Delta Air Lines, Inc.Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organization, sports club or a government of a new city or town. This article focuses on the process of incorporation; see also corporation.-Legal benefits:*Protection of personal assets...
is a United States
airlineAn airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit.Airlines vary...
based and headquartered in Atlanta,
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
. Delta operates an extensive domestic and international network, spanning
North AmericaNorth America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific...
,
South AmericaSouth America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere...
,
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
,
AsiaAsia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population.Asia is traditionally defined as part of the...
,
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
, the
Middle EastThe Middle East is a region that spans southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe, and northeastern Africa. It has no clear boundaries, often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, the
CaribbeanThe Caribbean is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands , and the surrounding coasts...
, and
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
. Delta began service to Sydney, Australia from
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the municipality of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123.445 inhabitants...
in July 2009, which made it the only current American carrier to serve every continent except
Antarctica| style="border-top:solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding:0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align:top;" | 14,000,000 km
2 280,000 km
2 13,720,000 km
2 |-! style="border-top: solid 1px #ccd2d9; padding: 0.4em 1em 0.4em 0; vertical-align: top;...
. Delta and its subsidiaries fly to over 375 destinations in 88 countries (excluding codeshare), across 6 continents. Delta is the only major U.S. carrier that flies to Africa and operates the two longest non-stop routes of all U.S. carriers from Atlanta to Mumbai (until October 23, 2009) and from Atlanta to Johannesburg on the Boeing 777-200LR.
Delta operates its largest
hubAn airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
at
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
and also maintains hubs at
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International AirportCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is located in Hebron, unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States and serves the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area. Despite being located in Boone County, the airport operations are governed by the neighboring Kenton County Airport...
,
John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in Queens County, New York in southeastern New York City about 12 miles from Lower Manhattan...
in
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
and
Salt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
. Delta's Atlanta hub is the busiest airline hub in the world. Delta announced that it had reached an agreement with Tempe-based
US AirwaysUS Airways, Inc., an operating unit of US Airways Group, is the fifth largest airline in the United States.A member of the Star Alliance, the airline has a fleet of 353 mainline jet aircraft and 319 regional jet and turbo-prop aircraft connecting 200 destinations in North America, Central America,...
to swap take-off and landing slots at
LaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in Queens County on Long Island in the the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally named Glenn H...
which Delta is planning to make a domestic hub.
On October 29, 2008, Delta completed its merger with
Northwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Inc., is a major United States airline headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport...
to form the world's largest commercial carrier. In February 2009, the airline began consolidating gates and ticket counters at airports where both Delta and Northwest operate. The consolidation will be completed by February 2010. Delta carries more passengers across the Atlantic than any other carrier worldwide.
Airline operations
- Delta, the "mainline
A mainline flight is a flight operated by an airline's main operating unit, rather than by regional alliances, regional code-shares or regional subsidiaries...
" component of Delta Air Lines, Inc., - serves primarily high-volume domestic flights and long-haul international services.
- Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Inc., is a major United States airline headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport...
-http://www.nwa.com/merger/?intomni=tc.hplead_Merger_HPLead_2 Delta acquired NWA in October 2008 forming the world's largest airline. Northwest operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta.
- Comair
Comair is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines headquartered on the grounds of Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport in unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States, west of Erlanger, and south of Cincinnati, Ohio....
a regionalRegional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...
component of Delta Air Lines, Inc., - serves primarily domestic short-haul, low-density, high frequency flights.
- Mesaba Airlines
Mesaba Airlines is an American regional airline based in Eagan, Minnesota. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines...
- regional component of Northwest acquired in the merger.
- Compass Airlines
Compass Airlines is a regional airline headquartered in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, east of the Chantilly CDP; the airline plans to relocate its headquarters to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2009...
- regional component of Northwest acquired in the merger.
Aviation business related operations, divisions, and subsidiaries
- Comair Holdings, LLC
Comair is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines headquartered on the grounds of Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport in unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States, west of Erlanger, and south of Cincinnati, Ohio....
- Comair Services, Inc.
- Crown Rooms, Inc.
- DAL Aircraft Trading, Inc.
- DAL Global Services, LLC
- DAL Moscow, Inc., a 50/50 partnership with Aeroflot
OJSC "AeroflotRussian Airlines" , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the largest airline in Russia, based on passengers carried per year. Aeroflot, headquartered in Moscow, is one of the oldest airlines in the world, tracing its history back to 1923...
- Delta AirElite Business Jets, Inc.
Delta AirElite Business Jets is an airline based in unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States. It operates jet aircraft and helicopter charter services as a subsidiary of Comair...
- Delta Benefits Management, Inc.
- Delta Cargo, Delta's air freight division.
- Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and three wholly owned regional carriers operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
, a marketingMarketing is an integrated communications-based process through which individuals and communities are informed or persuaded that existing and newly-identified needs and wants may be satisfied by the products and services of others....
brandA brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as "cultural accessories and personal philosophies".-Concepts:...
given to flights operated by certain regional airlines on short- to mid-haul, low- to mid-volume routes, "connecting" hubsAn airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
to airports where the larger "mainline" planes would either have a hard time accessing, go unfilled or too infrequently to be profitable.
- Delta Connection Academy, Inc.
The Delta Connection Academy, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, is a flight school for prospective pilots wishing to enter a career as a commercial airline pilot. It is headquartered in Sanford, Florida at the Orlando Sanford International Airport...
- Delta Corporate Identity, Inc.
- Delta DASH, Delta's same-day small package delivery service, part of Delta Cargo.
- Delta Loyalty Management Services, LLC
- Delta Shuttle
Delta Shuttle is the brand name for Delta Air Lines' air shuttle service between LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Logan International Airport in Boston, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport serving Washington, D.C., and Midway Airport in Chicago...
, which operates high frequency, short-haul service using McDonnell Douglas MD-88s configured with a single-class cabin, and are slowly being replaced with more efficient and economical Embraer 170sThe Embraer E-Jets are a series of narrow body, twin-engined, medium range, jet airliners produced in Brazil. Announced at the Paris Air Show in 1999, and entering production in 2002, the aircraft have been a success – as of December 31, 2008, there are 876 firm orders for E-Jets and 810 options...
flown by Shuttle AmericaShuttle America Corporation is a regional airline based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It feeds United Airlines flights at Chicago, Denver, and Washington as United Express, and feeds Delta Air Lines flights at Atlanta and New York as Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle...
for Delta. The flights operate between LaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in Queens County on Long Island in the the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally named Glenn H...
and Logan International Airport
; and between LaGuardia AirportLaGuardia Airport is an airport located in Queens County on Long Island in the the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally named Glenn H...
and Ronald Reagan Washington National AirportRonald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia, United States. It is the nearest commercial airport to Washington, D.C. Originally named Washington National Airport, the...
. Delta ShuttleDelta Shuttle is the brand name for Delta Air Lines' air shuttle service between LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Logan International Airport in Boston, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport serving Washington, D.C., and Midway Airport in Chicago...
operates with the same operating certificateOperating certificate is a category of license issued by a government agency allowing an individual or company to provide a controlled type of service. These certificates are generally issued for a limited time period. Certificates can have intrinsic value and in some cases can be sold Operating...
, callsign, IATA, and ICAO codes as Delta Air Lines, Inc., unlike Delta Connection branded sub-fleets flown by other certificated regional airlines.
- Delta Technology, LLC
- Delta Ventures III, LLC
- Epsilon Trading, Inc.
- Kappa Capital Management, Inc.
- Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, Inc., is a major United States airline headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport...
, an airline based in Minnesota was acquired by Delta to form the world's largest airline. It operates routes in North America, Asia, and Europe. Merger closed on October 29, 2008.
- Regional Elite Airline Services (formerly announced as Regional Handling Services
Regional Elite Airline Services will be a new wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines that will combine all airport ticket counter, gate, tower coordination, and ramp handling duties for Comair, Compass Airlines, and Mesaba Airlines...
), a new subsidiary that will ground handle aircraft for ComairComair is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines headquartered on the grounds of Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport in unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States, west of Erlanger, and south of Cincinnati, Ohio....
, Compass AirlinesCompass Airlines was the operating name for two airlines:* Compass Airlines , the name of two Australian airlines* Compass Airlines , a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines...
, and Mesaba AirlinesMesaba Airlines is an American regional airline based in Eagan, Minnesota. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines...
.
Defunct airline brands operated by Delta
- Delta Express
Delta Express was a no-frills brand owned and operated by Delta Air Lines from 1996 to 2003.Delta Express was based out of Orlando International Airport, and focused on leisure routes between Florida and the northeast United States, as well as certain parts of the Midwest...
began service in October 1996 in an attempt by Delta to compete with low cost airlinesA low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that offers generally low fares in exchange for eliminating many traditional passenger services...
on leisure-oriented routes. Its main base of operations was Orlando International AirportOrlando International Airport is a major international airport located six nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Orlando, a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. It is the busiest airport in the state of Florida....
and it used Boeing 737-200 aircraft. It ceased operations in November, 2003 after Song was established.
- Song
Song, LLC was a low-cost airline brand owned and operated by Delta Air Lines.Song's main focus was on leisure traffic between the northeastern United States and Florida, a market where it competed with JetBlue Airways...
began service on April 15, 2003 as a single-class airline operated by Delta to compete directly with JetBlue AirwaysJetBlue Airways is an American low-cost airline owned by JetBlue Airways Corporation . The company is headquartered in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. Its main hub is John F...
from both airlines' hubs at New York-JFK. While the brand was considered a successful addition to the Northeast-to-Florida market, financially the airline suffered. On May 1, 2006, Song was folded into the Delta mainline brand. The "Song" entertainment system will remain in place on certain long-haul domestic flights. Additionally, all former "Song" aircraft have been reconfigured to accommodate 26 First/158 Economy passengers. These aircraft are now focused primarily on trans-continental flights from JFK and ATL. Song used Boeing 757The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twinjet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the 757 can carry between 186 and 279 passengers, and have a maximum range of 3,100 to 3,900 nautical miles depending on variant and seating configuration...
aircraft.
- Western Airlines
Western Airlines was a large airline based in California, with operations throughout the Western United States, and hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver...
was acquired on December 16, 1986, and was operated as a separate airline by Delta for over three months. In a case by a union to stop the workforce integration, the U.S. Supreme Court wrote "On December 16, 1986, shareholder approval of the merger was confirmed and Western Airlines became a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta." The changeover date for discontinuation of the Western Airlines brand and the date for merger of the two airlines' workforce was April 1, 1987. After the merger, Delta eventually released the name Western Airlines. Delta has maintained Western's former Salt Lake City hub on almost all routes and has added many more destinations; it also uses the former Los Angeles International Airport hub as a gateway to Mexico's vacation destinations, Hawaii, and Australia.
Hub history
Future hubs:
- LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in Queens County on Long Island in the the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally named Glenn H...
- Domestic hub (deal with US Airways for landings slots, pending US Government approval)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , sometimes called Detroit Metro Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Detroit Metro Wayne Airport, Metro Airport, or simply DTW, is a major international airport in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport.Detroit is the...
- (Northwest Airlines Hub)
- Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States...
- (Northwest Airlines hub)
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwestern region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin....
- (Northwest Airlines hub)
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol - (Northwest Airlines hub)
- Narita International Airport
is an international airport located in Narita, Chiba, Japan, in the eastern portion of the Greater Tokyo Area. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east southeast of Narita Station....
- (Northwest Airlines hub)
Former hubs:
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport - Delta, until the early 1990s, operated a small hub at Chicago. It served thirteen non-stop destinations from its new Delta Flight Center, which opened in the summer of 1984. During this time Delta also maintained a flight attendant base in Chicago.
- Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas....
- Delta at one time operated over 200 flights a day from DFW. At times, it was Delta's second largest hub. Delta closed the hub in February 2005.
- Frankfurt Airport
Frankfurt Airport may refer to:Airports of Frankfurt, Germany:*Frankfurt Airport , the largest airport in Germany*Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport, a general aviation airport*Frankfurt-Hahn Airport , a converted U.S...
- Delta's Frankfurt hub was acquired from Pan AmPan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the "flagship" international airline of the United States from the 1930s until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
. Delta dismantled the hub in 1997.
- Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving Los Angeles, California, the second-most populated metropolitan area of the United States. It is often referred to by its airport code LAX, with the letters usually pronounced individually...
- Delta has under 50 flights per day from LAX and has a market share of 7.7%, which is a distant fourth behind United AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., trading as United Airlines , is a major airline of the United States. It is a subsidiary of UAL Corporation with corporate offices in Chicago at 77 West Wacker Drive in the Chicago Loop. United's largest hub is O'Hare International Airport, where it has more than 550 daily...
, American Airlines
, and Southwest AirlinesSouthwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline. Southwest is the largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried per year . Southwest, the 6th largest U.S. airline by revenue, maintains the third-largest passenger fleet of aircraft among all of the world's commercial airlines....
. Delta had planned to make LAX a major hub, but those plans have since been reduced to just a focus city as Delta has significantly reduced the destinations served from the airport due to the 2008 energy crisis.
Former secondary hubs:
- Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States...
- MEM was a mini-hub in conjunction with regional carrier ASA. This operation ended in the mid-1980s when competition became too stiff with Republic AirlinesRepublic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines and Southern Airways Hughes Airwest.-History:Republic Airlines came to being in 1979 with the merger of North Central Airlines and Southern Airways...
and ASA shifted its aircraft to Delta's Dallas hub. As Republic was later merged into Northwest, Delta will once again have a hub operation here due to the Delta-Northwest merger.
- Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located on the south side of the Columbia River in Multnomah County, six miles by air and twelve miles by highway northeast...
- Portland, Oregon (PDX) was at one time Delta's main Asian gateway. It was closed in 2001, further described in the 'route eliminations' section of this article.
Personnel
Between its
mainlineA mainline flight is a flight operated by an airline's main operating unit, rather than by regional alliances, regional code-shares or regional subsidiaries...
operation and subsidiaries, Delta employs approximately 75,000 people.
Delta's approximately 6,600 pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). The union has represented Delta pilots since 1940. Pilot domiciles are located in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, New York City, and Salt Lake City.
The company's approximately 180 flight dispatchers are represented by the Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA).
The rest of Delta's workforce, in contrast to other legacy air carriers, is nonunion.
On March 18, 2008, Delta announced that it was offering voluntary severance payouts for up to 30,000 employees (though the target headcount reduction is significantly less than that), and that it would cut domestic capacity by 5%.
Destinations
Delta operates 1,534 flights per day. Delta Connection has 2,533 daily flights. Delta, Delta Connection, and other flights from the SkyTeam Alliance partners have 6,795 daily flights.
Codeshare agreements
Delta Air Lines and
Alaska Air GroupAlaska Air Group Inc., is an aviation holding corporation based in SeaTac, Washington which owns two certificated airlines operating in the United States: Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. In 1985, it was formed and a year later the holding company acquired Horizon Air and Jet America Airlines. ...
announced with "Group" "CEO Bill Ayer to amend their marketing agreement" to make
Alaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines, is an airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States, near Seattle. It operates four hubs located at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Portland International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport- History :The airline...
and
Horizon AirlinesHorizon Airlines may refer to:*Horizon Airlines *Horizon Air...
the "preferred alliance partners on the West Coast."
Delta Air Lines also has codeshare agreements with the following airlines as of August 2008:
(
This list does not include SkyTeamSkyTeam is the second largest airline alliance in the world – behind Star Alliance – partnering fourteen carriers from four continents. The company slogan is "Caring more about you". SkyTeam also operates a cargo alliance called SkyTeam Cargo....
airlines)
- American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly-owned subsidiaries...
- Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia. Avianca was founded in Barranquilla in 1940, as a result of the merger of Sociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transporte Aéreo or SCADTA , and Servicio Aéreo Colombiano or SACO...
- China Airlines
China Airlines, Limited is the flag carrier of the Republic of China . The airline is not directly state-owned but is 54% owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation which is owned by the Republic of China...
- Midwest Airlines
Midwest Airlines is an airline subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, operating from the city's General Mitchell International Airport...
- Olympic Air
Olympic Air is a Greek airline formed from the privatization of the former national carrier Olympic Airlines. It has commenced limited operations on 29 September 2009, after Olympic Airlines ceased all operations, with the official full-scale opening of the company taking place two days later, on 1...
- Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc is the flag carrier airline of Morocco, headquartered on the grounds of Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Casablanca...
- Virgin Blue
Virgin Blue is an Australian low-cost airline, Australia's second-biggest airline as well as the largest by fleet size to utilise the Virgin brand...
(pending government approval)
Fleet
Delta Air Lines has an all-
BoeingBoeing Commercial Airplanes is a unit of The Boeing Company, based in Renton, Washington consisting of the Seattle-based former Boeing Airplane Company , as well as the Long Beach-based Douglas Aircraft division of the former McDonnell Douglas Corporation...
(including
McDonnell DouglasMcDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at St. Louis's Lambert International...
aircraft) fleet. Delta was one of the last major airlines to operate the original Boeing 737-200 models, until the last of these aircraft retired in 2006. Delta has the largest fleets of
Boeing 757The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twinjet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the 757 can carry between 186 and 279 passengers, and have a maximum range of 3,100 to 3,900 nautical miles depending on variant and seating configuration...
and
Boeing 767The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twinjet airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the 767 can carry between 181 and 375 passengers, and have a range of 5,200 to 6,590 nautical miles depending on variant and seating configuration. The Boeing 767 has been...
aircraft of any airline. It is the second largest operator of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 (behind
American Airlines
) and the largest operator of the Boeing 767-300 and 767-400ER.
The Delta Air Lines fleet consists of 449 aircraft and 4 on order (this list does not include Northwest Airlines aircraft):
Delta Air Lines Fleet
| Aircraft |
Total |
Orders |
| Boeing 737-700 |
10 |
0 |
| Boeing 737-800 |
71 |
2 |
| Boeing 757-200 |
126 |
0 |
| Boeing 767-300 |
16 |
0 |
| Boeing 767-300ER |
57 |
0 |
| Boeing 767-400ER |
21 |
0 |
| Boeing 777-200ER |
8 |
0 |
| Boeing 777-200LR |
8 |
2 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-88 |
116 |
0 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-90 The McDonnell Douglas MD-90 is a twin-engine, medium-range, single-aisle commercial jet aircraft. The MD-90 was developed from the MD-80 series. Differences from the MD-80 include more fuel efficient International Aero Engines V2500 engines and a longer fuselage...
|
16 |
3 from Hello |
| Total |
449 |
4 |
Delta's average fleet age is 14+ years as of April 2009. Boeing reports that 102 737-800s have been delivered as of April 2009. Delta plans to sell all but 2 of its ordered 737-800s immediately upon delivery.
Cabin
On May 1, 2006, the carrier adopted new uniforms from designer Richard Tyler.
Delta started the industry's first comprehensive in-flight recycling program on July 1, 2007. The initial program involved all domestic in-bound flights to its Atlanta hub, and has since expanded to domestic in-bound flights arriving at New York-JFK, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (
CVGCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is located in Hebron, unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States and serves the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area. Despite being located in Boone County, the airport operations are governed by the neighboring Kenton County Airport...
), Salt Lake City (
SLCSalt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
), Portland (
PDXPortland International Airport is the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located on the south side of the Columbia River in Multnomah County, six miles by air and twelve miles by highway northeast...
) and Seattle (
SEASeattle-Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea-Tac Airport, is located in SeaTac, Washington, United States at the intersections of State Route 518, State Route 99 and State Route 509, about east of Interstate 5. It serves Seattle and Tacoma, Washington as well as the rest of western...
) (Federal regulations require the incineration of international waste).
Wi-Fi
On August 5, 2008, Delta announced it will be installing the
AircellAircell is a private company started in 1991 developing broadband for both private and commercial aviation. Aircell is the only company in the United States authorized by the FCC and FAA to use cellular frequencies for inflight communications...
mobile broadband network,
GogoThe Gogo Inflight Internet is an in-flight broadband internet service offered by Aircell. Gogo allows airline passengers to connect to the internet through a system of cell towers on land....
. This system, which will be available for a charge, will allow customers traveling with Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, smartphones and PDAs, to access the Internet, corporate VPNs, corporate and personal e-mail accounts, as well as SMS texting and instant messaging services.
GogoThe Gogo Inflight Internet is an in-flight broadband internet service offered by Aircell. Gogo allows airline passengers to connect to the internet through a system of cell towers on land....
will be offered initially on Delta's fleet of 133 MD88/90 aircraft and will expand to the remaining domestic fleet of Boeing 737, 757 and 767-300 aircraft throughout the first half of 2009. It is expected that more than 330 aircraft will have internet access by Summer 2009. As of July 29, 2009, 219 aircraft, or 68% of the pre-merger domestic fleet is now complete, have been fitted with Wi-Fi capabilities. All MD aircraft have been completed and work is underway on the Boeing 757 aircraft. There is a 737 test aircraft as well as an 767 test aircraft, with work in progress. The engineering teams have started looking at the Northwest fleet to see how they will install the system in those aircraft.
In-flight entertainment
In the 1960s audio programming was introduced where passengers wore headphones consisting of hollow tubes piping in music. These were installed in some Delta aircraft. Some early wide-bodied aircraft, including the L-1011 fleet, had films projected on to the cabin bulkhead. The film projection system on the L-1011s was replaced by
CRTThe cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen, with internal or external means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam, used to create images in the form of light emitted from the fluorescent screen...
-based projectors in the early 1990s. Also during the same time period, CRT monitors over the aisles were added to the 757 fleet. The MD-90 introduced Delta's first IFE system with
LCDA liquid crystal display is a thin, flat panel used for electronically displaying information such as text, images, and moving pictures...
monitors in 1995, and the 777 introduced Delta's first in-seat video system in 1999, initially using the
Rockwell CollinsRockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems, solutions, and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers....
Total Entertainment System. Delta's first all-digital IFE system with AVOD (
PanasonicPanasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation and is headquartered in Lake Forest, California with major business functions also shared with the former headquarters located in Bothell, WA.Established in 1980, the product engineering and development departments are...
eFX) was first introduced in 2003 on Delta's former low-cost subsidiary,
SongSong, LLC was a low-cost airline brand owned and operated by Delta Air Lines.Song's main focus was on leisure traffic between the northeastern United States and Florida, a market where it competed with JetBlue Airways...
. The Rockwell Collins IFE system on the 777s was replaced by the Panasonic eFX system in 2007. The Panasonic eFX system is trademarked by Delta as Delta on Demand.
Audio and video are available on all aircraft except for the MD-88s and
Delta ConnectionDelta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and three wholly owned regional carriers operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
aircraft. BusinessElite on all aircraft except the 777-200LR uses the all-digital Panasonic eFX AVOD system. 48 Boeing 757s (Transcontinental 752), also using the Panasonic eFX system, feature live television via
Dish NetworkDish Network Corporation is a direct broadcast satellite service provider that offers satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services to households and businesses in the United States. Dish Network services were launched in March 1996. Today, the company competes...
in both first class and economy, while the remainder of the 757 fleet features a Matsushita system with ceiling-mounted CRT displays over the aisles. The Panasonic eFX with live satellite television has been installed on several aircraft in addition to the 48 757s already featuring the system, including 28 of the 737-800s (two more aircraft to be delivered), and all 21 domestic 767-300s. It is also featured on Delta's 737-700s, which entered service in August 2008. Delta's new 777-200LR aircraft feature the Panasonic eX2 system, which has a greater storage capacity over the eFX. The personal video screens on the 777-200LRs are also larger than those on Delta's other aircraft.
In economy class, Panasonic eFX system (without the satellite TV product) is also found on the 777-200ER and 767-400ER fleet. The 767-400ER fleet initially featured the Rockwell Collins TES system, but it only featured in-seat video (non-AVOD) in the first class section of the aircraft; the economy class section only featured LCDs over the aisles. This system was phased out in 2009, being replaced by the Panasonic eFX AVOD system when the last of the 767-400ERs were converted from domestic to international use.
Delta's 767-300 fleet (both domestic and international) originally featured CRT projectors in economy class, with the international 767-300ERs also featuring ceiling-mounted CRT displays over the aisles. The projectors and CRTs on the international 767-300ER fleet have been replaced by LCD monitors, while the domestic 767-300 fleet has entirely been upgraded to the Panasonic eFX system with AVOD and live satellite television. The 737-800 (non-Transcon) and MD-90 fleet feature a Matsushita system with drop-down LCD displays below the overhead bins, while the Transcon 737-800 fleet has been upgraded to the Panasonic eFX AVOD/live satellite TV system.
When Delta's ex-
TWAFor the Jordanian cargo airline, see Transworld Aviation.Trans World Airlines renamed TWA Airlines LLC in 2001 was a major United States-based airline with hubs in St. Louis, New York , with focus cities in Kansas City, Missouri; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Los Angeles, California. The airline...
ETOPS 757s were first delivered, they featured a system made by Sony Transcom (a former subsidiary of
Sonyis a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and one of the world's largest media conglomerates with revenue exceeding ¥ 7.730.0 trillion, or $78.88 billion U.S. . Sony is one of the leading manufacturers of electronics, video, communications, video game...
now sold to
Rockwell CollinsRockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems, solutions, and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers....
) system that was factory installed for TWA. The system featured overhead drop-down LCD monitors similar to Delta's non-Transcon 737-800s and MD-90s. Delta replaced the Sony Transcom system with the Panasonic eFX system featuring in-seat video and AVOD at the same time as the new BusinessElite seats and slimline economy class seats were installed.
BusinessElite
BusinessElite is Delta's international
business classBusiness class is a high quality second-tier travel class available on some commercial airlines and rail lines. Its level of accommodation is higher than economy class and domestic first class but lower than international first class...
, available on the Boeing 767-300ER, 777-200ER, 777-200LR, 767-400ER, and select 757-200 aircraft. All BusinessElite seats (made by B/E Aerospace) on Delta's 767-300ER, 767-400ER, and 777-200ER have of pitch, 160 degrees of recline, and either 18.5 (767) or 21 (777-200ER) inches of width. Passengers in the BusinessElite cabin receive free meals, refreshments, alcohol and an amenity kit. All seats are equipped with a personal, on demand In-Flight-Entertainment (IFE) system, universal power-ports, a moveable reading light, and a folding work table. On the ex-TWA/AA ETOPS 757s, a similar model of BusinessElite seat was introduced in 2008. These seats are off-the-shelf
RecaroRECARO GmbH & Co. KG, commonly known as Recaro, is a German company based in Kirchheim unter Teck in the vicinity of Stuttgart, known for their automobile bucket seats...
CL 4420 seats and feature a built-in
massageMassage is the practice of soft tissue manipulation with physical , functional , and in some cases psychological purposes and goals. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle" or from Latin massa meaning "mass, dough"...
feature, 55 inches of pitch and are wide.
On March 27, 2007, Delta announced that it will convert its entire 767-400ER fleet to an international configuration, featuring a BusinessElite cabin. During the summer of 2007, 8 out of the 21 767-400ER aircraft were converted and an additional 6 767-400ER aircraft were converted between December 2007 and May 2008.
Delta introduced full-flat sleeper suites made by Contour Premium in its 777-200LR fleet upon delivery and will retrofit its 777-200ER fleet with the Contour full-flat product by 2010.
On February 5, 2008, Delta announced that they will be installing a sleeper suite product on the
767-400ERThe Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twinjet airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the 767 can carry between 181 and 375 passengers, and have a range of 5,200 to 6,590 nautical miles depending on variant and seating configuration. The Boeing 767 has been...
aircraft. Designed by Thompson Solutions and manufactured by Contour Premium, these sleeper suites use a space-saving design, with the bottom ends of the seats extending under the armrests of the suites in front when in the full horizontal flat bed position. This allows for minimal reduction in capacity compared to most other sleeper suite products, particularly with the 767's narrower fuselage. The suites will be arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, with a total capacity of 40 BusinessElite suites (down from 42). On November 3, 2008, Delta has announced that the 767-300ER fleet will also get the same sleeper suite product that will be first introduced on the 767-400ER fleet.
Domestic First Class
First Class is offered on Boeing 737-800, 757-200, MD-88, MD-90, and domestic 767-300 and 767-400 aircraft. Seats range from 18.5-20.75 inches wide, and have between 37-40 inches of pitch. Passengers aboard this class receive free meals, drinks, and alcohol. All domestically-configured 767-400, wingleted 737-800s, and (Transcon) 757-200 aircraft have power-ports at each seat. Delta intends to replace First Class with BusinessElite on all 767-400 aircraft.
When the ex-
AA
/
TWAThe Twa, also known as Batwa, are a pygmy people who were the oldest recorded inhabitants of the Great Lakes region of central Africa. Current populations are found in the nations of Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and the eastern portion of the Democratic Republic of Congo...
ETOPS 757s were first delivered, they initially featured 22 domestic First Class seats that were originally installed by TWA. On international routes, the aircraft were sold entirely as Economy class. All of the ETOPS 757s now feature the new
RecaroRECARO GmbH & Co. KG, commonly known as Recaro, is a German company based in Kirchheim unter Teck in the vicinity of Stuttgart, known for their automobile bucket seats...
BusinessElite seats.
International Economy Class
Economy Class is available on all international flights. Seats range from 17 to wide, and have between 31 and of pitch. A few of the newest 767-300ER and all 767-400ER, 777-200ER,777-200LR, and ex-TWA 757-200 aircraft feature economy class seats with moveable headrests. The economy class seats on the 777-200ERs also feature mechanically adjustable lumbar support. The economy seats on the 777-200LRs and ex-TWA 757s are Weber 5751 slimline a high pivot point recline system where the seat bottom moves forward in addition to the seat back tilting backwards when reclining. These seats are better contoured than the Weber 5150 seats on the 777-200ERs and 767-400ERs, allowing for greater passenger comfort, however, they do not feature adjustable lumbar support.
Domestic Economy Class
Economy Class is available on all domestic flights. Seats range from 17 to wide, and have between 30 and of pitch. Passengers aboard this class receive free drinks and snacks. As part of Delta's EATS
buy on boardIn commercial flight, buy on board is a system where food and/or beverages are paid for on board; often food and/or beverages are not included in the ticket price for certain fare classes....
program, food is available for purchase on all flights or more (some flights to
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
and
AlaskaAlaska is the largest state of the United States of America by area; it is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
continue to receive free meal. service). Alcoholic beverages are available for a charge. Domestically-configured 767-400 aircraft feature in-seat
EmPowerEMPOWER or Moolniti Songserm Okard Pooying is a non-profit organisation in Thailand that supports sex workers by offering free classes in language, health, law and pre-college education as well as individual counseling...
. The domestic 767-400 fleet also features seats with moveable headrests, making them the only domestic aircraft in Delta's fleet to feature this amenity. The 737-800 and domestic 767-300 fleet have recently been refitted with new Weber 5751 slimline seats allowing for greater capacity while maintaining sufficient legroom. Unlike the Weber 5751 slimline seats on Delta's international aircraft, the seats on the 737-700s, 800s, and domestic 767-300s do not feature moveable headrests. These seats will also eventually be introduced on the MD-88 and MD-90 fleet (first being introduced on the ex-Hello MD-90s), however, no dates have been specified as of now.
Delta operated a previous buy on board starting in 2003 and ending by 2005. The previous program had items from differing providers, depending on the origin and destination of the flight. Items on flights to and from Atlanta had items from the
Atlanta Bread CompanyAtlanta Bread is a bakery café chain that was originally established in 1993 in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs, Georgia. In 1995, the company began franchising and expanding across the country. As of late 2008, the company has 110 locations in 24 states...
, while flights from other cities had food from
Gate GourmetGate Gourmet is an airline catering firm with headquarters in Zürich, Switzerland, and Reston, Virginia, United States.Gate Gourmet was founded in 1992, and is the world's largest independent airline catering, hospitality and logistics company. The company has substantially expanded its products...
.
SkyMiles
SkyMiles is Delta's frequent flyer program. Created in 1981 as the "Frequent Flyer Program"; its name was changed to SkyMiles in 1995. When the frequent flyer program was first established in 1981, new members were awarded an enrollment bonus of 10,000 miles. In 2006, SkyMiles was picked as the "best frequent flyer program" in the Best in Business Travel Awards.
In addition to its
Delta ConnectionDelta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and three wholly owned regional carriers operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
,
Delta ShuttleDelta Shuttle is the brand name for Delta Air Lines' air shuttle service between LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Logan International Airport in Boston, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport serving Washington, D.C., and Midway Airport in Chicago...
and SkyTeam alliance partnerships, Delta offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following airlines:
- Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines, is an airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States, near Seattle. It operates four hubs located at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Portland International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport- History :The airline...
- Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia. Avianca was founded in Barranquilla in 1940, as a result of the merger of Sociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transporte Aéreo or SCADTA , and Servicio Aéreo Colombiano or SACO...
- China Airlines
China Airlines, Limited is the flag carrier of the Republic of China . The airline is not directly state-owned but is 54% owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation which is owned by the Republic of China...
- Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. is the 11th largest commercial airline in the United States. It is the largest airline based in the State of Hawai'i. Hawaiian Airlines, based in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, operates its main hub at Honolulu International Airport and also operates a secondary...
- Midwest Airlines
Midwest Airlines is an airline subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, operating from the city's General Mitchell International Airport...
- Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines Limited is the state-owned national airline of Singapore. Singapore Airlines operates a hub at Singapore Changi Airport and has a strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and "Kangaroo Route" markets...
- U.S. Helicopter
|
On May 1, 1995, Delta Air Lines modified its frequent flyer program, previously called "Delta Air Lines Frequent Flyer Program" and renamed it "SkyMiles". Miles from the old program would never expire but newly earned miles in the SkyMiles program would if there was no account activity for three years. However, effective January 1, 2007, the rules for SkyMile accounts changed, with miles expiring after two years of no activity. At the same time, the old Frequent Flyer program miles were combined into SkyMiles, effectively negating their unlimited shelf-life.
On July 31, 2008, Delta adjusted the cost of award tickets by implementing a three-tiered pricing system. For example, a domestic coach ticket costs 25,000, 32,500, 40,000, or 60,000 miles depending on availability.
On January 1, 2009, Delta changed the expiration date of Delta SkyMiles. Previously, the SkyMiles expired at the end of the calendar year following 24 months of inactivity. The new policy causes the SkyMiles to expire immediately after 24 months of inactivity. This changed caught many consumers unprepared as they expected the miles would expire at the end of the year and they actually expired mid year.
Sky Clubs
Delta Air Lines' and merger partner Northwest Airlines' airport lounges are called Sky Clubs. Membership options include one-day, 30-day, annual, and three year memberships and can be purchased with either money or SkyMiles.
Membership benefits vary by location, but generally include free drinks (including alcoholic beverages), snacks and reading material. Wi-Fi is free for members and is mostly provided by T-Mobile. Other benefits for Sky Club members include reciprocal lounge access with other
SkyTeamSkyTeam is the second largest airline alliance in the world – behind Star Alliance – partnering fourteen carriers from four continents. The company slogan is "Caring more about you". SkyTeam also operates a cargo alliance called SkyTeam Cargo....
members and Delta's other partners. As the official airline of the
PGA TourThe PGA Tour is an organization that operates the main professional golf tours in the United States. It is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, a suburb of Jacksonville...
, Delta Air Lines installed putting greens at select Sky Clubs.
Originally, Delta's membership-based airport clubs were called Crown Room lounges, with Northwest's equivalent being WorldClubs.
Slogans
Delta has had many slogans:
- 1940: Airline of the South
- 1961: The Air Line with the Big Jets
- In 1966, with the introduction of the first Series 61 DC-8, Delta adopted the slogan "Fly big to Florida... Fly Delta!". Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG was an American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO tours entertaining American military personnel...
, known in ads as Bob "Super DC-8" Hope, was Delta's spokesperson at the time.
- 1968: Delta is ready when you are
- 1972: Fly the best with Delta
- 1976: Celebrate the Bicentennial with Delta
- 1980: Delta is the Best.
- 1984: Delta gets you there with care.
- 1986: The Official Airline of Walt Disney World
- 1987: The Best Get Better, reflective of the airline's merger with Western Airlines
Western Airlines was a large airline based in California, with operations throughout the Western United States, and hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver...
- 1987: We Love To Fly, And It Shows
- 1989: The Official Airline of Disneyland and Walt Disney World
- 1991: Delta is your choice for flying
- 1994: You'll love the way we fly
- 1996: On top of the world. This slogan was launched at the 1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, for which Delta was the official airline.
- Karl Jenkins
Karl William Jenkins OBE D.Mus. is a Welsh musician and composer. Jenkins was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours list of 2005.-Background:...
' AdiemusAdiemus is the title of a series of albums by British composer Karl Jenkins. It is also the title of the opening track on the first album in the series, Songs of Sanctuary.-Concept:...
project began in 1994 as a music project for Delta Air Lines' European advertising campaign. The song was released on the albums Pure MoodsPure Moods is a series of compilation albums of New Age music released by Virgin Records. The series focuses on the genres of New Age and World Music...
and Adiemus: Songs of SanctuaryReleased in 1995, Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary is the first album by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins as part of the Adiemus project. This album quickly garnered critical acclaim as the title track "Adiemus" had been previously well received during its use in a Delta Air Lines television commercial and...
, and was also used in Delta's commercials in the United States from 1996 until 1999.
- 2000: "Fly___", in which the blank was filled in according to the context of the slogan's usage. For example, on the airline's cocktail napkins, the slogan was "Fly 'refreshed'". For luggage tags, the slogan read "Fly 'for business'" or "Fly 'me home'".
- Immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Delta adopted the slogan, "Delta remembers America".
- In 2004, Delta adopted a marketing scheme using "Secret Places - ___", in which the blank was filled in according to the picture being used in the advertisement (and coinciding with a major Delta destination). Several examples of this marketing remain in place on jetways and in gate waiting areas in Atlanta and New York-JFK.
- 2005: Good Goes Around"
- 2007: Delta Air Lines exited bankruptcy. To highlight changes, the airline chose "Change Is:__________" (in which the blank was filled according to the context of the slogan's usage) as its slogan. Other advertisements used the tagline "Change Is: Delta" in a play on the use of the Greek letter delta
Delta is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 4. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Dalet...
to denote the difference operatorIn mathematics, a difference operator maps a function, ƒ, to another function, ƒ − ƒ.The forward difference operator...
in mathematics.
- In and around Atlanta there are advertisements promoting Delta as the "Official Airline of the Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
Unofficial Airline of the World". Also "Make Every Game a Home Game" is used.
- 2008: As part of the rebranding project a safety video featuring a flight attendant premiered on YouTube in early 2008 garnering over 1 million views and the attention of news outlets, specifically for the video's camp and cheeky tone mixed with the serious safety message. The flight attendant, Katherine Lee, has been dubbed "Deltalina" by the media for her resemblance of movie star Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is an American actress and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. She has received three Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and an Academy Award. Jolie has promoted humanitarian causes throughout the world, and is noted for her work with refugees through...
. Delta had considered several styles for its current safety video, including animation, before opting for a video presenting a flight attendant speaking to the audience. The video was filmed on a Boeing 757.
- After the merger with Northwest, both airlines adopted "One Great Airline" and "Together In Style".
Sponsorships and awards
- Delta served as the official airline of the 1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Atlanta, the 2002 Winter OlympicsThe 2002 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIX Olympic Winter Games were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States...
held in Salt Lake City, and is also the official airline for the Atlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From to the present, the Braves have played in Turner Field....
, Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They are members of the Central Division of the National League....
, Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in . The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant 10 times...
, New York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's National League....
, New York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division...
, Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and Cirque du SoleilCirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
- Delta also underwrote the last few seasons of the PBS game show Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? and the first season of its spinoff, Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?
- Delta awards the annual Delta Prize for Global Understanding
The Delta Prize for Global Understanding, presented annually by Delta Air Lines and the University of Georgia, recognizes individuals or groups whose initiatives have helped promote world peace as well as globally significant efforts that provide opportunities for greater understanding among...
in conjunction with the University of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
.
- Delta is the winner of the 2009 Gay.com
gay.com is a chat, personals, and social networking website geared at the LGBT community. The site is a digital brand of PlanetOut Inc.. In addition to community features, the site also features LGBT-related news and features. As of September 2005, San Jose Mercury News ranked gay.com as the most...
Travel Awards in the Favorite Airline category. Competitors include: American Airlines, Virgin America, JetBlue, and Southwest Airlines.
- EnergySolutions Arena
The EnergySolutions Arena is an indoor arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States owned by the estate of the late Larry H. Miller. The arena seats 19,911 for basketball, has 56 luxury suites, and 668 club seats. Opened in 1991, the arena was known as the Delta Center until EnergySolutions...
in Salt Lake City, home of the NBA's Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, was originally known as the Delta Center. Delta held the naming rights to the arena from 1991 to 2006. Delta continues to be an official sponsor of the team, however.
- Delta sponsored the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Web interactions
There are several news sources:
Incidents and accidents
The following are major incidents and accidents that occurred on Delta Air Lines mainline aircraft. For Delta Connection incidents, see Delta Connection incidents and accidents.
Delta Air Lines Reported Incidents
| Flight |
Date |
Aircraft |
Location |
Description |
Casualties |
| Fatal |
Serious |
Minor |
Uninjured |
Ground |
| N/A |
April 22, 1947 |
DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing, propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Because of its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II it is generally regarded as one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
|
Columbus, GeorgiaColumbus is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia. The city is the county seat of Muscogee County. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2008, had an estimated population of 287,653...
|
A Vultee BT-13, owned by the Tuskegee Aviation InstituteTuskegee University is a private, historically black university located in Tuskegee, Alabama, United States. It is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund. The campus forms the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, a National Historic Landmark.-Academics:Tuskegee University...
landed on top of the DC-3, which was flying from MaconMacon is a city located in central Georgia, USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles south of Atlanta, hence the...
to ColumbusColumbus is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia. The city is the county seat of Muscogee County. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2008, had an estimated population of 287,653...
. |
8 |
|
|
|
1 |
| 705 |
March 10, 1948 |
DC-4The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
|
Chicago Midway Airport |
Crashed near Chicago Municipal (Midway) Airport shortly after takeoff while en route to Miami Miami is a major coastal city in southeastern Florida, in the United States. Miami is the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida. With an estimated population of 424,662 in 2007, Miami is the largest city within the Miami metropolitan area, which is the...
. Officials determined that longitudinal control of the airplane was lost resulting in the crash. The cause for the loss of control remains undetermined. |
12 |
1 |
|
|
|
| 318 |
May 17, 1953 |
DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing, propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Because of its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II it is generally regarded as one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
|
Marshall, TexasMarshall is a town in Harrison County in the northeastern corner of Texas. This town is a major cultural and educational center in East Texas, and the tri-state area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of Marshall was about 23,935...
|
Marshall, TexasMarshall is a town in Harrison County in the northeastern corner of Texas. This town is a major cultural and educational center in East Texas, and the tri-state area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population of Marshall was about 23,935...
. The flight which originated from Dallas Love Field was on approach to Shreveport, LouisianaShreveport Regional Airport is a public use airport in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of Shreveport and located four nautical miles southwest of its central business district....
. The crash was attributed to adverse weather conditions with a thunderstorm in the area. |
19 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
| 1903 |
May 23, 1960 |
Convair 880The Convair 880 was a jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller and faster, a niche that failed to create demand...
|
AtlantaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia, as well as the urban core of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States....
|
Crashed during a training exercise in AtlantaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia, as well as the urban core of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States....
. The aircraft stalled and crashed killing all four crew members. |
4 |
|
|
|
|
| 9877 |
March 30, 1967 |
DC-8 The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972. Launched later than the competing Boeing 707, the DC-8 nevertheless established Douglas in a strong position in the airliner market, and remained in production until 1972 when much larger designs, including the DC-10,...
|
New Orleans |
Crashed during a training exercise near New Orleans International AirportLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is a public use airport in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of New Orleans and is located 10 nautical miles west of its central business district. The airport's address is 900 Airline Drive in Kenner, Louisiana....
. The improper use of flight and power controls by both instructor and the Captain-trainee during a simulated two-engine out landing approach, resulted in the loss of control. The aircraft crashed into a residential area, destroying several homes and a motel complex, killing 13 civilians. |
6 |
|
|
|
13 |
| 9570 Delta Air Lines Flight 9570 crashed on 30 May 1972 at the Greater Southwest International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas while conducting a training flight. The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14, began to oscillate about the roll axis after crossing the runway threshold during a landing...
|
May 30, 1972 |
DC-9 |
Greater Southwest International Airport Greater Southwest International Airport was the commercial airport serving Fort Worth, Texas from 1953 until 1972. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974 on property adjacent to the north side of the airport....
|
Crashed during landing procedures in Fort Worth, Texas. The probable cause of the accident was wake turbulence resulting from a touch-and-go landing moments before of American Airlines
Flight 1114, operated using a DC-10. The right wing hit the ground causing a fire resulting in the aircraft being written off. |
4 |
|
|
|
|
| 954 |
December 20, 1972 |
Convair 880The Convair 880 was a jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller and faster, a niche that failed to create demand...
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Chicago O'Hare Int'l Airport O'Hare International Airport , also known simply as O'Hare Airport or O'Hare Field or O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop. It serves as the primary and largest hub for United Airlines and as a hub for...
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The Delta CV-880 taxied across runway 27L in bad weather. At the same time, a North Central AirlinesNorth Central Airlines was founded as Wisconsin Central Airlines in 1944 in Clintonville, Wisconsin. It was headquartered in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area.-Early history:...
DC-9 took off from the same runway. Both aircraft collided. |
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| 723 Delta Air Lines Flight 723 was a DC-9-31 twin-engine jetliner, registration N975NE, operating as a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Burlington, Vermont to Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, with an intermediate stop in Manchester, New Hampshire...
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July 31, 1973 |
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Boston Logan International Airport |
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November 27, 1973 |
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Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport , also known as Lovell Field, is a public airport located five miles east of the central business district of Chattanooga, a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The airport is owned and operated by the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority...
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Crashed into approach lights during a thunderstorm. |
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191Delta Air Lines Flight 191 was an airline service from Fort Lauderdale, Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, bound for Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, by way of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport...
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August 2, 1985 |
Lockheed L-1011The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as just L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, three-engine, widebody passenger jet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and...
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Dallas-Fort Worth International AirportDallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas....
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On a Fort Lauderdale-Dallas/Fort Worth-Los AngelesLos Angeles is the largest city in the state of California and the second largest in the United States. Often abbreviated as L.A. and nicknamed The City of Angels, Los Angeles has an estimated population of 3.8 million and spans over in Southern California...
route, the plane crashed due to severe microburstA microburst is a very localized column of sinking air, producing damaging divergent and straight-line winds at the surface that are similar to but distinguishable from tornadoes which generally have convergent damage. There are two types of microbursts: wet microbursts and dry microbursts...
-induced wind shearWind shear, sometimes referred to as windshear or wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere...
. One civilian was killed as the plane crossed a highway. The crash would later become the subject of a television movie. Numerous changes to pilot wind shear training, weather forecasting, and wind shear detection were made as a result of this crash. |
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| 1141 Delta Air Lines Flight 1141 was a commercial airline flight that flew from Jackson, Mississippi, to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah...
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August 31, 1988 |
Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner. The first Boeing 727 flew in 1963 and for over a decade it was the most produced commercial jet airliner in the world. When production ended in 1984, a total of 1,831 aircraft had been produced...
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Dallas-Fort Worth International AirportDallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas....
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Crashed after takeoff bound for Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
. Officials believe the crash was contributed to by improper configuration of the flaps and leading edge slats. |
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1288Delta Air Lines Flight 1288 was a regularly scheduled flight from Pensacola, Florida to Atlanta, Georgia on a McDonnell-Douglas MD-88 equipped with Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 turbofan engines...
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July 6, 1996 |
MD-88 |
Pensacola Regional Airport Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport is a public airport located 3 miles northeast of the city of Pensacola in Escambia County, Florida.- Facilities :Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport covers and has two runways:...
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An uncontained engine failure of the port (left) engine on the aircraft which resulted in a fan hub piercing the cabin. The flight was scheduled to fly to AtlantaHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
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| 1989 Delta Air Lines Flight 1989 was a regularly scheduled flight offering nonstop service from Logan International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport on a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. On September 11, 2001, this flight was one of several flights considered by government authorities to be...
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September 11, 2001 |
Boeing 767-300 |
Enroute from Logan International Airport
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Flight 1989, bound for Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving Los Angeles, California, the second-most populated metropolitan area of the United States. It is often referred to by its airport code LAX, with the letters usually pronounced individually...
was caught in the path of United Airlines Flight 93United Airlines Flight 93 was a scheduled United States domestic passenger flight from Newark International Airport, in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport, in San Francisco, California that was hijacked by four Islamist terrorists as part of the September 11 attacks in 2001...
. The two aircraft were so close that ATC were initially confused as to which plane had been hijacked. The Delta pilot managed to avoid United 93United Airlines Flight 93 was a scheduled United States domestic passenger flight from Newark International Airport, in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport, in San Francisco, California that was hijacked by four Islamist terrorists as part of the September 11 attacks in 2001...
and the flight was later diverted to Cleveland Hopkins International AirportCleveland Hopkins International Airport is a public airport located nine miles southwest of the central business district of Cleveland, a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States...
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Hijackings
There have been over a dozen attempted hijackings which resulted in no injuries and the surrender of the often lone hijacker. These incidents are not included. The following are notable hijackings because of fatalities or success in forcing the aircraft to fly to another country:
- In 1968, a Delta DC-8 was hijacked to Havana, Cuba. This was the first successful hijacking to Cuba from the U.S. since 1961, and was the start of multiple hijacking attempts to Cuba in the late 1960s. This coincided with the introduction of passenger screening using metal detectors in U.S. airports starting in the late 1960s.
- Additional hijackings which resulted in no injuries and the flight landing in Cuba include March 28, 1984 (Delta 357 New Orleans-Dallas 727), August 18, 1983 (Delta 784 Miami-Tampa 727), July 17, 1983 (Delta 722 Miami-Tampa 727), June 11, 1979 (Delta 1061 New York LaGuardia-Fort Lauderdale L1011)
- July 31, 1972, a Delta Flight 841, a Detroit to Miami DC-8 flight, was hijacked to Algiers, Algeria by 8 hijackers. The aircraft stopped in Boston to pick up an international navigator, who was wearing only swimming trunks and a shirt. The flight was allowed to return with passengers to the U.S., stopping in Barcelona for refueling.
- On February 22, 1974, Samuel Byck
Samuel Joseph Byck was an unemployed former tire salesman who attempted to hijack a plane flying out of Baltimore-Washington International Airport on February 22, 1974. He intended to crash into the White House in hopes of killing U.S...
, an unemployed tire salesman from Pennsylvania, stormed aboard a Delta Air Lines Flight 523, DC-9 flight at Baltimore Friendship Airport (now Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) scheduled to fly to AtlantaHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
and shot both pilots, killing the First Officer, Fred Jones. He intended to crash the plane into the White HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it was built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the late Georgian style and has been the residence of every...
. After shooting the pilots, the hijacker grabbed a passenger and demanded that she fly the aircraft.
- On August 23, 1980, a Delta Air Lines L-1011 on a San Juan to Los Angeles flight was hijacked to Cuba. The hijacker was jailed by Cuban authorities, and all passengers were released unharmed.
- On September 13, 1980, a Delta Air Lines New Orleans to Atlanta flight was taken over by two hijackers and forced to fly to Cuba. The flight continued to Atlanta after stopping in Havana. The hijackers were imprisoned by Cuban authorities. One hijacker was released and later sought US residency. The suspect was later arrested by US authorities in 2002 and sentenced to prison the following year.
External links