adjustments for open fuel hedges.

Notes:

(1) Note A to the attached Consolidated Statements of Operations provides a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures used in this release and provides the reasons management uses those measures.

(2) Average fuel price per gallon: Delta’s September 2012 quarter average fuel price of $3.14 per gallon reflects the consolidated cost per gallon for mainline and regional operations, including contract carrier operations, and includes the impact of fuel hedge contracts with original maturity dates in the September 2012 quarter.ย  Settled hedge losses for the quarter were $26 million, or 3 cents per gallon. ย On a GAAP basis, fuel price includes $440 million in fuel hedge mark-to-market adjustments recorded in periods other than the settlement period.

(3) CASM – Ex: Delta excludes from consolidated unit cost ancillary businesses which are not related to the generation of a seat mile, including aircraft maintenance and staffing services which Delta provides to third parties and Delta’s vacation wholesale operations (MLT).ย  The amounts excluded were $214 million and $232 million for the September 2012 quarter and September 2011 quarter, respectively.

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck. Boeing 747-451 N669US (msn 24224) lands at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).

Delta Air Lines:ย 

 

Comair to cease all operations on September 29

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) today announced its subsidiary, Comair, Inc. (Delta Connection) (Cincinnati) will cease all operations after September 29, 2012.

The company issued the following statement this morning:

“Ryan Gumm, President of Comair, communicated Delta’s decision this morning to Comair employees in a memo, the full text of which is included below.

The discontinuation of Comair’s operations will not result in any significant changes to Delta’s network, which has enough flexibility to accommodate these changes.ย  Currently, Comair accounts for approximately one percent of Delta’s network capacity.ย  There will be no disruption to customers and no significant adjustments to Delta’s flight schedule or locations served.ย  All customers who travel on the Delta network, whether on Delta Connection flights or mainline aircraft, can continue to make travel plans with Delta as they have in the past.

Cincinnati will continue to be an important market in Delta’s worldwide network.ย  Over the past several years, working with community leaders, Delta has right-sized capacity at Cincinnati to better match service to local passenger demand.ย  Cincinnati is now a profitable market for Delta and the city continues to enjoy over 120 peak daily flights, with non-stop service to 49 destinations.ย  No reductions in the number of Delta flights are planned at Cincinnati as a result of this decision.

Toย ย ย  ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  All Comair Employees
Fromย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Ryan Gumm, President
Subjectย ย ย ย ย ย ย  ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  Comair to Cease Operations
Date ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย  July 27, 2012

All,

Today, I am writing to let you know that Delta has made the difficult decision to cease Comair’s operations after September 29, 2012.

Delta recently announced its intent to reduce the overall number of 50-seat regional jets in its network from nearly 350 to 125 or fewer in light of the significant changes in the economic and competitive conditions in the airline industry.ย  We believed this announcement would have a negative impact on Comair because we operate some of the oldest 50-seat aircraft in the Delta Connection fleet, which also have the highest unit cost per flight hour.ย  And, in fact, Delta has decided to remove the remaining 16 Comair 50-seaters from the Delta network, leaving Comair with only 28 aircraft in scheduled service.ย  This further reduction of Comair’s active fleet will only create higher unit costs, which equates to a business model that is no longer sustainable in this competitive regional environment.

I understand that today’s news is very difficult and raises many questions for you and your family.ย  Human Resources is prepared to directly assist you during this time.ย  They will post a memo and other documents on the Human Resources Epic page to keep you informed of the assistance available and to help answer many of your questions.ย  We will also have staff available over the weekend to answer questions if needed.ย  If after reviewing the information on Epic you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your departmental leadership as well.

The discontinuation of Comair’s operations is in no way a failure or a reflection of your work โ€“ it is an unfortunate necessity due to the economic limitations of our aging aircraft, cost structure, the long-term outlook for 50-seat aircraft, and our challenging industry and economy.ย  The quality of our operations has continued to be outstanding during our lengthy restructuring efforts, and I am honored to have had the opportunity to lead such a committed team.ย  I am asking that each of you recognize the importance of remaining focused on safety and the job at hand as we continue operations throughout the wind-down period.ย  Your continued commitment and your dedication to a safe and reliable operation is a testament to the professional team we have built here at Comair.”

Comair started operations in March 1977 and became a Delta Connection carrier on September 1, 1984.

Top Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen. Bombardier CRJ900 (CL-600-2D24) N695CA (msn 15097) taxies at New York (JFK) in the special “30 years” (1977-2007) when it celebrated its 30th Anniversary.

Bottom Copyright Photo: Jay Selman. ComAir started out as an independent carrier. Shorts SD3-30 N2630A (msn SH.3081) is pictured near Cincinnati in August 1982 dressed in the 1977 livery. The airframe was destroyed in a rare tornado at Miami on February 2, 1998.

Delta Connection-Comair:ย 

Needles are found in turkey sandwiches on Delta flights out of Amsterdam

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) and its caterer, Gate Gourmet, are cooperating with the authorities and investigators, including the FBI, concerning several instances of needles being found in turkey sandwiches that were catered at Amsterdam. The flights were bound to the United States.

Delta issued this short statement via Twitter:

“Safety is No. 1. Delta takes this very seriously. We’re cooperating w/ authorities and took immediate action w/ caterer.”

Read the full report from CNN: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems. Boeing 757-351 N590NW taxies across the ramp at AMS.

Delta Air Lines:ย 

Delta to add Boeing 717s in 2013, replacing smaller jets

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta)ย will add 88 former AirTran Airways Boeing 717-200 aircraft to its fleet starting in 2013.

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.

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.ย  Delta will begin taking delivery next year of new fuel-efficient state-of-the-art Boeing 737-900 ER jets, which will primarily replace older Boeing 757-200 and 767-300 and Airbus A320 aircraft. Delta will add 100 new 737-900 ERs between 2013 and 2018.ย  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.

Image: Delta Air Lines.

Delta Air Lines:ย 

Delta expands Wi-Fi-equipped fleet to include international aircraft

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) will begin offering in-flight Internet service on its long-haul international fleet of more than 150 aircraft, which includes Boeing 777, 767, 747, Airbus A330 and transoceanic Boeing 757 aircraft in early 2013.

The expanded Wi-Fi service will use satellites to provide coverage internationally and will complement the existing air-to-ground service already provided by Gogo for aircraft flying within the domestic U.S.

Delta already operates the world’s largest Wi-Fi-equipped fleet of aircraft with more than 3,000 flights daily, including its entire fleet of 550 domestic mainline aircraft. More than 800 Delta aircraft, including all Delta Connection two-class regional jets, are equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi service offering more than 400,000 customers per day access above 10,000 feet.

The international service will use high-bandwidth Ku-band capacity satellites to provide global coverage. When complete in 2015, Delta will operate approximately 1,000 Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft in its worldwide fleet.

Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing.

Delta:ย