ATLANTA, Oct. 7, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Delta Air Lines is resuming its full flight schedule after canceling select flights as part of the carrier's emergency fuel conservation efforts adopted to address critical fuel shortages that were created by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This short-term emergency fuel conservation initiative lasted approximately two weeks, and will end this Saturday, as fuel supplies in the Southeast have stabilized following damages sustained from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Delta has been implementing creative, long-term fuel conservation practices since the beginning of the year. These efforts include:
-- Improved flight routing -- Delta recently implemented RNAV
(area navigation) departure and arrival procedures at the
Atlanta hub to shorten patterns of flights to and from
Hartsfield-Jackson. Delta's implementation of RNAV at Atlanta
was the largest implementation in the industry to date and, based
on preliminary estimates, could save up to $30 million annually,
primarily in fuel for airlines operating at Atlanta.
-- Increased crew-led conservation -- Delta pilots have long been
industry leaders in saving fuel through single-engine taxi and
other crew-led procedures. In fact, as early as 1972, Delta became
one of the first airlines to implement single-engine taxi
procedures to reduce fuel consumption.
-- Reduced Taxi Times -- The innovative rework of Delta's Atlanta
flight schedule in January not only pays dividends for customers,
it reduces Delta's fuel bill. Delta's 2005 schedule has reduced
the average taxi time at Atlanta by roughly four minutes year over
year. Reducing the taxi time of every Atlanta departure by one
minute would save Delta 2.3 million gallons of fuel each year.
-- Reduced aircraft weights -- Through Delta's cabin refurbishment
program, mechanics are installing lighter seats and removing
coach-class ovens and airphones to reduce weight onboard MD-88
and MD-90 aircraft. To put this in perspective, just by reducing
the equivalent of the weight of one case of soft drinks (24 cans)
on every aircraft in the fleet, Delta would save $244,000
annually in fuel costs.
-- Reduced APU usage -- Delta ground personnel are reducing usage
of Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) on aircraft and instead using
ground power units to reduce fuel burn on the ground. For example,
at the Delta North Technical Center in Atlanta, Delta added ground
equipment to replace APU usage, significantly reducing fuel
consumption and generating $1 million in annual fuel and
maintenance savings at this aircraft maintenance center.
The Delta logo is available at: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1825