ATLANTA, Oct. 10, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Today the first modified Boeing 737-800 aircraft is taking flight for transcontinental customers traveling on Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) -- complete with the next generation of more comfortable Coach Class seating and Delta on Demand, the airline's industry-leading digital entertainment system available at every passenger's seat.
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The 737 narrow-body aircraft offers 16 First Class seats and 144 Coach Class seats. Delta is the first airline to offer the sleek, new, leading-edge "slim line" seats from Weber Aircraft LP for customers traveling in coach class which boast:
* up to 1 and 1/2 inches of increased personal space with additional under-seat storage; * ergonomically-designed cushions developed using pressure mapping technology for maximum comfort; * advanced, lightweight materials.
In addition, this is the first 737-800 in North or South America to feature an audio/video on demand (AVOD) entertainment system by Panasonic Avionics Corporation with live TV available at every passenger's seat in both First and Coach Class service.
"Introducing more comfortable and roomy seating for Coach Class customers and expanding Delta on Demand to more of our airplanes are additional steps we're making to ensure Delta passengers enjoy a great experience when they travel with us on long-haul flights," said Joanne Smith, senior vice president of In-Flight Services and Global Product Development.
Smith added that Delta will introduce one 737-800 aircraft approximately every two weeks for a total of 28 737-800s operating with the new interior design and offerings by May 2008.
In addition, the 737-800s will feature blended winglet technology by Aviation Partners Boeing that simultaneously improves operating and fuel efficiency, providing at least a 3.5 percent improvement in fuel consumption and at least a 5 percent improvement in range capability. Blended winglets are wing tip devices that reduce drag thanks to improved aerodynamics, resulting in a reduction in fuel usage. Delta customers benefit from Delta's ability to serve more destinations while Delta benefits from new efficiencies that both improve operations and better the environment.
Delta on Demand is the airline's advanced, in-flight entertainment system which features a wide array of options for customers including up to 25 first-run and popular classic movies; 18 channels of live satellite television on domestic routes and a variety of stored TV programs on international routes; HBO on demand; a broad range of music selections that suit every taste and genre; a suite of 12 video games; and, interactive trivia that allows for friendly play among passengers. Delta on Demand is currently available on 101 aircraft within Delta's fleet including eight Boeing 777s (268 seats), eight Boeing 767-400s (241 seats), 48 757s (184 seats), one 737 (160 seats) and 36 767-300ERs (36 BusinessElite(r) seats). By June 2008, Delta expects to add the functionality to an additional 95 aircraft including two 777-200LRs (276 seats), six 767-400s (241 seats), 27 737-800s (160 seats), 21 767-300s (262 seats), 23 767-300ERs (36 BusinessElite seats) and 16 757-200s (174 seats).
In September, Delta began offering customers a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees, as well as popular snack items, available for purchase on nonstop flights between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle. Menu items are priced between $2 and $10. In November, Delta's food for purchase program will feature Chef Todd English's signature creations on flights within the 48 contiguous United States of approximately 2,000 miles (four hours or more). As Delta expands the menu to more flights by spring 2008, English's food for purchase offerings will be available on flights of more than 1,025 miles and popular snack items on flights of more than 750 miles out of cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Boston, Houston, Phoenix, Portland, Ore., Tampa, Fla., Las Vegas and more. Customers will continue to receive complimentary snacks on all flights of more than 250 miles and on Delta Connection carrier flights. In addition, Delta's BusinessElite Chef Michelle Bernstein, extended her culinary creations to Delta's domestic First Class customers flying between JFK and Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle as part of the airline's continued onboard enhancements.
Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 310 destinations in 54 countries. Since 2005, Delta has added more international capacity than all other major U.S. airlines combined and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 36 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 400 weekly flights to 53 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 475 worldwide destinations in 104 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.
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Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the cost of aircraft fuel; the impact that our indebtedness will have on our financial and operating activities and our ability to incur additional debt; the restrictions that financial covenants in our financing agreements will have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub airports; our increasing dependence on technology in our operations; our ability to retain management and key employees; the ability of our credit card processors to take significant holdbacks in certain circumstances; the effects of terrorist attacks; and competitive conditions in the airline industry. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in Delta's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2007. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on Delta's forward-looking statements, which represent Delta's views only as of Oct. 10, 2007, and which Delta has no current intention to update.
The photos are also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com, and via AP PhotoExpress.
