ATLANTA, May 23, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) issued the following statement applauding the agreement reached today between the U.S. and Chinese governments to further expand opportunities for Delta and other airlines to provide more new services between the United States and China.
"Secretary Peters and the Bush Administration are to be commended for reaching a landmark deal that will allow U.S. airlines to add 13 additional nonstop daily flights to China over the next five years," said Jim Whitehurst, Delta's chief operating officer. "We are already actively pursuing approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation to offer customers the first and only nonstop flights between the world's largest passenger gateway in Atlanta and Shanghai. We look forward to the official launch of the 2007 route case and are fully prepared to demonstrate why Atlanta should become the next gateway to China.
"Delta is also eager to seek additional opportunities to improve our customers' access to China under the expanded U.S-China aviation agreement and will actively explore opportunities to introduce new nonstop flights from other gateways in future years," Whitehurst continued.
Delta's pending application with the DOT for nonstop service between Atlanta and China would fill a critical void in air travel today by linking the 55 million people of the Southeastern United States directly to one of the world's fastest growing economies. Delta -- the largest U.S. airline without nonstop access to China -- will demonstrate in the accelerated 2007 China route case that Atlanta-Shanghai nonstop service will provide superior consumer and competitive benefits and should be selected by the DOT.
Delta Air Lines offers customers service to more destinations than any global airline with Delta and Delta Connection carrier service to 311 destinations in 52 countries. With more than 60 new international routes added in the last year, Delta is adding international flights at a faster rate than any other major U.S. airline and is a leader across the Atlantic with flights to 32 trans-Atlantic destinations. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 600 weekly flights to 58 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 15,000 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 and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 462 worldwide destinations in 98 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
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