Joint venture partner Air France to add third daily nonstop flight from New York-JFK, complementing Delta’s existing service
Customers will have the option of morning, early evening or late evening departure
ATLANTA, Oct. 8, 2008 – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) customers flying Business
class between the United States and London’s Heathrow Airport will enjoy the
comfort of a 180-degree full flat bed on every flight beginning summer
2009.
Delta customers also will enjoy the convenience of a third daily nonstop
flight between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and
London-Heathrow, operated by joint venture partner Air France. The service will
complement Delta‘s two existing flights between New York and Heathrow and one
flight between Atlanta and Heathrow and will give customers the scheduling
flexibility of a morning, early evening or late evening
departure.
“Delta continues to listen to our customers’ requests for
enhanced service in the world’s major markets and we are pleased to add the
consistency of 180-degree full flat beds to all Delta flights operating at the
world’s No.1 business airport – Heathrow,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s
executive vice president – Network Planning and Revenue Management. “The
introduction of full-flat service onboard the Delta 767 fleet will enhance our
position in the highly competitive U.S.-to-Heathrow market.”
Effective summer 2009, Delta’s flights between the United States and Heathrow
will be upgraded to feature Boeing 767-400ER aircraft with 40 new 180-degree
full flat beds in the aircraft’s BusinessElite cabin. The seats, designed by
Thompson Aerospace and engineered and manufactured by Contour Premium Aircraft
Seating, recline to 77-inch-long beds in a one-two-one configuration giving
every BusinessElite customer direct aisle access. Delta is reconfiguring seven
of its 767-400 aircraft with the full-flat beds.
In total, Delta and Air France plan to offer customers four daily nonstop
flights between the United States and London-Heathrow next summer – one from
Atlanta and three from New York-JFK. Delta also currently offers service
between London’s Gatwick Airport and Atlanta twice daily and between
London-Gatwick and Cincinnati once daily. Air France has announced that it
intends to discontinue service between Los Angeles and Heathrow as it adds the
new nonstop Heathrow flight from New York.
