NEW YORK, May 15, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Delta Air Lines -- New York City's largest international airline -- tonight continues the largest international expansion in its history with the introduction of two more trans-Atlantic routes from its growing hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport. At 7:40 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively, Delta jets will take off from New York-JFK for Manchester, England and Dublin/Shannon, Ireland, becoming the 16th and 17th nonstop trans-Atlantic destinations served by Delta from New York.
"Delta is New York's airline and we are proud to again expand our leadership position as the airline that offers customers service to the most destinations across the Atlantic from JFK," said Glen Hauenstein, Delta's executive vice president - Network and Revenue Management. "When combined with our plans to double the number of domestic flights offered each day from JFK by October, customers will find it easier than ever to choose to fly Delta to, from or through New York."
As JFK's leading airline, Delta offers nonstop service to more U.S. and international destinations than any other carrier. In total, Delta will offer customers 164 peak day flights to 69 worldwide destinations by October, including new nonstop service to nine 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 Budapest, Hungary and on June 1 will become the only U.S. carrier to fly between New York and Kiev, Ukraine.
Customers on Delta's new flights to Dublin/Shannon and Manchester will enjoy the comfort of the wide body Boeing 767-400 aircraft sold in a 285-seat, all-Economy-class configuration, though premium and elite customers will be eligible for First Class upgrades at time of departure based on their current standing in the Delta SkyMiles(R) program and fare class. Additionally, Delta will reconfigure these aircraft to include its award-winning BusinessElite(R) cabin by 2007.
Flights are scheduled as follows:
Delta's schedule between New York-JFK and Dublin/Shannon, effective
May 15, 2006:
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Flight Departs Arrives
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112 New York-JFK at 7:40 p.m. Dublin at 7:10 a.m.
(next day)
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112* Dublin at 8:50 a.m. Shannon at 9:40 a.m.
112* Shannon at 11:40 a.m. New York-JFK at 1:30 p.m.
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* Flight begins May 16
Delta's schedule between New York-JFK and Manchester, effective May
15, 2006:
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Flight Departs Arrives
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154 New York-JFK at 8:30 p.m. Manchester at 8:30 a.m.
(next day)
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155* Manchester at 10:30 a.m. New York-JFK at 1:15 p.m.
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* Flight begins May 16
Tonight's inaugural flights are the sixth and seventh in a series of 11 new trans-Atlantic routes to be launched by Delta by June. In April, Delta inaugurated its first service between Atlanta and Dusseldorf, in March its first service between Atlanta and Tel Aviv, Israel, on May 1 the first non-stop service between Atlanta and Copenhagen, Denmark, and last week the first non-stop service between Atlanta and Nice and between New York-JFK and Budapest. The next trans-Atlantic inaugural is set for May 29 from Atlanta to Athens, Greece. In total, Delta will offer non-stop service to more than 60 international destinations from Atlanta this summer, including 23 routes across the Atlantic. From New York-JFK, Delta will offer customers nonstop service to more than 28 international destinations with 18 routes across the Atlantic.
In addition to its new service from New York, Delta also serves Ireland and the United Kingdom in its hubs in Atlanta and Cincinnati. With its summer schedule, Delta will offer ten daily flights to Ireland and the United Kingdom with service between Atlanta and London-Gatwick, Manchester, Dublin, Shannon and Edinburgh, Scotland (effective June 5); Cincinnati and London-Gatwick; and New York-JFK and Dublin/Shannon and Manchester. In total, Delta will offer more seats between the United States and Ireland than any other U.S. carrier this summer.
Delta Air Lines (Other OTC:DALRQ) is one of the world's fastest growing international carriers with more than 50 new international routes added or announced in the last year. Delta offers flights to 447 destinations in 96 countries on Delta, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and its worldwide partners. In summer 2006, Delta plans to offer customers more destinations and departures between the U.S., Europe, India and Israel than any global airline (see Note), including service on 11 new transatlantic routes from its Atlanta and New York-JFK hubs. Delta also is a major carrier to Mexico, South and Central America and the Caribbean, with nearly 40 routes announced, added or applied to serve since Jan. 1, 2005. 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. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
Note: From the U.S., based on July 2006 OAG.
A portion of travel for some itineraries may be on the Delta Connection carriers Chautauqua, Comair, Freedom Airlines or Shuttle America.
The Delta logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1825