Delta Airlines to Expand International Flights

November 17, 2010

Delta Air Lines plans to offer more international flights, especially to Asia and Europe, in spring and summer 2011 in a bid to gain more business passengers. The carrier said it was offering special introductory fares on new international routes for which tickets must be bought no later than November 30. Delta said its most significant expansion would be in Asia, where it has seen revenue growth of more than 50 percent. The carrier said it applied to the US Transportation Department to start new flights to Beijing and Guangzhou in China, and will expand service to Manila, Philippines. The company said it also would resume non-stop service to Shanghai from Atlanta next year, a route that had been suspended in 2009 as tough economic conditions hurt travel demand. Atlanta-based Delta has moved to strengthen its presence in high-growth markets in an effort to capture lucrative corporate customers as the economy improves. Its statement on Tuesday cited "double-digit revenue growth in most every international business market" over the last year. In August, Delta received approval for a USD$1.2 billion upgrade of its operations at New York's JFK airport, a move it said was essential to luring corporate travellers as it builds a major hub in New York. But it also faces competition for international business passengers from US rivals such as the newly merged United Continental Holdings, which displaced Delta as the world's largest airline earlier this year. For Europe, Delta's new offerings include more flights between London's Heathrow Airport and the United States, and the carrier also said it will launch its first service to Reykjavik, Iceland. The company also said its capacity will rise by between one and three percent next year and added it will end this year with 91 fewer planes than in 2009.

(Reuters)