'Delta Air Lines,
Inc.' () is a major
American airline headquartered in
Atlanta,
Georgia that operates an expansive domestic and international network, spanning
North America,
South America,
Europe,
Asia,
Africa, the
Middle East and the
Caribbean. Delta lands in over 332 destinations in 57 countries (excluding codeshare), across 5 continents.
[ ] Delta has a larger route network footprint than any airline in the world and is the only major U.S. carrier that flies to Africa.
[1]
Delta operates
hubs at
Atlanta,
Salt Lake City International Airport,
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, &
New York JFK; Delta's Atlanta hub is the largest/busiest airline hub in the world. Delta also has large operations in many other cities, including
Boston,
Fort Lauderdale,
Los Angeles,
New York-LaGuardia,
Orlando,
Tampa, and
Columbus. Delta is the leading carrier in
Florida, and carries more passengers across the Atlantic than any other carrier worldwide. Its major transatlantic gateways are Atlanta, Cincinnati, and New York-JFK. Its major Latin American gateways are Atlanta and its rapidly developing hub in
Los Angeles.
[2]
In terms of passengers carried (approximately 119 million in 2005),
[3] Delta is the second-largest airline in the world (behind
American Airlines). In terms of revenue passenger miles, Delta Air Lines is the third largest airline, after American Airlines and
United Airlines.
[4] In terms of total operating revenues, Delta is the sixth-largest airline in the world.
[5]
Services
★ 'Delta', the "
mainline" brand, serves primarily
long-haul, high-volume flights and most international services.
★ '
Delta Shuttle' operates
short-haul, high frequency service in single-class configuration
McDonnell Douglas MD-88s between New York LaGuardia and Boston and between New York LaGuardia and Washington National (Reagan National).
★ '
Delta Connection' is a name given to flights operated by certain
regional airlines on short- to mid-haul, low- to mid-volume routes, "connecting"
hubs to airports where the larger "mainline" planes would either have a hard time accessing, go unfilled or prove unprofitable.
Some subsidiaries of Delta include:
★ Delta Connection and carrier
Comair
★ Delta AirElite Business Jets.
★ Delta Technology
★
Delta Connection Academy
★ DAL Global Services
★ DAL Moscow, a 50/50 partnership with
Aeroflot
Defunct airlines operated by Delta include:
★ '
Delta Express' began service in October, 1996 in an attempt by Delta to compete with
low cost airlines on various leisure-oriented routes. Its main base of operations was
Orlando International Airport and it used
Boeing 737 aircraft. It ceased operations in November, 2003 after Song was established.
★ '
Song' began service on
April 15,
2003 as a single-class airline operated by Delta to compete directly with
JetBlue Airways from both airlines' hubs at New York-JFK. While the brand was considered a successful addition to the Northeast-to-Florida market, financially the airline suffered. As a result, on
May 1,
2006, Song was folded in to the Delta mainline brand, and "Song" class-of-travel service will remain in place on certain long-haul domestic flights, though failing to compete directly with
United p.s. 3-Class service for transcontinental flights. It used
Boeing 757 aircraft.
As a historical footnote,
Western Airlines was acquired on
December 16,
1986 and was operated as a separate airline from Delta for over three months.
[6] In a case by a union to stop the workforce integration, the U.S. Supreme Court wrote "On
December 16,
1986, shareholder approval of the merger was confirmed and Western Airlines became a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta."
[7] The changeover date for discontinuation of the Western Airlines brand and the date for merger of the two airlines' ''workforce'' was
April 1,
1987 but for several months before that Delta had acquired Western and was operating it as a separate airline.
[8]
History
Early history
The company has its roots in
Huff Daland Dusters, which was founded in 1924 in
Macon,
Georgia, by several partners including
Collett E. Woolman becoming the world's first
aerial crop dusting company. Huff Daland moved to
Monroe,
Louisiana the following year. In 1928,
Huff Daland Dusters was purchased by C.E. Woolman and renamed 'Delta Air Service' after the
Mississippi Delta, where its route connected
Dallas,
Texas to
Jackson,
Mississippi, via
Shreveport and
Monroe. The original directors of Delta Air Service were C.H. McHenry, Travis Oliver, and M.S. Biedenharn. By 1934, Delta began mail service from Charleston, SC to Fort Worth, with stops in Columbia, SC,
Augusta, Atlanta,
Birmingham, and
Meridian along the way.
In 1941, Delta moved its headquarters from
Monroe to
Atlanta, to center itself along its new route network that now stretched to
Chicago,
Miami, and
New Orleans.
Delta was the launch operator of the
DC-8, which began service in 1959, and the
Convair CV-880 in 1960. The DC-8's graceful
swept-wing design inspired Delta to come up with a new red, white, and blue delta-shaped logo (the "widget"). Just a few years later, Delta became the launch operator of the
DC-9. By 1970, Delta was an all jet airline.
1970s and 1980s
In 1970, Delta entered the "wide-body" jet era with the purchase of five
Boeing 747s to service its new long-haul high density routes. The initial route was a Los Angeles-Dallas Love Field-Atlanta routing. Delta also had an interchange with Pan Am using Delta 747 to fly to Heathrow Airport in London. However, with the economic slowdown of the early 1970s, Delta found the aircraft too large for its routes and it sold them a few years later. Shortly thereafter, Delta leased five
DC-10s from United Airlines as a stopgap until its larger order of the new
Lockheed L-1011 TriStars could be delivered.
Delta purchased
Northeast Airlines in 1972 to strengthen its market share in the northeastern
United States. Through the purchase, Delta began its long
Boeing 727 operation.
In 1973 the Lockheed TriStar entered service for Delta. Delta placed these aircraft in international service from Atlanta to
London in 1978;
Frankfurt was added the following year. Delta's fast growth showed in August 1979 when it became the first airline in the world to board one million passengers in one city in one month (
Atlanta).
Delta launched its first frequent flyer program in 1981 which became the SkyMiles program in 1995. In 1983, Delta took delivery of their first 767-200, named the ''Spirit of Delta'', which was paid for "by voluntary contributions from employees, retirees and Delta's community partners." The effort, called Project 767, was spearheaded by three Delta flight attendants to show the employees' appreciation to Delta for solid management and strong leadership during the first years following airline deregulation."
[9] The airplane remained the flagship of the Delta fleet until 2006, and was repainted in a commemorative paint scheme and toured the country to celebrate the airline's 75th anniversary in 2004.
[10]
In 1984 the company established its
Delta Connection partnership linking local "feeder" airlines that served mid-size population areas to Delta nodes. The same year, Delta began its first flight to
Hawaii (
Honolulu International Airport) with L-1011 aircraft. Also in 1984, Delta began to offer the nation's first public air-to-ground telephone system with
Airfone, on the L-1011. Delta was named 'Official Airline of
Walt Disney World' in 1986, and their official ride in the Magic Kingdom was
Delta Dreamflight, and was discontinued in the late 1990s when Delta's partership with Walt Disney World ended.
In 1987, Delta merged with
Western Airlines of
Los Angeles and absorbed its large hubs at
Salt Lake City and
Los Angeles. Through these acquisitions and expansions Delta became the fourth largest U.S. carrier and fifth largest world carrier. Also in 1987, Ronald W. Allen became chairman and CEO.
1990s
In 1990, Delta became the first U.S. airline to operate the
MD-11 aircraft
[11], leasing two from Mitsui. Delta operated 15 MD-11s. Delta's most dramatic expansion (at that time) came with its purchase of
Pan Am's European routes in 1991 which included all north Atlantic routes and the Frankfurt, Germany hub, shortly before Pan Am declared
bankruptcy. The purchase gave Delta the largest transatlantic route network, a fleet of 21
A310 aircraft, and the
Worldport (Terminal 3) at JFK. Due to these acquisitions, Delta became and remains today the largest U.S. transatlantic carrier, in terms of passengers carried and number of flights operated. Delta also acquired Pan Am's northeastern shuttle, inheriting of a number of
Boeing 727s, and forming what is today
Delta Shuttle.
In 1991, as one of the conditions for Delta's financial support of Pan Am, Delta had the rights to use the Pan Am name on flights across the Atlantic. Delta obtained all of Pan Am's transatlantic rights in 1992, including the route from Detroit to London, despite Northwest Airlines' objections. It was an unusual route for Delta given its small presence in Detroit, and Northwest's correspondingly larger operations.
[12] Northwest later attempted to buy US Air's (now US Airways) Baltimore-London route for $5 million and transfer the route to Detroit
[13] but ended up buying the route from Delta in 1995
[14] for a rumored $32 million. This naming right was never exercised even though the Pan Am name was a much widely recognized name in Europe compared to Delta. On
December 4,
1991, Delta ended this support leading to Pan Am stopping the following day.
[15]
In 1993, responding to Qantas and American Airlines innovation of
codeshare agreements, Delta established its own
code sharing arrangements, most notably with Air France, forming what would eventually become SkyTeam.
By 1997, during which
Leo Mullin was named CEO, Delta began large expansions into
Latin America and in 1999 introduced the
Boeing 777 into its fleet, for longer non-stop flights. During Mullin's tenure, Delta saw large expansions into Latin America and the Caribbean. This was also known as Delta's "technological growth period". Airport kiosks were introduced, Delta Technology was developed into an industry leading technology division, gate information display screens (GIDS) were rolled out, and internal software was thoroughly revamped. However, Mullin's legacy was ruined by labor woes, huge losses in the post-9/11 period, a major executive compensation scandal, and a bankruptcy filing less than 18 months after he abruptly retired.
Throughout the 1990s, Delta maintained a secondary hub at
Portland for its Asia operations. In addition to regularly scheduled flights to Delta's primary hubs during this time (Atlanta, Cincinnati,
Dallas, and Salt Lake City), several of Delta's flights to Asia were routed from Portland and Los Angeles, using L-1011 and MD-11 aircraft. Destinations included
Bangkok,
Fukuoka,
Hong Kong,
Nagoya,
Seoul,
Taipei, and
Tokyo. Delta was one of the airlines targeted in the failed
Operation Bojinka plot: the conspirators planned to bomb a Delta
MD-11 flying from Seoul to Bangkok via Taipei on
January 21,
1995. Today, all Asia operations from Portland, Los Angeles and New York have ceased, and Delta's only East Asia service consists of Atlanta to Tokyo and Seoul.
In 1996, Delta carried the
Olympic Torch from
Athens, Greece where it was lit, to
Los Angeles, CA for its traditional circuit to the
Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, GA for the
1996 Summer Olympic Games, of which Delta was the official airline.
In 1998, Delta and
United Airlines introduced a marketing partnership that included a reciprocal redemption agreement between SkyMiles and Mileage Plus programs and shared lounges.
[16] This scheme allowed members of either frequent flier program to earn miles on both carriers and utilize both carriers' lounges. Delta and United attempted to introduce an even cozier codeshare relationship, but this was deal was effectively killed by
ALPA.
[17] The marketing partnership ended in divorce in 2003 and paved the way for an expansion of the SkyTeam alliance.
In 1999, Delta was a founding partner of the online
travel agency Orbitz originally began by a group of several major U.S. airlines, which was purchased by
Cendant in 2004.
2000 saw the creation of
SkyTeam, a global alliance, initially partnering Delta with
AeroMéxico,
Air France, and
Korean Air. Three years later, Delta implemented the largest domestic codeshare alliance with
Continental Airlines and
Northwest Airlines. Today
SkyTeam now the second largest airline alliance in the world and continues to add members to its ranks.
Fleet transformation in the early 2000s
In an effort to simplify its fleet and capitalize on cross-platform compatibility not only in pilot training but also maintenance, the airline began to retire its
trijets (three-engine planes) in favor of
twinjets (two-engine planes). Delta's entire active fleet is now composed of twinjets, and the airline is the world's largest operator of
767 aircraft:
★ The
Lockheed L-1011, for many years the workhorse of the Delta fleet, numbering as high as 56 aircraft in service. The last L-1011 (N728DA) was retired on
July 31,
2001. The final flight operated as Flight #1949 from
Orlando to
Atlanta, and received a huge display of bittersweet fanfare from Delta employees, Hartsfield Int'l Airport Fire/Rescue, and aviation enthusiasts, many of whom took the day off from work, or school to attend the historic final flight. The big Lockheeds were replaced with the
Boeing 767-400.
★ The airline's many
Boeing 727s were completely replaced with
Boeing 737-800's in 2003.
★ Delta operated its last
MD-11 flight on
January 1,
2004, operating as Flight 56 from New Tokyo International Airport (now
Narita International Airport) at 4:45pm. The aircraft arrived in Atlanta at 3:20pm. This concluded the MD-11's relatively short service in the fleet.
MD-11 aircraft have been replaced with
Boeing 777-200ERs. On
September 23,
2004, a Delta spokesperson confirmed plans to sell eight MD-11s to
FedEx. The remainder MD-11s were sold to World Airways for charter use, and some were converted to freighters for UPS.
Dire straits eventually leading to bankruptcy
Logo of Delta Air Lines from March 2000 to July 2004 - Based on Soft 'Widget'
As early as 2004, in an effort to avoid
bankruptcy, Delta announced a restructuring of the company that included job cuts, and an aggressive expansion of Atlanta operations by some 100 new flights, making it a 'super-hub' and requiring the airline to spread its flight schedule more evenly across the day.(This was known to all Delta employees as "Operation Clockwork") Atlanta is currently the largest hub for any airline in the world, with more daily flights (almost 1,000) to more destinations (246) than any other airline's hub. Further, by mid-2004 the airline had announced it would be closing its fourth busiest hub (
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport), which it did on
January 31,
2005. In a hugely concessionary move, the pilots at Delta agreed to across-the-board 32.5% reductions in hourly pay rates in order to help the company stave off a bankruptcy filing. The agreement also included numerous changes in work rules, granting the company efficiencies in staffing and scheduling.
On
January 5,
2005, Delta introduced SimpliFares, a radical transformation of its fare structure, which cut its most expensive fares by as much as 50 percent nationwide and capped one-way domestic fares at $499 in coach class and $599 first class. However, due to continued high fuel costs, the company was forced to raise these fare caps by $100 in July, 2005, to $599 in coach class and $699 in first class. Airline fares are constantly in a state of flux, in addition to the constant change in fares due to the selling of seats allocated for lower fares. However, some claim that the SimpliFare is simply a marketing technique to alert the public that there is a maximum ceiling price for Delta's fares. Delta also launched a system of "same-day confirmed" whereby for $25, a passenger is able to confirm a seat on a different flight instead of standing-by. Effective August 2007, the "same-day confirmed" fee increased to $50.
Also in 2005, in an attempt to increase profitability, Delta applied to serve a daily non-stop flight from
Atlanta to
Beijing,
China starting in March, 2006, but rights were instead awarded to
American Airlines operating from
Chicago to
Shanghai and
Continental Airlines operating from
Newark to Beijing. As of
January 19,
2007, Delta is seeking approval for a daily flight from Atlanta to Shanghai starting
March 25,
2008.
[18]
On
August 15,
2005, in an SEC filing, Delta announced that it had finalized a deal to sell Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines for $425 million in cash to SkyWest Airlines in an effort to obtain money to avoid bankruptcy. Analysts called the move a desperate one, estimating ASA's worth at around $700-$800 million — a price which SkyWest would not have been willing to pay.
[19]
On
September 7,
2005, Delta announced that it would cut 26% of its flights at its
Cincinnati hub and redeploy aircraft to its hubs in
Atlanta and
Salt Lake City.
[20] The move will ultimately eliminate up to 1,000 jobs in Cincinnati. In addition and in hopes of increasing profit yields, the airline announced further international expansion into
Europe and
Latin America.
The moves proved futile. On
September 14,
2005, Delta filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the first time in its 76-year history. The company cited high labor costs and record-breaking jet fuel prices as factors in its filing. At the time of the filing, Delta had $20.5 billion in debt, $10 billion of which accumulated since January 2001.
Reorganization during bankruptcy
On
September 22,
2005, Delta announced the acceleration of restructuring activities, targeting an additional $3 billion per year in cost reductions by 2007. $970 million of this amount will come from debt relief, lease and facility savings, and previously commenced fleet modifications. Non-union workers' salaries will be reduced by a minimum of 9% across the board, with a 15% reduction for executive officers and a 25% pay cut for CEO Gerald Grinstein. In December 2005, the Delta pilots agreed to an additional temporary 14% cut in pay, piggybacking onto the 32.5% taken at the beginning of 2005. This cut was made permanent with the ratification of an agreement in June 2006. Additionally, the company plans to lay off between 7,000 and 9,000 of its 52,000 employees.
[21]
As for its route network, Delta plans to alter its structure by reinforcing hub presence in Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York, and Salt Lake City, while at the same time increasing point-to-point routes, reducing domestic capacity by up to 20% while growing more profitable international route (special Asia, Caribbean and Europe) capacity up to 25%.
In 2006, Delta purchased rights to fly between New York and London from United Airlines.
[22]
On
February 24,
2006, Delta, along with
Continental Airlines and
FedEx, saw future operations to
Venezuela severely affected by
President Hugo Chávez's decision to restrict flights coming into that South American country from the United States.
[23] As of
March 23,
2006, U.S. and Venezuelan aviation authorities were able to negotiate a solution to their dispute, likely ensuring that Delta's operations to Venezuela will not be curtailed in the future.
On
March 7,
2006, Delta announced expanded service from its prominent hub at New York-JFK. In addition to the expansion of mainline service at the airport, Delta will partner with
Mesa Air Group to provide regional flights throughout the northeast under the Delta Connection banner. At the same time the airline announced an expansion to a number of new cities from its Salt Lake City hub.
Based on all of these new initiatives, Delta projects a return to profitability by late 2007, based on a crude oil price model of $66 per barrel, in contrast to other bankrupt carriers' restructuring modeled on $55 per barrel.
Delta has recently announced that coach travelers in the United States who have a flight longer than four hours will have on-demand programming on all those flights starting in 2007 at their main hubs in New York, Salt Lake City, and Atlanta. This will counter entertainment offerings of other airlines like
JetBlue Airways. Delta claims to offer the leading in-flight entertainment system in the United States. Live programming and music are free, and movies will be available on demand for a nominal fee in coach and for free in first class.
[24] Delta also intends to install an improved in-flight entertainment system on internationally-configured aircraft, featuring a personal selection of movies. The system will be installed in all classes on Boeing
767-400ER and
777-200ER aircraft, and in the BusinessElite section on Boeing
767-300ER aircraft.
[1]
On
November 9,
2006, the airline announced that it will recall 1,000 flight attendants that were previously laid off. In addition to the flight attendant recall, Delta announced in late December 2006 that it had exhausted its pilot recall list and is now accepting pilot applications for the first time in 5 years. They expect to take on close to 200 first officers through 2007.
[26]
On
January 4,
2007, the airline announced an order for 30 Bombardier CRJ900 regional jets with an option for 30 additional aircraft, pending approval of the bankruptcy court judge.
[27]
On
February 9,
2007, the airline received bankruptcy court approval to buy 30
Bombardier CRJ-900 regional jets with an option for 30 additional aircraft.
Failed takeover attempt by US Airways
During the later part of 2006 and early 2007, US Airways Group, holding company for US Airways, proposed an acquisition of Delta Air Lines. The combined entity would have been operated under the Delta name. This attempt was withdrawn after failing to gain support from Delta's major creditors and opposition by Delta management.
On
November 15,
2006,
Bloomberg reported that
US Airways Group, the parent of
US Airways, proposed a takeover of Delta for
USD 8 billion in cash and stock.
[28] However, Delta's CEO reiterated that the best interests of Delta and its creditors were served by the company emerging from bankruptcy as an independent, stand alone carrier. In the ensuing days, Delta mounted an aggressive defense against the takeover attempt.
In addition to Delta management, Delta employees appeared to be extremely skeptical of US Airways management's claims that a merger would result in no job reductions and provide a more secure future for a combined entity. Employees had started wearing "Keep Delta My Delta" buttons and campaigning to raise public awareness of their opposition to the proposed takeover.
[29]
On
December 19,
2006, Delta announced (as expected) it rejected
US Airways Group's proposed merger. Along with the announcement, it launched a media campaign against the merger to raise public support. The campaign, "Keep Delta My Delta", was picked up from the employee grassroots effort of the same name. The effort's website harbored an e-petition, quotes from prominent dissidents, and the effects the merger could have on selected localities. In its report, Delta cited many reasons for rejecting the bid, including it would lead to worse customer service, possible layoffs, an inefficient carrier, the carrier with the largest debt-load in the industry, and near-monopoly powers.
[ Delta's Campaign Headquarters]
On
December 20,
2006, Delta and its financial advisor, the
Blackstone Group, declared that Delta would be valued at between USD 9.4 billion and 12 billion after emerging from bankruptcy, which would (at the time of this writing) give it a market capitalization comparable to that of Southwest Airlines Co. or greater than that of American Airlines' AMR Corp. and Continental Airlines, Inc. combined.
US Airways Group CEO Doug Parker stated that Delta's self-valuation lacked credibility and was unrealistic.
[30] Delta CEO Gerald Grinstein retorted by stating that the Tempe-based airline was "the worst of all potential merger partners".
[31]
On
January 10,
2007, US Airways raised its bid by 20%, to USD 10.2 billion. The revised offer was set to expire by
February 1 unless Delta's creditors opened the airline's books to US Airways and delayed a scheduled
February 7 court hearing pertaining to Delta's reorganization plan.
[32] Delta responded with a statement, claiming that "...the revised proposal does not address significant concerns that have been raised about the initial US Airways proposal and, in fact, would increase the debt burden of the combined company by yet another $1 billion."
[1] That same day Delta Air Lines was speculated to be in talks with
Northwest Airlines and
United Airlines to fend off the
US Airways bid.
[34] CEO Gerald Grinstein, however, denied that any serious negotiatons were ongoing with Northwest or any other airline.
[35]
On
January 28,
2007, US Airways holding company raised its bid by another $1 billion in cash according to the Wall Street Journal,
[36] but company spokesmen denied any change.
[37] On
January 31,
2007, Delta's creditors rejected US Airways' hostile takeover attempt, and US Airways withdrew its offer to buy Delta. On the same day, executives and employees of the company gathered to celebrate the re-lighting of the historic "FLY DELTA JETS" sign at the company's main hub,
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
[38][39]
Emergence from bankruptcy
On
April 25,
2007, the airline's bankruptcy plan was approved by the Bankruptcy Court. On
April 30,
2007, Delta Air Lines emerged from bankruptcy protection as an independent carrier. Delta also unveiled a new logo and new paint scheme. Delta's bankruptcy exit strategy was vastly different from that of United in that it expanded its way out of bankruptcy, rather than retrenching .
Delta's previous stock was canceled as of Monday,
April 30,
2007, and new shares are trading on a "when issued" basis on the
New York Stock Exchange. These shares began trading normally on Thursday,
May 3,
2007. The starting price was around $20.00 a share, and went up to as high as $23.35. But investors showed little confidence in the stock as the price fell to $19.00 later in the week.
[40]
Upon exiting bankruptcy, Delta also announced a 50% increase in operations at
Los Angeles International Airport [2], thus establishing Los Angeles as Delta's second Latin America hub and new potential Asian gateway with a total of 99 daily departures.
Recent News
On
May 10,
2007, Delta announced a partnership with
US Helicopter, who will provide service from
John F. Kennedy International Airport to several helipads in downtown
Manhattan.
[41]
On
July 12, 2007, Delta and its
SkyTeam partners announced that it would forfeit slots in the
EU to relieve antitrust concerns.
[42]
On
August 21, 2007, Delta named Richard Anderson, former CEO of
Northwest Airlines and executive at
UnitedHealth Group, as a replacement for outgoing CEO
Gerald Grinstein. Anderson will assume the post on
September 1.
[43]
In stark contrast to Delta's self-valuation of USD 10 to 12 billion during the takeover bid by
US Airways, Delta's market capitalization has been in the USD 4.5 to 6 billion range since its exit from bankruptcy.
[44]
Hub history
''Former hubs:''
★
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Delta at one time operated over 200 flights a day from DFW. At times, it was Delta's second largest hub.
★
Los Angeles International Airport. LAX is re-emerging as a Delta hub, but it's unclear if LAX is a hub, a focus city, or a "gateway." Delta has referred to LAX as its "Latin gateway" and "another hub" at times.
''Former secondary hubs:''
[45]
★
Frankfurt International Airport Delta's Frankfurt hub was acquired from
Pan Am. Delta dismantled the hub in 1997.
★
Portland International Airport Portland was at one time Delta's premier Asian gateway. It was closed in 2001.
Advertising
Delta has had several different slogans throughout its history:
★ In 1940, Delta adopted the
slogan: "Airline of the South".
★ In 1961, Delta adopted the slogan: "The Air Line with the Big Jets".
★ In 1966, with the introduction of the first Series 61
DC-8, Delta adopted the slogan "Fly big to Florida... Fly Delta!".
Bob Hope, known in ads as Bob "Super DC-8" Hope, was Delta's spokesperson at the time.
★ In 1968, Delta adopted the slogan: "Delta is ready when you are".
★ In the interim period between 1984 and 1986 Delta adopted the slogan: "Delta gets you there".
★ In 1986, Delta became: "The Official Airline of
Walt Disney World".
★ In 1987, Delta adopted the slogan: "The Best Get Better", reflective of the airline's merger with
Western Airlines.
★ In 1987, Delta adopted the slogan: "We Love To Fly, And It Shows".
★ In 1989, Delta became: "The Official Airline of
Disneyland and
Walt Disney World".
★ In 1994, Delta adopted the slogan: "You'll love the way we fly".
★ In 1996, Delta adopted the slogan: "On top of the world". This slogan was launched at the
1996 Summer Olympics in
Atlanta, for which Delta was the official airline.
★ In 2000, Delta adopted the slogan: "Fly___", in which the blank was filled in according to the context of the slogan's usage. For example, on the airline's cocktail napkins, the slogan was "Fly ''refreshed''".
★ In 2004, Delta adopted a marketing scheme using "Secret Places - ___", in which the blank was filled in according to the picture being used in the advertisement (and coinciding with a major Delta destination). Several examples of this marketing remain in place on jetways and in gate waiting areas in Atlanta and New York-JFK.
★ In 2005, Delta adopted the slogan: "Good Goes Around"
[46]
★ In 2007, Delta Air Lines exited bankruptcy; to highlight surrounding changes, the airline chose "Change Is:__________" (in which the blank was filled according to the context of the slogan's usage) as their slogan. Other ads used the tagline "Change Is: Delta" in a play on the use of the Greek letter
delta to denote the
difference operator in mathematics.
Personnel
Between its
mainline operation and subsidiaries, Delta employs approximately 48,000 people.
Delta's approximately 6,500 pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The union has represented Delta pilots since 1940.
[47] Pilot domiciles are located in Atlanta, New York, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles.
The company's approximately 350 flight dispatchers are represented by the Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA).
The rest of Delta's workforce, in contrast to other legacy air carriers, is nonunion.
Destinations
★ Delta (including its wholly owned subsidiary
Comair, Inc. and regional service carriers), serves 240 domestic cities and is the only airline to host operations in all 50 U.S. states.
[1] The airline also serves
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in addition to 57 countries.
★ Delta is the only airline in the world to serve over 300 destinations--302 in total.
★ Delta operates 1,632 flights per day.
[49]
Significant past route eliminations
Airline routes occasionally change as the public's travel patterns change and if a route becomes unprofitable. Although Delta serves the most destinations of any US airline, it has also eliminated the most destinations of any major US airline as well. Some routes that have been eliminated include:
★ Delta served several cities in Asia, including
Hong Kong,
Seoul and
Bangkok, from Portland and Los Angeles, using
L1011s with stops in Anchorage for refueling. Asian service began in 1987 but was largely discontinued by 1995; Atlanta-
Tokyo and Portland-
Nagoya were Delta's only transpacific routes during the late 1990s; Nagoya was discontinued in 2002, but Atlanta-Seoul service commenced in 2007.
★ With Delta's acquisition of
Pan Am's Frankfurt hub, a number of new routes started to the city, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Dallas-Fort Worth. The hub at Frankfurt would eventually be closed.
★ Tag end services between medium sized cities in the southern United States to the Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth hubs have been superseded by nonstop Delta Connection service to the hub cities. Discontinued services have included Shreveport-Monroe and Birmingham-Jackson, Mississippi.
★ Closure of the Dallas-Fort Worth hub, created after Braniff Airlines ceased operations in 1982, in 2005 as noted elsewhere in this article.
★ Expansion of
Western Airlines' Los Angeles service after acquisition of that airline, including the starting of a Tokyo-Los Angeles route. After 2000 flights were significantly reduced. In 2006/2007, Delta started adding new routes out of LAX, signaling a build up of LAX again.
Future destinations
★ Throughout 2006 and 2007, Delta has dramatically expanded its operations in
Los Angeles[ ][January 19, 2007 Delta launched its application with the US Department of Transportation, for daily, non-stop service to Shanghai from its hub in Atlanta. The service, pending government approval, will start on March 25, 2008[53] and utilize Boeing 777 aircraft. Delta has already opened a sales office in Shanghai and hired Mandarin-speaking personnel to take reservations in the US.[54] On July 16, 2007 Delta announced that it was expanding its application with the DOT to include a nonstop flight between Atlanta and Beijing as well. The Beijing flight will also be operated with a Boeing 777 but a start date has not yet been set.[55]]
★ Delta is attempting to continue its increase in service to Africa, adding a third flight (fourth destination) to the continent with daily service from Atlanta to Lagos, Nigeria starting December 3, 2007 (pending government approval).[56]
★ On April 15, 2007 ''The Times'' reported that Delta had acquired slots at London Heathrow Airport to be used once the new US-EU open skies agreement takes effect. The airline has not announced how the slots will be allocated, but it is expected that they will be used for service from Delta's hubs in Atlanta and New York-JFK. [57]
★ Delta will expand its New York-JFK in Central America and the Caribbean beginning non-stop flights to Panama City, Panama on December 13, 2007; to Guatemala City, Guatemala starting December 14, 2007; to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on December 20, 2007; and the Costa Rican cities of Liberia starting February 16, 2008 and San Jose on February 15, 2008. [4]
★ Delta plans to begin non-stop service from its hub at New York-JFK to Tel Aviv, Israel, complementing Delta's existing service from its hub in Atlanta. The flight will commence on March 10, 2008, pending government approval.[58]
★ Delta is focusing flying more direct routes overseas and will also target the business traveler. In addition to Shanghai and London-Heathrow, Delta will seek routes to Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and another frequency to Japan.[59]
★ Delta may be looking to expand its service to Brazil by opening a route between Atlanta and Belo Horizonte[5]
★ Delta announces the first trans-atlantic nonstop service from its hub in Salt Lake City to Paris. The flight is set to commence on June 2, 2008. [6]
Fleet
Delta Air Lines has an all-Boeing (including McDonnell Douglas aircraft) fleet. Delta was one of the last major airlines to operate the original Boeing 737-200 models, until the last of these aircraft retired in 2006. Delta has the largest fleet of Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 aircraft of any airline. It is the second largest operator of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80(behind American Airlines).
Delta Air Lines is the only MD-90 operator in the Western Hemisphere,[60] although Reno Air operated the type for several years before being acquired by American Airlines and the type disposed. Initially, Delta had a large order for MD-90s to replace the Boeing 727 fleet. After McDonnell-Douglas was acquired by Boeing, Delta canceled their remaining MD-90s on order and ordered the longer-range Boeing 737-800 instead, but has hinted it may acquire some second-hand MD-90s (possibly from China Southern Airlines) for domestic expansion at Salt Lake City International Airport, thus freeing 737-800s for longer routes from Delta's other hubs.
At this time, upon delivery in 2008, Delta will become the only US operator of 777-200LR aircraft.
The Delta Air Lines fleet consists of the following aircraft as of July 2007:[61]
'Delta Air Lines Fleet'| Aircraft | Total | Passengers
(First
★ /Economy) | Routes | Notes |
|---|
| Boeing 737-700 | (10 orders) | 124 | ''Domestic short-long haul''
US and Mexico | Entry into service: June 2008 |
| Boeing 737-800 | 71
(46 orders) | 150 (16/134) | ''Domestic short-long haul''
US, Mexico and Caribbean | 28 aircraft to be equipped with winglets
Capacity to be increased by 10 seats |
| Boeing 757-200 | 125
(9 used orders) | 'Standard'
183 (24/159)
—————————
'Transcontinental'
184 (26/158)
—————————
'ETOPS/International'
180 (22/158) | ''Domestic medium-long haul''
US transcontinental
Caribbean, Latin America, Puerto Rico | 13 leased ETOPS aircraft formerly flown by TWA/AA
To be used on transatlantic routes
Entry into service: September 2007 |
| Boeing 767-300 | 24 | 250 (24/226) | ''Domestic medium-long haul''
US transcontinental
Hawaii, Latin America, and Puerto Rico | Capacity to be increased by 10 seats.
4 aircraft converted to ETOPS standards |
| Boeing 767-300ER | 59 | 214 (36/178)
216 (30/186) | ''Domestic/International medium-long haul''
Transatlantic and South America | |
| Boeing 767-400ER | 21 | 'Domestic'
285 (36/249)
—————————
'International'
246 (42/204) | ''Domestic/International medium-long haul''
US transcontinental
Transatlantic and Hawaii | All to be converted to
international configuration by 2009 |
| Boeing 777-200ER | 8 | 268 (50/218) | ''International long haul''
Transpacific/Transatlantic | |
| Boeing 777-200LR | (12 orders) | 276 (43/233) | ''International ultra-long haul'' | Entry into service: February 2008
Equipped with lie-flat sleeper suites
First U.S. airline to operate 777-200LRs |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-88 | 120 | 'Standard'
142 (14/128)
—————————
'Delta Shuttle'
134 (134) | ''Domestic short-medium haul''
US and Delta Shuttle | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-90-30 | 16 | 150 (12/138) | ''Domestic short-medium haul''
US (mostly from Salt Lake City) | |
★ First class is offered on domestic flights. BusinessElite is offered on transatlantic and transpacific Flights.
Delta's average fleet age is 13 years as of February 2007. The fleet of a large airline is subject to flux. Boeing reports 86 737-800s have been delivered. [62] Delta plans to sell 38 of its ordered 737-800's immediately upon delievery.[63]
Delta Air Lines was one of three carriers (American Airlines and Continental Airlines being the other two) to sign an exclusivity agreement with Boeing in the late 1990s. When Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas, the European Union forced Boeing to void the contracts. However, both parties have been adhering to and intend to adhere to the terms under a gentlemen's agreement; thus Delta currently operates no Airbus equipment.
Delta has been considered by many to be a likely customer for the Boeing 787, considering their large 767 fleet and gentleman's agreement with Boeing. Delta has made bids to become Boeing's provider for 787 maintenance through Boeing's GoldCare support program.[64]
Retired fleet
Information on the Convair CV-880, Douglas DC-9-10, and McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 were found in archives at the Delta Heritage Museum in Atlanta, Georgia.
★ Delta operated the DC-10 twice, once on lease from United before the L-1011s could be delivered, and again when Delta acquired Western Airlines in 1987.
★
★ Delta experimented with Airbus A310 aircraft for five years after acquiring the planes from Pan Am. Initially Delta was impressed enough with the aircraft to order more of the same model, but these too were eventually withdrawn from service by the mid 1990s.
'Delta Air Lines Fleet prior to the jet era '
Up until the late 1960s, Delta Air Lines operated a fleet of propeller operated aircraft, including among others, the Convair 340, Convair 440, Curtiss C-46 Commando, Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-4, Douglas DC-6, Douglas DC-7, Fairchild Hiller FH-227, Lockheed Constellation, and Lockheed L-100 Hercules. The Curtiss C-46 Commando and Lockheed L-100 Hercules aircraft were operated as cargo aircraft.
Cabin
On May 1, 2006, the carrier adopted new uniforms from designer Richard Tyler.
In-flight entertainment
In the beginning of the jet age when aircraft such as the deHavilland Comet IV and Boeing 707 were introduced, in-flight entertainment as we know it was non-existent, other than lounges and magazines. Later in the 1960s, audio programming was introduced where passenger wore headphones consisting of hollow tubes piping in music. These were installed in some Delta aircraft. Some early wide-bodied aircraft, including the L-1011 fleet, had films projected on to the cabin bulkhead. The film projection system on the L-1011s were replaced by CRT-based projectors in the early 1990s.
Currently, audio and video are available on all aircraft except for the MD-88s and Delta Connection aircraft. BusinessElite (and the first class section of the domestic 767-400ER aircraft) feature the 'Total Entertainment System' made by Rockwell Collins, featuring personal video screens with a selection of movies. Delta introduced its new IFE product, Delta on Demand, in 2006. This new audio/video system in BusinessElite is currently in the process of being upgraded to the 'eFX' audio/video on demand (AVOD) system made by Panasonic Avionics Corporation. 48 Boeing 757s(Transcontinental 752), also using the Panasonic eFX system, feature live television via Dish Network in both first class and economy, while the remainder of the 757 fleet features ceiling-mounted CRT displays. The Panasonic eFX with live satellite television system will soon be featured on a total of 100 aircraft, which will include the 48 757s currently featuring the system, 28 of the 737-800s, and 24 domestic 767-300s.
In addition, the international 767-400 and 777-200 aircraft also feature the Panasonic eFX system in economy, except that it does not feature live satellite television. The domestic 767-400 fleet features the Rockwell Collins TES system, but with only overhead-mounted LCD displays and not in-seat video. As the 767-400 fleet is gradually converted to international duties, the Rockwell Collins TES system will be phased out in favor of the Panasonic eFX system with in-seat video and AVOD. Delta's 767-300 fleet (both domestic and international) currently feature CRT projectors in economy class, with the international 767-300ERs also featuring ceiling-mounted CRT displays; in addition some of the newer 767-300ER's have ceiling mounted LCD displays. Eventually Delta intends on installing LCD monitors on the entire 767-300ER fleet.[65] The 737-800 and MD-90 fleet currently feature drop-down LCD displays. Delta's upcoming 777-200LR aircraft will feature the Panasonic 'eX2' system, which has a greater storage capacity over the eFX.[1]
Delta's recently acquired ETOPS 757s will initially use a Sony Transcom (now part of Rockwell Collins) system that was factory installed for TWA. The system features overhead drop-down LCD monitors similar to Delta's 737-800s and MD-90s. By 2008, the Sony Transcom system will be replaced by the Panasonic eFX system featuring in-seat video and AVOD.[67]
In 2006 Delta announced plans to feature docking capability for Apple iPod portable music and video player. If implemented, this will allow the device's battery to be charged, but will also allow integration with Delta's In-flight Entertainment (IFE) system. This will also enable the IFE system to play music, television shows, or movies stored on the iPod, as well as function as a control system.[68]
BusinessElite
BusinessElite logo on one of the BusinessElite seats
BusinessElite is Delta's international business class, currently available on the Boeing 767-300ER, 777-200ER, and select (eventually all) 767-400ER aircraft. It is also planned for availability on select (ex-AA/TWA) 757-200 aircraft. All seats (made by B/E Aerospace) have 60 inches of pitch, 160 degrees of recline, and between 18.5-21 inches of width. Passengers aboard this class receive complimentary meals, refreshments, and alcohol. All seats are equipped with a personal In-Flight-Entertainment (IFE) system, power-ports, a moveable reading light, and a folding work table. IFE Systems will be On-Demand in 2007.
[8]
On March 27, 2007, Delta has announced that they eventually intend on converting their entire 767-400ER fleet to feature BusinessElite seating. During the summer of 2007, 8 out of the 21 767-400ER aircraft will feature BusinessElite seating. An additional 6 767-400ER aircraft will be converted beginning in December, 2007.
By 2008, Delta plans to have lie-flat sleeper suites made by Contour Premium in its 777-200LR fleet upon delivery, and by 2010, in all of its international fleet.[69] Delta will also be installing BusinessElite seats on their recently acquired ETOPS 757s by December 2007, but unlike Delta's current BusinessElite product, the seats will be made by Recaro. Initially, they will feature the domestic first class seats that were installed by TWA.
Domestic First Class
First Class is offered on domestic flights. It is available on Boeing 737-800, 757-200, 767-300, domestic 767-400, MD-88 & MD-90 aircraft. Seats range from 18.5-20.75 inches wide, and have between 37-40 inches of pitch. Passengers aboard this class receive complimentary meals, drinks, and alcohol. All Boeing 737-800, domestically-configured 767-400, and select (Transcon) 757-200 aircraft have power-ports at each seat. AC Power ports will be added to the 767-300 fleet starting in the fall of 2007. Delta intends on replacing First Class with BusinessElite on all 767-400 aircraft.
The ex-AA/TWA ETOPS 757 aircraft will initially feature 22 domestic First Class seats that were originally installed by TWA. On international routes, the aircraft will be sold entirely as Economy class. By December 2007, the 22 domestic First Class seats will be replaced by 16 BusinessElite seats.
International Economy Class
Economy Class is available on all international flights. Seats range from 17 to 18 inches wide, and have between 31 and 33 inches of pitch. A few of the newest 767-300ER and all 767-400ER and 777-200ER aircraft feature economy class seats with winged headrests. The economy class seats on the 777s also feature mechanical lumbar support. Passengers aboard this class receive complimentary meals with one alcoholic beverage, refreshments, as well as a mid-flight snack. Additional alcohol can be purchased for $5.00.
Domestic Economy Class
Economy Class is available on all domestic flights. Seats range from 17 to 17.5 inches wide, and have between 30 and 33 inches of pitch. Passengers aboard this class receive complimentary drinks and snacks. Alcohol may also be purchased for $5.00. Boeing 737-800 and domestically-configured 767-400 aircraft feature in-seat power. The domestic 767-400 fleet also features seats with winged headrests, making them the only domestic aircraft in Delta's fleet to currently feature this amenity. The 737-800 and domestic 767-300 fleet is slated to get new slimline seats allowing for greater capacity while maintaining sufficient legroom. It is currently unknown whether these new seats will feature winged headrests or not.
SkyMiles
SkyMiles is Delta's frequent flyer program. Created in 1981[70] as the "Frequent Flyer Program"; its name was changed to SkyMiles in 1995. When the frequent flyer program was first established in 1981, new members were awarded an enrollment bonus of 10,000 miles. In 2006, SkyMiles was picked as the "best frequent flyer program" in the Best in Business Travel Awards.
In addition to its Delta Connection, Delta Shuttle and SkyTeam Alliance partnerships, Delta offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following airlines:
On May 1, 1995, Delta Air Lines modified its frequent flyer program, previously called "Delta Air Lines Frequent Flyer Program" and renamed it "SkyMiles". Miles from the old program would never expire but newly earned miles in the SkyMiles program would if there was no account activity for three years. However, effective January 1, 2007, the rules for SkyMile accounts changed, with miles expiring after only two years of no activity. At the same time, the old Frequent Flyer program miles were combined into SkyMiles, effectively negating their unlimited shelf-life.
Crown Room Club
Delta's airport lounge is the Crown Room Club. Currently, Delta Crown Room Clubs are located in 34 airports. Membership can be obtained via an annual pass, earning enough qualifying miles, or purchasing a single-visit pass.
Membership benefits vary by location, but generally include complimentary drinks (including alcoholic beverages), reading material, and wireless Internet access. Other benefits for Crown Room Club members include reciprocal lounge access with other SkyTeam members and Delta's other partners,
A list of locations can be obtained from Delta's website. Crown Room Club website.
Codeshare agreements
Delta Air Lines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines as of September 2006:
(''This list does not include SkyTeam members'').
★ Alaska Airlines
★ Avianca
★ China Airlines
★ China Southern (joining SkyTeam in 2007)
★ Royal Air Maroc
Incidents and accidents
The following are major incidents and accidents that occurred on Delta Air Lines mainline aircraft. For Delta Connection incidents, see Delta Connection incidents and accidents.
'Delta Air Lines Reported Incidents'| Flight | Date | Aircraft | Location | Description | Casualties |
|---|
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | Uninjured | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A [9] | April 22, 1947 | DC-3 | Columbus, Georgia | A Vultee BT-13, owned by the Tuskegee Aviation Institute landed on top of the DC-3, which was flying from Macon to Columbus. | 8 | | | | 1 |
705
[10] | March 10, 1948 | DC-4 | Chicago Midway Airport | Crashed near Chicago Municipal (Midway) Airport shortly after takeoff while en route to Miami. Officials determined that longitudinal control of the airplane was lost resulting in the crash. The cause for the loss of control remains undetermined. | 12 | 1 | | | |
318
[11] | May 17, 1953 | DC-3 | Marshall, Texas | Crashed 21 miles east of Marshall, Texas. The flight which originated from Dallas Love Field was on approach to Shreveport, Louisiana. The crash is was attributed to adverse weather conditions with a thunderstorm in the area at the time of the crash. | 19 | 1 | | | 1 |
| 1903 | May 23, 1960 | Convair 880 | Atlanta | Crashed during a training exercise in Atlanta. The aircraft stalled and crashed killing all four crew members. | 4 | | | | |
| 9877 [12] | March 30, 1967 | DC-8 | New Orleans | Crashed during a training exercise near New Orleans International Airport. The improper use of flight and power controls by both instructor and the Captain-trainee during a simulated two-engine out landing approach, resulted in the loss of control. The aircraft crashed into a residential area, destroying several homes and a motel complex, killing 13 civilians. | 6 | | | | 13 |
9570
[13] | May 30, 1972 | DC-9 | Greater Southwest International Airport | Crashed during landing procedures in Fort Worth, TX. The probable cause of the flight was wake turbulence resulting from a touch-and-go landing moments before of American Airlines Flight 1114, operated using a DC-10. The right wing hit the ground causing a fire resulting in the aircraft being written off. | 4 | | | | |
| 954 [14] | December 20, 1972 | Convair 880 | Chicago O'Hare Int'l Airport | The Delta CV-880 taxied across runway 27L in bad weather. At the same time, a North Central Airlines DC-9 took off from the same runway. Both aircraft collided. | | | | 94 | 10 |
| 723 | July 31, 1973 | DC-9 | Boston Logan International Airport | Crashed in seawall. Contributing to the accident was a defective flight deck instrument giving the crew misleading guidance during the instrument approach in visibility less than a half mile with 500 foot cloud ceilings. | 88 | 1 | | | |
| 191 | August 2, 1985 | Lockheed L-1011 | Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport | On a Fort Lauderdale-Dallas/Fort Worth-Los Angeles route, the plane crashed due to severe microburst-induced wind shear. One civilian was killed as the plane crossed a highway. The crash would later become the subject of a television movie. | 134 | 15 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 1141 | August 31, 1988 | Boeing 727 | Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport | Crashed after takeoff bound for Salt Lake City, Utah. Officials believe the crash was contributed by improper configuration of the flaps and leading edge slats. | 14 | 26 | 50 | 18 | |
1288
[15] | July 6, 1996 | MD-88 | Pensacola Regional Airport | An uncontained engine failure of the port (left) engine on the aircraft which resulted in a fan hub piercing the cabin. The flight was scheduled to fly to Atlanta | 2 | 2 | 3 | 135 | |
| 82 [16] | March 27, 1997 | Lockheed L-1011 | New York-JFK | The L-1011 struck and killed a Delta Air Lines ramp employee as the aircraft pushed back from the gate. The flight was scheduled to fly to Nice, France | | | | 202 | 1 |
1989
[17] | September 11, 2001 | Boeing 767-300 | Enroute from Logan International Airport | Flight 1989, bound for Los Angeles International Airport was caught in the path of United Airlines Flight 93. The two aircraft were so close that ATC were initially confused as to which plane had been hijacked. The Delta pilot managed to avoid United 93 and the flight was later diverted to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.[71] | | | | N/A | |
Hijackings
''There have been over a dozen attempted hijackings which resulted in no injuries and the surrender of the often lone hijacker. These incidents are not included. The following are notable hijackings because of fatalities or success in forcing the aircraft to fly to another country''
★ In 1968, a Delta DC-8 was hijacked to Havana, Cuba. This was the first successful hijacking to Cuba from the U.S. since 1961[72] was the start of multiple hijacking attempts to Cuba in the late 1960s. This coincided with the introduction of passenger screening using metal detectors in U.S. airports starting in the late 1960s.
★ Additional hijackings which resulted in no injuries and the flight landing in Cuba include March 28, 1984 (Delta 357 New Orleans-Dallas 727),[73] August 18, 1983 (Delta 784 Miami-Tampa 727),[74] July 17, 1983 (Delta 722 Miami-Tampa 727),[75] June 11, 1979 (Delta 1061 New York LaGuardia-Fort Lauderdale L1011)[76]
★ July 31, 1972, a Delta flight 841, a Detroit to Miami DC-8 flight, was hijacked to Algiers, Algeria by 8 hijackers. The aircraft stopped in Boston to pick up an international navigator, who was wearing only swimming trunks and a shirt. The flight was allowed to return with passengers to the U.S., stopping in Barcelona for refueling.[77][78]
★ On February 22, 1974, Samuel Byck, an unemployed tire salesman from Pennsylvania, stormed aboard a Delta Air Lines Flight 523, DC-9 flight at Baltimore Friendship Airport (now Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) scheduled to fly to Atlanta and shot both pilots, killing the First Officer, Fred Jones. He intended to crash the plane into the White House.[79] After shooting the pilots, the hijacker grabbed a passenger and demanded that she fly the aircraft.[80]
★ On August 23, 1980, a Delta Air Lines L-1011 on a San Juan to Los Angeles flight was hijacked to Cuba.[81] The hijacker was jailed by Cuba authorities and all passengers were released unharmed.
★ On September 13, 1980, a Delta Air Lines New Orleans to Atlanta flight was taken over by two hijackers and forced to fly to Cuba. The flight continued to Atlanta after stopping in Havana.[82] The hijackers were imprisoned by Cuban authorities. One hijacker was released and later sought US residency. The suspect was later arrested by US authorities in 2002[83] and sentenced to prison the following year.
Trivia
★ Delta operates its largest hub at the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
★ Karl Jenkins' Adiemus project began in 1994 as a music project for Delta Air Lines' European advertising campaign. The song was later released on the albums Pure Moods and , and was also used in Delta's commercials in the United States from 1996 until 1999.
★ The logo for Monroe Regional Airport is the Delta logo, in honor of it being the airlines birthplace and the original headquarters for Delta.
★ Delta awards the annual Delta Prize for Global Understanding in conjunction with the University of Georgia.
★ Delta's Boeing 737-800 airplanes have an empty area in the rear cabin where seats are normally located. Not placing seats in this area results in a reduction of capacity to 150 seats, reducing the number of FAA mandated flight attendants to 3 (one flight attendant is required for every fifty passenger seats).
★ Delta sold several DC-9-30s to ValuJet, forming ValuJet's initial fleet. ValuJet would eventually become Delta's main Atlanta-based rival, AirTran.
★ Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines are the only surviving U.S. airlines that operated the Convair 880, still the fastest family of subsonic passenger aircraft ever, and only behind supersonic carriers such as the Concorde and the Tu-144 in speed.
★ A Boeing 767-300 delivered to Delta in 2001 was sold to the People's Republic of China (PRC) for use as a presidential aircraft before it could be used for Delta passenger service. According to unofficial reports, this aircraft contained numerous listening devices for espionage against the PRC government. The aircraft was never used as a government transport and was later transferred for use as a commercial airliner.[84]
★ In 2005, Delta Air Lines provided charter service to 13 of the 32 NFL pro teams; they also served 11 Major League Baseball and several NCAA teams.[85]
★ Some select Crown Room Clubs feature putting greens as a result of Delta Air Lines being the official airline of the PGA Tour.
★ Delta operates the entire Terminal South of Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Int'l. Airport
★ Delta has started mandatory inflight recycling on all national flights inbound to Atlanta, with plans to spread to other hubs within the year.
References
1.
2. Delta Air Lines Plan Of Reorganization (LAX included in 5 hubs/gateways, pgs 23 and 24)
3. Delta Stats & Facts
4. Aviation Week and Space Technology, January 15, 2007, p. 349, 2005 data
5. Aviation Week and Space Technology, January 15, 2007, p. 348, Charts show Air France/KLM, American, Lufthansa, United, British Airways with higher revenue
6. COMPANY NEWS; Delta-Western Merger Approval
7. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=480&invol=1301
8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Airlines
9. Spirit of Delta
10. The Spirit of Delta launched to commemorate anniversary
11. MD-11 jumbo jet arriving to fly Delta into the future, ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' December 22, 1990
12. COMPANY NEWS; Pan American Route Transfer
13. COMPANY NEWS; NORTHWEST AGREES TO PAY MILLION FOR LONDON ROUTE
14. http://www.metroairport.com/about/history.asp
15. PAN AM FACES SHUTDOWN TODAY WITHOUT FINANCING, ''Associated Press'' December 4, 1991
16. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CWU/is_2003_July_29/ai_105988602
17. http://www.frequentflier.com/ffc-0905.htm
18. Delta Air Lines (January 19, 2007) [1] Press release.
19. http://news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=9836 Delta Air Lines Reaches Definitive Agreement to Sell Atlantic Southeast Airlines to SkyWest
20. http://news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=9852 Delta Air Lines Strengthens Domestic Hubs, Offers Customers More International Choices with Winter Schedule
21. http://news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=9879 Delta Air Lines Steps Up Transformation Plan to Accelerate Path to Profitability
22. http://news.delta.com/print_doc.cfm?article_id=10303
23. Chávez restricting U.S. flights Pablo Bachelet
24. Delta plans to keep fliers entertained Marilyn Adams
25.
26. http://news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=10496
27. Delta to buy 30 jets from Bombardier
28. US Airways Proposes Merging With Delta Air Lines Mary Schlangenstein
29. Delta workers see trouble in takeover bid Peter J. Howe
30. US Airways CEO: Delta's self-valuation 'lacks credibility' Russell Grantham
31. Money talks in bid to acquire Delta Tom Gibbons
32. US Airways Sweetens Delta Bid R.M. Schneiderman
33.
34. Delta Air Lines Is Speculated To Be In Talks with Two Other Airlines For Possible Merger (CNN Money: January 10, 2007)
35. http://www.keepdeltamydelta.org/getObjectReal_Deal.aspx?Name=Issue2
36. Wall Street Journal, January 29, 2007, p. 3
37. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4509363.html
38. http://money.cnn.com/2007/01/31/news/companies/usair_delta/index.htm?
39. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP-wl6_1VMo Video showing FLY DELTA JETS sign being relighted
40. http://finance.google.com/finance?q=DAL
★
41. [3]
42. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=ag27VufFRVBI&refer=europe
43. Former Northwest CEO Becomes Delta Chief
44. http://finance.google.com/finance?q=NYSE%3ADAL
45. Portland, Ore., Airport Likely to Lose Delta Air Lines' Japanese Route Mike Rogoway
46. Delta Slogan "Good Goes Around"
47. http://www.alpa.org/?tabid=183#Delta
48.
49. Delta Stats & Facts
50.
51. Delta Air Lines Continues Expansion from Los Angeles with New Daily Service to Tijuana and Zacatecas ''Delta'', April 17, 2007
52. Delta Builds On Successful Los Angeles Expansion With 21 New Daily Fights to Nine Cities ''Yahoo Finance'', May 9, 2007
53. Delta Makes First Move for 2008 China Routes with Filing for New Nonstop Flights between Atlanta and Shanghai
54. Delta in line for non-stop route to China, ''USA TODAY'', July 2, 2007
55. Delta Expands China Route Application to Include Nonstop Flights Between Atlanta and Both Beijing, Shanghai
56. Delta to offer flights to Nigeria, ''Atlanta Journal Constitution'', February 21, 2007
57. Delta scoops slots at Heathrow April 15, 2007
58. Delta Builds on Success in Tel Aviv with New Nonstop Service from New York
59. Delta celebrates a milestone and Atlanta ties
60. Orders and Deliveries, The Boeing Company
61. Delta Air Lines Fleet Information
62. [7], Federal Aviation Administration
63. http://news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=10478
64. Delta, United bid for 787 GoldCare deal
65. Enhancing the Entertainment Experience author= Chris Babb
66.
67. Enhancing the Entertainment Experience author= Chris Babb
68. Apple: 6 Airlines To Offer In-Flight iPod Connection In '07
69. http://news.delta.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=10528
70. http://www.insideflyer.com/articles/o2_sidebar.php?key=4
71. http://www.911omissionreport.com/flight_1989.html
72. http://www.psepc.gc.ca/prg/ns/airs/rep1-app3-en.aspand
73. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19840328-0&lang=en
74. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19830818-0&lang=en
75. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19830717-0&lang=en
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