Delta Air Lines to Become Only Airline to Serve Five Continents Nonstop from New York
WEBWIRE – Monday, June 19, 2006
Addition of first and only nonstop service to Mumbai, India, and first service to Accra, Ghana, strengthens Delta's position as New York City's leading international airline
Special low introductory fares invite customers to experience Delta's newest trans-Atlantic routes
NEW YORK, June 19, 2006 – Delta Air Lines will be the only airline to offer customers nonstop service to five continents from metropolitan New York with the addition of new nonstop flights between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Mumbai, India, and Accra, Ghana, effective Nov. 1 and Dec. 11, 2006, respectively*. The new service further demonstrates Delta's commitment to growing its position as New York City's leading airline.
"Delta is New York's airline and we are excited to again pioneer new routes that expand our global reach and add convenience to the lives of our customers," said Jim Whitehurst, Delta's chief operating officer. "The JFK-to-Mumbai route will be the first and only nonstop flight between two of the world's most important business centers, and our new service to Africa will open a corridor of commerce between the world's largest travel market and growing economies on the West African coast.
"Delta already operates service to more global destinations than any airline in the world with the largest domestic network of destinations in the United States, the largest trans-Atlantic route system with 29 nonstop destinations across Europe, India and Israel, and the second-largest route system in South and Central America. With more additions planned by winter, Delta is proud to operate nonstop flights to 12 unique trans-Atlantic destinations not served by any other U.S. carrier," Whitehurst said.
The new nonstop service from JFK to Mumbai and Accra will be operated with international widebody aircraft featuring Delta's refurbished business and economy class products. The 268-seat Boeing 777-200ER aircraft will be used to Mumbai while the 214-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft will fly to Accra. On both routes, customers can enjoy Delta's award-winning BusinessElite service featuring all-leather sleeper seats with 60 inches of legroom, innovative food offerings designed by celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein, award-winning, original wine selections, and industry-leading, on-demand personal in-seat entertainment boasting more than 20 first-run and popular classic movies, a variety of TV programs, a broad range of music, and a suite of 12 video games. Economy class customers also will notice recent improvements on Delta, including new all-leather economy seats, enhanced food offerings and a complimentary cocktail with each meal.
With the start of this new nonstop service, Delta will discontinue its one-stop service to India via Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Delta's new nonstop service to Mumbai will replace existing one-stop service to Mumbai and to Chennai, effective Nov. 1. Delta will continue to serve Chennai with convenient codeshare service via Paris on SkyTeam partner Air France, once codeshare approval is obtained. Additionally, Delta will offer direct, same-plane service between its largest international hub in Atlanta and Mumbai with these schedule enhancements.
The new flights will significantly improve customer travel times between Mumbai and the United States, reducing the flight duration by at least four hours in each direction when compared to the current one-stop service. To Accra, Delta also will increase customer convenience by reducing travel times by up to eight hours in each direction when compared to connections on other major airlines via Europe. As previously announced, Delta will be the only major U.S. carrier operating scheduled service between Africa and the United States this winter with new service to Dakar, Senegal*, and Johannesburg, South Africa* beginning from Atlanta Dec. 4, and now between New York and Accra one week later.
Said Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, whose district includes John F. Kennedy International Airport: "I commend Delta Air Lines for offering New York travelers this much-needed nonstop service to Mumbai, India and Accra, Ghana, from one of the world's leading airlines. For the past several years, I have worked hard with the Port Authority on bringing nonstop air service from JFK to these important cities that both have significant constituencies in New York. Delta recognizes the tremendous value these emerging markets offer to business and leisure travelers. I appreciate Delta's commitment to providing New York's air travelers with many options and excellent service at affordable prices."
Added New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg: "Connecting New York City directly with more of the world's leading business centers reinforces our position as the international business hub. The aviation industry is vitally important to the future economic growth of our city, and I commend Delta for its confidence and commitment to New York."
Delta's new nonstop service between New York-JFK and Mumbai, India
Flight | Departs | Arrives | Effective | Frequency
16 | New York-JFK at 9:20 p.m. | Mumbai at 10:10 p.m. (next day) | Nov. 1, 2006 | Daily
17 | Mumbai at 12:10 a.m.| New York-JFK at 6 a.m.|Nov. 3, 2006 | Daily
Delta's new nonstop service between New York-JFK and Accra, Ghana
166 | New York-JFK at 5:15 p.m. | Accra at 8:15 a.m. (next day) | Dec. 11, 2006 | Four-times weekly
167 | Accra at 9:45 a.m. | New York-JFK at 4:15 p.m. | Dec. 12, 2006 | Four-times weekly
To celebrate the new service, Delta is offering special low introductory fares to invite customers to try its newest international routes. Fares between New York and Mumbai are as low as $449 one way for travel between Nov. 1, 2006 and March 31, 2007, while fares between New York and Accra are as low as $399 one way for travel between Dec. 11, 2006 and March 31, 2007. All fares are based on a round-trip purchase and additional taxes/fees/restrictions apply. Fares shown are available only for purchase on delta.com or from a travel agent. See below for important details.
For customers traveling to the United States from India or Ghana, Delta's new service will provide convenient onward connecting opportunities thanks to the continued growth of the airline's domestic hub at JFK. By October, Delta will double to 140 the number of domestic departures from JFK, up from 70 in May. This growth includes new or expanded nonstop service to key U.S. destinations such as Boston, Columbus, Ohio, Detroit, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, San Diego and Washington, D.C. Additionally, with the July schedule, Delta will be the only airline to operate service to all 50 states.
As JFK's leading airline, Delta operates nonstop service to more U.S. and international destinations than any other carrier. In total, Delta will offer customers 165 peak day flights to 69 worldwide destinations by December, including new nonstop service to 10 international destinations and more than a dozen new domestic destinations beginning this summer. Most recently, Delta inaugurated the only nonstop service offered by a U.S. carrier between New York and Kiev, Ukraine and on June 16 added its first nonstop service from New York to South America with daily flights between JFK and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
To support the continued growth of the JFK hub, Delta is investing in more than $20 million in renovations to its Terminal 2 and 3 facilities at JFK. Refurbishments under way include the addition of a new, dedicated BusinessElite check-in area in Terminal 2, refurbishing the customs and immigrations entrance, refreshing facilities in Delta's BusinessElite lounge and Crown Room Clubs, and adding new international check-in kiosks throughout the facility.
Delta Air Lines (Other OTC: DALRQ) offers customers service to more destinations than any other global airline with Delta and Delta Connection carrier service to more than 290 destinations in 47 countries. With more than 50 new international routes added in the last year, Delta is America's fastest growing international airline and is the world's leading carrier between the United States and Europe with flights to 29 trans-Atlantic destinations. To Latin America, Delta offers nearly 500 weekly flights to 47 destinations and is quickly becoming the second-largest carrier in the region. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on more than 14,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam partners, Delta offers flights to 460 worldwide destinations in 97 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
*Subject to foreign government approval.
A portion of travel for some itineraries may be on the Delta Connection carriers: Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Chautauqua, Comair, Freedom Airlines, Shuttle America, and SkyWest.
Restrictions: Fares shown are available for purchase only on delta.com or from your travel agent. Tickets cost $10 more if purchased from Delta over the telephone or $15 more if purchased at an airport or city ticket office, and these amounts are nonrefundable. Travel agents may impose an additional service charge for ticketing. Tickets are non-transferable. Seats are limited and fares may not be available on all flights or in all markets. Tickets: Fares shown are one-way. Round-trip purchase is required. Tickets must be purchased within 72 hours after reservations are made, but no later than June 30, 2006. See delta.com for online ticket purchase requirements and restrictions. Travel Period: For Mumbai, travel may begin November 1, 2006, through March 31, 2007. For Accra, travel may begin December 11, 2006, through March 31, 2007. For both destinations, travel must be completed by April 30, 2007. Blackout Dates: Accra- 12/15-25; Mumbai- 12/8-23. Fare Validity: Fares are valid in the Economy (Coach) cabin on Delta flights only. Fares shown are valid Monday through Thursday, while higher fares apply for travel Friday through Sunday. Minimum Stay: Saturday night. Maximum Stay: 1 month. Cancellations/Refunds/Changes: Fares are nonrefundable. Delta may permit you to apply a portion of the fare value to future travel upon payment of applicable fees and fare difference, otherwise the ticket will have no value. Fees may apply for itinerary changes. Delta may allow you to cancel certain electronic tickets until midnight of the day after purchase (or midnight of the departure date of the first flight, whichever comes first) without penalty if purchased at the time of reservation directly from Delta. Contact a Delta agent or visit delta.com for details. Taxes/Fees: Fares do not include a $3.30 Federal Excise Tax which will be imposed on each flight segment in the passenger's ticketed itinerary. A flight segment is defined as a takeoff and a landing. Fares do not include Passenger Facility Charge(s) of up to $18.00, depending on itinerary or September 11th Security Fee of up to $10 per round-trip. International fares do not include U.S. International Air Transportation tax of up to $29.00 and U.S. and foreign user, inspection, security or other similarly based charges, fees or taxes of up to $250, depending on itinerary. These taxes and fees are the responsibility of the passenger and must be paid at the time the ticket is purchased. Miscellaneous: Fares and rules are subject to change without notice. It is the responsibility of the passenger to be in possession of all necessary documentation (e.g. valid passport, visa where applicable) at the time of departure from origin. Delta reserves the right to deny boarding to passengers without the proper documentation. Other restrictions may apply. ©2006 Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Betsy Talton