Delta Airlines DC 9 51 Cockpit N774NC 9865
Delta Airlines DC 9 51 Cockpit N774NC 9865
History
Restored Huff-Daland Duster
Delta Air Lines was created as Huff Daland Dusters, Incorporated, an
aerial crop dusting operation, on May 30, 1924 in
Macon, Georgia.
Formed with a Huff-Daland Duster, the first true crop duster, the plane
was deployed to combat the boll weevil in 1925. Delta Air Corporation
owned the plane (now in the
Southern Museum of Flight). The company moved to
Monroe, Louisiana in 1925.
Collett E. Woolman, one of the original directors, purchased the company on September 13, 1928, and renamed it
Delta Air Service.
It began carrying passengers in late 1929. The single passenger sat in a
chair placed in the bin where the pesticide was usually kept. The first
routes were between Southeastern states.
[16]
Delta grew through the addition of routes and the acquisition of
other airlines. They replaced propeller planes with jets in the 1960s
and entered international competition to Europe in the 1970s and across
the Pacific in the 1980s. The logo of Delta Air Lines, originally
unveiled in 1959, is reminiscent of the swept-wing design of the DC-8
airplanes. Often termed as the “widget” logo, the current version
consists of two 3D triangles.
[17]
Predecessors
The current Delta Air Lines is the result of many airline mergers
over a period of more than 80 years. The most recent merger was with
Northwest Airlines
on October 29, 2008 and at the time formed the world's largest airline.
After approval of the merger, Northwest continued to operate as a
wholly owned subsidiary of Delta until December 31, 2009 when both
carriers' operating certificates were merged (the Delta certificate was
kept).
[18] Delta completed the integration with Northwest on January 31, 2010 when their
reservation systems and websites were combined, and the Northwest Airlines name and brand were officially retired.
[19]
Predecessor carriers forming the current Delta Air Lines include:
- Chicago and Southern Air Lines (formed in 1933, merged into Delta in 1953).[16] Delta flew under the carrier name of Delta-C&S for the following two years.[20]
- Northeast Airlines (formed in 1931, merged into Delta in August 1972)[16][21]
- Northwest Airlines (formed in 1926, merged into Delta in 2010. Also known as Northwest Orient Airlines from 1950-1989)
- Republic Airlines (formed in 1979, merged into Northwest Airlines in 1986)
- Hughes Airwest (formed in 1968 as Air West, name change to Hughes Airwest in 1970, merged into Republic Airlines in 1980)
- North Central Airlines (formed in 1946, merged into Republic Airlines in 1979)
- Southern Airways (formed in 1944, merged into Republic Airlines in 1979)
- Pan American World Airways
(formed in 1927, upon its bankruptcy in 1991 Delta bought a selection
of Pan Am's assets and routes and merged them into its operations)
- Atlantic, Gulf, and Caribbean Airways (formed in 1927, merged into Pan American World Airways in 1928)
- American Overseas Airlines (formed in 1937, merged into Pan American World Airways in 1950)
- Aviation Corporation of the Americas/American International Airways
(formed in 1926, merged into Pan American World Airways in 1928)
- National Airlines (formed in 1934, merged into Pan American World Airways in 1980)
- Western Airlines (formed in 1925, merged into Delta in 1987)
Defunct Delta subsidiaries
- Delta Express began service in October 1996 in an attempt by Delta to compete with low cost airlines on leisure-oriented routes. Its main base of operations was Orlando International Airport and it used Boeing 737–200 aircraft. It ceased operations in November 2003 after Song was established.[22]
- Song began service on April 15, 2003 as a single-class airline operated by Delta to compete directly with JetBlue Airways
from both airlines' hub at New York-JFK. While the brand was considered
a successful addition to the Northeast-to-Florida market, financially
the airline suffered.[23] On May 1, 2006, Song was folded into the Delta mainline brand. Song used Boeing 757 aircraft.
Operations
Delta Air Lines headquarters in Atlanta
Headquarters and offices
Delta's corporate headquarters is located on a corporate campus on the northern boundary of
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, within the city limits of
Atlanta.
[24][25][26] This location has served as Delta's headquarters since 1941, when the company relocated its corporate offices from
Monroe, Louisiana to
Greater Atlanta.
[27][28]
Prior to 1981, the Delta corporate campus, an 80-acre (32 ha) plot of
land in proximity to the old Hartsfield Airport terminal, was outside
the City of Atlanta limits in
unincorporated Fulton County. On August 3, 1981 the
Atlanta City Council
approved the annexation of 141 acres (57 ha) of land, an area
containing the Delta headquarters. As of 1981 Delta would have had to
begin paying $200,000 annually to the City of Atlanta in taxes. In
September 1981 the airline sued the city, challenging the annexation on
the basis of the constitutionality of the 1960 City of Atlanta
annexation of the Hartsfield old terminal.
[29] The City of Atlanta was only permitted to annex areas that are adjacent to areas already in the Atlanta city limits.
[29]
In addition to hosting Delta's corporate headquarters,
Hartsfield-Jackson is also the home of
Delta TechOps,
Delta's Technical Operations Center, which is the airline's primary
maintenance, repair and overhaul arm and the largest full-service
airline MRO in North America, specializing in engines, components,
airframe and line maintenance.
[30]
Delta maintains a large presence in the
Twin Cities, with over 12,000 employees
[31]
in the region as well as significant corporate support functions housed
in the Minneapolis area, including the company's information technology
divisional offices.
[32]
Branding
Delta's current livery, "Upward & Onward", uses four colors. It
features a "widget" (triangle) on each aircraft's vertical stabilizer to
refer to Delta's origins as a carrier in the
Mississippi Delta.
[33]
The previous livery, "Colors in Motion", used eight colors. Delta
introduced its current branding in 2007 after it emerged from
bankruptcy. The switch from the previous livery to the current livery
removed one day from each aircraft's painting cycle, allowing the
airline to save money. The airline took four years to repaint all of its
aircraft into the current scheme, including aircraft inherited from
Northwest Airlines.
[33]
The triangle logo, known internally as "the Widget", was introduced in
1959. It was not part of the "Colors in Motion" livery, but returned
with the current livery.
[citation needed]
Hub information
Current hubs
Delta has seven domestic hubs and three international hubs.
[4]
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – One of the two European hubs for Delta, in conjunction with SkyTeam partner KLM. Its presence is due mostly to Northwest Airlines' alliance with KLM prior to the merger.
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport – Service has been greatly cut since the merger with Northwest Airlines, but still officially remains a hub.[34]
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport – Acquired through the merger with Northwest Airlines,
Detroit is Delta's second-largest hub and also serves as the airline's
primary Asian gateway for the northeastern United States.[35]
- Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport – The largest hub for Delta Air Lines, as well as its headquarters site and maintenance base.
- John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City – A major international gateway hub for Delta.
- LaGuardia Airport, New York City – Delta's newest hub, created as a result of a slot swap with US Airways.[36]
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport – Delta's third-largest hub, as well as the former headquarters for Northwest Airlines.
- Narita International Airport, Tokyo – Delta's Asian hub, acquired through the merger with Northwest Airlines.
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport – Delta's other European hub. Operated in conjunction with SkyTeam partner Air France.
- Salt Lake City International Airport – Western Airlines' Salt Lake City hub operations were continued after Delta purchased Western Airlines in 1987. Salt Lake City International Airport is Delta's westernmost hub and its fourth-largest hub in the United States.
Delta Air Lines
747-400 at Tokyo Narita International Airport
Former hubs
- Boston Logan International Airport
- A smaller hub for Delta in the second half of the 20th century and
remained one until the early 2000s. In 2005, a new terminal A was built
for Delta's sole use. However, when Delta went bankrupt, they leased 11
of the 22 gates in the terminal. Today, Delta still has a large share in
the Boston market, with daily international flights to various cities
in Central America, Canada, and major European cities, including Amsterdam, London, and Paris.
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport – Delta operated a small hub at Chicago until the early 1990s.
- Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
– Delta, at one time, operated over 200 flights per day from DFW. At
times, it was Delta's third-largest hub behind Atlanta and Cincinnati,
respectively. Delta closed the hub in February 2005.
- Frankfurt Airport – Delta acquired its Frankfurt hub from Pan American World Airways, which sold the remainder of its Atlantic Division to Delta upon bankruptcy, including the JFK Worldport.
- Los Angeles International Airport – Delta dismantled its Western Airlines
inherited LAX hub in the mid-1990s when it decided to relocate most of
those aircraft to the US East Coast. Since that point, it has operated a
focus city, mostly flying to Mexico, Florida, and Hawaii. Today,[when?]
Delta maintains a combined 11% passenger market share with flights to
Hawaii, Mexico, Japan, Brazil, Guatemala, and some of Delta's large
domestic bases throughout the United States. LAX also remains Delta's
sole gateway to Australia.
- Memphis International Airport
– A Delta hub that was originally dismantled but regained hub status
through the merger with Northwest, though has been cut since then.[37] On June 4, 2013, it was announced that Delta would close its Memphis hub, reducing its operation to 60 flights per day.[38] The hub officially closed on September 3, 2013.
- Orlando International Airport – Delta built up an Orlando hub shortly after the demise of Eastern Air Lines in the early 1990s, and subsequently became the "Official Airline of Walt Disney World". The airport then became the hub for Delta Express and Song, before Delta pulled back mainline presence in the mid-2000s (decade).
Former secondary hubs
Delta has closed two secondary hubs due to changing business needs.
- Memphis International Airport – Memphis was a mini-hub in conjunction with regional carrier ASA. This operation ended in the mid-1980s when competition became too stiff with Republic Airlines
and ASA shifted its aircraft to Delta's Dallas hub. Delta once again
regained its hub status here after its merger with Northwest, which was
again closed on September 3, 2013.
- Portland International Airport
– Portland, Oregon was at one time Delta's main Asian gateway. Delta
currently uses Detroit, Michigan and Seattle, Washington as its main
Asian gateways as a result of its merger with Northwest.
Personnel
Between its mainline operation and subsidiaries, Delta employs approximately 80,000 people.
[when?][11]
Employee relations
Delta's 12,000
mainline pilots are represented by the
Air Line Pilots Association, International and are the union's largest pilot group.
[39][40] The company's approximately 180
[when?] flight dispatchers are represented by the Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA).
[citation needed]
Not counting the pilots and flight dispatchers, Delta is the only one of the five
largest airlines in the United States, and one of only two in the top 9 (the other being
JetBlue, which is completely non-union), whose staff is entirely non-union.
[39] This caused issues during and after the merger with Northwest, whose employees had a much higher rate of unionization.
[39] Pilots at both airlines were unionized. Northwest Airlines
flight attendants were formerly represented by the
Association of Flight Attendants (AFA).
[41]
A vote on unionization with the AFA at the post-merger Delta was held
on 3 November 2010, unionization was narrowly rejected by flight
attendants, with 9,544 votes against unionization and 9,216 in favor.
[41][42] The AFA accused Delta of interference in the vote and requested the
National Mediation Board (NMB) investigate and order a second vote.
[39] The NMB investigation found that the election was not compromised and dismissed the claim.
[43] Currently both the
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and a coalition of the AFA and the
Transport Workers Union of America are seeking to hold unionization votes for Delta flight attendants.
[44][45][46]
Destinations
Delta Air Lines destinations
Delta operates 4,932 flights per day. Delta Connection operates 2,533 daily flights.
[11]
Delta Air Lines is one of the few airlines that flies to all six inhabited continents. Others are
British Airways,
Emirates,
Korean Air,
Qantas,
Qatar Airways,
Singapore Airlines,
South African Airways, and
United Airlines.
[citation needed]
Hub city statistics
These statistics about each of Delta's hubs are current as of February 2014. (Ranked by daily departures).
[47]
Alliances
Delta was a founding member of the
SkyTeam Alliance in 2000. In addition to
SkyTeam partners, Delta Air Lines also has
codeshare agreements with the following airlines as of December 2013:
[48]
Air France–KLM and Alitalia joint venture
Inherited from the Northwest-KLM relationship (which is older than any of the three major
airline alliances including SkyTeam itself), Delta has a transatlantic joint venture with
Air France-KLM and
Alitalia. The program coordinates transatlantic operations, including ticket pricing, schedules, capacity, and revenue.
[51]
On January 27, 2012, the European Commission launched an investigation
into the impact of the joint venture on competition on the routes that
it covers.
[51]
Joint venture with Virgin Atlantic
On December 11, 2012 Delta announced that it would spend $360 million
to acquire a 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic. These share were
previously held by
Singapore Airlines.
As a part of this agreement, both airlines would share the costs and
revenues from all of the joint venture flights the airlines operated. As
of the announcement, the two airlines planned to operate a total of 31
roundtrip flights between the UK and North America, including nine daily
roundtrip flights between
London Heathrow and New York City airports (
John F. Kennedy International Airport and
Newark Liberty International Airport).
[52] The two airlines applied for antitrust immunity with the
United States Department of Transportation and immunity was granted on September 23, 2013
[53]
Fleet
Delta Air Lines has the largest
Boeing 757 fleet of any airline
As of January 2013, Delta operates a fleet of more than 700 aircraft manufactured by
Airbus,
Boeing, and
McDonnell Douglas.
[54] The carrier operates the largest fleets of
Boeing 757,
Boeing 767, and
Airbus A330 aircraft of any US airline. Delta operates the largest fleet of
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 and
McDonnell Douglas MD-90 aircraft in the world. Prior to its 2008 merger with
Northwest Airlines,
Delta's fleet was made up of solely Boeing and McDonnell Douglas
aircraft; Airbus aircraft from Northwest joined the fleet after the
merger.
Unlike other mainline US legacy carriers, Delta has decided that its
best path to profitability is a strategy that utilizes older aircraft,
and Delta has created a very extensive MRO (maintenance, repair and
overhaul) organization, called TechOps, to support them. As of February
2014, the average age of a Delta airliner is 17 years; As of March 31,
2012, the average age of the Delta fleet was 15.8 years, excluding
grounded aircraft and those operated by contract carriers. The oldest
aircraft in the fleet is the
McDonnell Douglas MD-88s with an average age of 21.7 years.
[55]
Delta buys older airplanes as sources for spare parts. However, Delta
is replacing some of the oldest airplanes in its fleet. To replace the
DC-9s, MD-88s, and older A320 and 757-200 aircraft in their fleet, Delta
began discussing narrowbody replacement plans with manufacturers such
as
Airbus,
Boeing and
Bombardier in early 2011.
[56] On August 22, 2011, it was announced that Delta placed an order for 100
Boeing 737-900ER aircraft
[57] and deferred an order of 100 small narrow-body jets until 2012.
[58]
As part of its strategy to utilize less expensive used airplanes, On May 22, 2012, Delta announced an agreement to lease 88
Boeing 717s from
Southwest Airlines that Southwest inherited from its acquisition of
AirTran Airways[59]
as replacements for the DC-9 aircraft and some 50-seat regional
aircraft. Deliveries should begin in mid-2013 replacing some of Delta's
over 250
CRJ-100 and -200 aircraft.
Delta's strategy has reaped dividends, both in financial performance
and in flight performance. Delta claims a flight dispatch rate in 2013
of 99.7%; its fleet had 120 days without a single maintenance failure.
That included the month of October 2013, when Delta recorded no domestic
flight cancellations. Delta posted a profit of $2.7 billion, the
highest of any US carrier in 2013.
[60]
Delta officially retired the
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
from its fleet on January 6, 2014; however, the DC-9 was used on an as
needed basis until January 22, 2014 when the last DC-9 was removed from
service.
[61][62] Delta was the final US carrier operating the
McDonnell Douglas DC-9.
[63]
Cabin
BusinessElite
BusinessElite cabin on a Boeing 777-200LR
The entertainment system and aisle view aboard a Boeing 777-200ER
Economy class on a Boeing 767-400ER
Economy class on a Boeing 737–800
BusinessElite is Delta's long-haul international
business class.
Passengers in the BusinessElite cabin receive complimentary meals,
refreshments, alcoholic beverages, and an amenity kit. BusinessElite is
also available on domestic transcontinental service between
New York and
Los Angeles,
San Francisco, and
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport.
Boeing 757-200 and certain
Boeing 767-300ER aircraft configured with the BusinessElite cabin feature older recliner-style seating made by
Recaro and
BE Aerospace,
respectively. BusinessElite seats on 767-300ERs have 60 inches
(1,500 mm) of pitch and 18.5 inches (470 mm) of width, while seats on
Boeing 757-200s have 55 inches (1,400 mm) of pitch and 20 inches
(510 mm) of width. All seats are equipped with a personal, on demand
In-Flight-Entertainment (IFE) system, universal power-ports, a movable
reading light, and a folding work table. The BusinessElite seats ex-
American Airlines/
TWA 757-200s have electric recline, while those on ex-
Northwest Airlines aircraft have mechanical recline. The ex-Northwest aircraft are planned to be converted back to a domestic configuration.
The flat-bed BusinessElite seats on 767-400ER aircraft (made by
Contour Aerospace and designed by
James Thompson)
feature a space-saving design, with the bottom ends of the seats
extending under the armrests of the suites in front when in the
horizontal position. These seats are also currently being added to the
767-300ER fleet, which will be completed by 2013.
The BusinessElite cabin on Boeing 777 aircraft features sleeper suites made by
Contour Aerospace
and configured in a herringbone pattern with seats angled towards the
aisle, while the 747-400 fleet (as of October 2012) features the
Cirrus flat-bed sleeper suite made by
Zodiac Seats U.S.
(formerly Weber Aircraft LLC), designed by JPA Design Consultants, and
configured in a reverse herringbone patterns with seats angled away from
the aisle. Unmodified Airbus A330 aircraft feature angled-flat
BusinessElite seats made by
BE Aerospace
providing 60 to 61 inches (150 to 150 cm) pitch, and 20.5 inches
(52 cm) of width. These seats are being replaced by the same model as on
the 747-400 fleet (with one aircraft modified as of April 2013).
[64][65]
On November 5, 2012, Delta announced it would introduce a flat-bed
BusinessElite product on its ex-American Airlines/TWA 757-200s.
[66] The seats will be a modified version of the
Diamond flat-bed seat by
BE Aerospace designed exclusively for Delta.
[67]
First and Business Class (short and medium haul)
First Class is offered on all domestic aircraft, as well as
Delta Connection
aircraft with more than 50 seats. Seats range from 18.5 to 20.75 inches
(47.0 to 52.7 cm) wide and have between 37 and 40 inches (94 and
102 cm) of pitch. Passengers aboard this class receive free snacks,
drinks, and alcohol, with full meal service on flights 900 miles and
longer. Certain aircraft also feature power-ports at each seat. When a
domestically configured aircraft operates on an international route,
such as those to the Caribbean, the first class cabin is branded as
Business Class.
Economy Comfort Class
Economy Comfort seats are installed on all Delta aircraft, as well as all two-cabin
Delta Connection
aircraft and feature 38 inches (970 mm) of pitch; on BusinessElite
configured aircraft, 50 percent more recline over standard economy
seats.
[68]
Additional amenities include priority boarding, complimentary spirits
on international flights, and HBO programming. Customers can upgrade
from standard economy class seats to Economy Comfort seats. Economy
Comfort more closely aligns Delta's offerings with its Transatlantic
joint venture partners as KLM also offers an Economy Comfort section of
its Economy cabin. Air France offers Premium Economy l, which is not the
same as Economy Comfort.
Economy Class
Economy Class is available on all aircraft with seats ranging from 17
to 18 inches (43 to 46 cm) wide and 30 to 33 inches (76 to 84 cm) of
pitch. The economy seats on Boeing 737, 747-400, 777, and selected
Boeing 757-200, 767-300, and McDonnell Douglas MD-90 aircraft have an
articulating seat bottom where the seat bottom moves forward in addition
to the seat back tilting backwards when reclining.
[citation needed][69]
Economy class passengers receive complimentary snacks and
non-alcoholic drinks domestically. Alcoholic beverages are also
available for purchase. Complimentary meals and alcoholic drinks are
provided on long-haul international flights. As part of Delta's EATS
buy on board
program, food is available for purchase on all domestic flights 1,500
miles (2,400 km) or more (including Hawaii and Alaska flights, which no
longer offer complimentary meal service).
[70]
Delta operated a different buy on board program between 2003 and 2005.
[71][72] The previous program had items from differing providers, depending on the origin and destination of the flight.
[73][74]
Prices ranged up to $10 ($12.49 when adjusted for inflation). The
airline started the service on a few selected flights in July 2003, and
the meal service was initially offered on 400 flights.
[75]
Delta ended this buy on board program in 2005; instead, Delta began
offering snacks at no extra charge on flights over 90 minutes to most
U.S. domestic flights and some flights to the Caribbean and Latin
America. Beginning in mid-March 2005 the airline planned to stop
providing pillows on flights within the 49 contiguous U.S. states,
Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, and Central America. In addition the
airline announced that on Delta mainline flights the price of alcoholic
beverages would increase from $4 ($4.83 when adjusted for inflation) to
$5 ($6.04 when adjusted for inflation); the increase in alcohol prices
did not occur on
Song flights.
[75]
On-board amenities
Wi-Fi
On August 5, 2008, Delta announced it would be installing the
Aircell mobile broadband network,
Gogo,
which enables customers traveling with Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as
laptops, smartphones and PDAs, to access the Internet for a fee. Gogo
was initially offered on Delta's fleet of
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 and
MD-90 aircraft but has expanded to the remaining domestic fleet, as well as
Delta Connection aircraft with a first class cabin.
[76][77] Delta has the largest fleet of Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft in the world.
[78] The airline announced that it will offer Wi-Fi on international flights beginning early 2013.
[79]
In-flight entertainment
History
Audio Video on Demand offered domestically on select Delta aircraft
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
Lockheed L-1011,
Boeing 767-200, and
767-300
fleet, had movies projected on to the cabin bulkhead. Also during the
late 1980s and early 1990s, CRT monitors over the aisles were added to
the 757 fleet, making them the first narrowbody aircraft to feature
video entertainment. The MD-90 introduced Delta's first IFE system with
LCD monitors in 1995, and the 777 introduced Delta's first in-seat video system in 1999, initially using the
Rockwell Collins Total Entertainment System. Delta's first all-digital IFE system with AVOD (
Panasonic eFX) was first introduced in 2003 on Delta's former low-cost subsidiary,
Song.
The Rockwell Collins IFE system on the 777s was replaced by the
Panasonic eFX system in 2007, followed by the Panasonic eX2 in 2011. The
Panasonic eFX and eX2 systems are trademarked by Delta as
Delta on Demand.
[80]
In the spring of 2010, Delta installed the Panasonic eFX AVOD system
in Economy on six 767-300ERs that are used on routes that are 12 hours
or longer.
[81] Delta also announced it would be installing AVOD in Economy class on all Boeing 767-300ER and
747 aircraft over the next 3 years.
[82]
On July 27, 2010, Delta announced that it would be the launch
customer of the new eX2 AVOD system with the Eco 9i Integrated Smart
Monitor, a new ultra-lightweight IFE system by Panasonic Avionics
Corporation and
Zodiac Seats U.S..
[83]
The systems have been installed on the entire 747-400 fleet as of
October 2012, and are currently being installed on the 767-300ER fleet
(except for the six aircraft previously retrofitted with the eFX system
in 2010).
[84] A different version of the Integrated Smart Monitor developed by Panasonic Avionics Corporation and
BE Aerospace
is currently being installed on the Airbus A330 fleet. These seats will
also be installed on the Boeing 757-300 and new Boeing 737-900ER fleet,
and will replace the existing seats and monitors on the international
Boeing 757-200 fleet.
In 2012, Delta began replacing the overhead CRT monitors on the pre-merger Delta 757-200 fleet with new LCD monitors.
[85] This was completed in late 2012.
The 767-400ER fleet initially featured LCDs over the aisles, but were
replaced in 2009 by the Panasonic eFX AVOD system when the last of the
767-400ERs were converted from domestic to international use. CRT
projectors were originally featured in economy class on
Boeing 767–300s,
with the international 767-300ERs also featuring ceiling-mounted CRT
displays over the aisles, which have since replaced by LCD monitors, and
are now in the process of being converted to the eFX2 AVOD system.
Delta Air Lines 757-200 economy cabin with AVOD
When Delta's ex-
TWA ETOPS 757s were first delivered, they featured a system made by
Sony Transcom (a former subsidiary of
Sony now sold to
Rockwell Collins) system that was factory installed for TWA. The system featured overhead drop-down
LCD
monitors similar to Delta's non-Transcon 737-800s and 757-300s. 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.
[86]
Current fleet
Audio and video are available on all aircraft except for the
Airbus A320,
McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and
MD-90, selected
Boeing 757, and
Delta Connection aircraft.
Boeing 777-200ER,
777-200LR, and 747 aircraft, along with those 767-300 and
A330
aircraft that have completed cabin modifications, feature the Panasonic
eX2 system. Compared to the older eFX system, this offers greater
storage capacity, as well as larger personal video screens.
[87] Boeing 767-400ER aircraft, selected 757-200 aircraft, as well as the remaining internationally configured
Boeing 767-300ER aircraft that have not completed cabin modifications, use the
Panasonic
eFX AVOD system. On these 767-300 aircraft, AVOD is available only in
BusinessElite, while the system includes overhead LCD monitors and audio
programming for passengers seated in the Economy cabin. The unmodified
Airbus A330 aircraft feature the Panasonic 3000i
AVOD system in all cabins.
[88] This system includes supplemental LCD monitors over the aisles for displaying the safety video and moving map.
Domestic
Boeing 767–300s,
Boeing 737–700s, as well as selected
transcontinental Boeing 757–200s and selected
Boeing 737–800s using the Panasonic eFX system, also feature live television via
Dish Network in both first class and economy. Some
Boeing 737-800s, as well as all
Boeing 757–300s feature systems with drop-down LCD displays below the overhead bins.
[89]
All aircraft with AVOD feature Panasonic's iXplor moving map program.
737-800s with overhead video and the coach sections of 767-300ER
aircraft with overhead video feature the Rockwell Collins Airshow moving
map, which is often shown during takeoff and landing. Other aircraft
formerly equipped with the Rockwell Collins Airshow moving map included
the Lockheed L-1011-250 and -500,
McDonnell Douglas MD-11, and
Boeing 767-400ER and
777-200ER.
The L-1011 and MD-11 fleet have since been retired, while the 767-400ER
and 777-200ER have since had their Airshow systems replaced by the
Panasonic iXplor system built into the eFX and eX2 AVOD systems.
Delta Sky Magazine
Delta Sky Magazine, and its online edition at
www.deltaskymag.com, are published by MSP Communications in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
SkyMiles
SkyMiles is the
frequent flyer program of Delta Air Lines.
Sky Clubs
Delta Air Lines' 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 miles. International business
class passengers get free access.
Features vary by location, but generally include free drinks
(including alcoholic beverages), snacks and reading material. Wi-Fi is
free for members and guests and is mostly provided by T-Mobile. Other
benefits for Sky Club members include reciprocal lounge access with
other
SkyTeam members and Delta's other partners. Delta Air Lines has installed putting greens at select Sky Clubs.
[when?]
Originally, Delta's membership-based airport clubs were called Crown Room lounges, with Northwest's called WorldClubs.
SkyBonus
On November 27, 2001, Delta Air Lines launched SkyBonus,
[90][not in citation given] a program aimed toward small-to-medium businesses spending between $5,000 and $500,000 annually on air travel.
[91]
Businesses can earn points toward free travel and upgrades, as well as
Sky Club memberships and SkyMiles Silver Medallion status. Points are
earned on paid travel based on a variety of fare amount paid, booking
code, and place origin or destination.
[92]
While enrolled businesses are able to earn points toward free travel,
the travelling passenger is still eligible to earn SkyMiles during his
or her travel.
[92]
In early 2010, Delta Air Lines merged its SkyBonus program with Northwest's similar Biz Perks program.
[citation needed]
Advertising slogans
Delta has had many slogans throughout its history:
- 1929: Speed, Comfort and Safety
- 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, known in ads as Bob "Super DC-8" Hope, was Delta's spokesperson at the time.
- 1968: Delta is ready when you are"[93]
- 1972: Fly the best with Delta
- 1974: Delta Is My Airline
- 1976: Celebrate the Bicentennial with Delta
- 1980: Delta is the Best
- 1983: That's The Delta Spirit
- 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
- 1987: We Love To Fly, And It Shows
- 1989: The Official Airline of Disneyland and Walt Disney World[94]
- 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 in Atlanta, for which Delta was the official airline
- 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 (a major Delta destination).
- 2005: Good Goes Around"[95]
- 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 to denote the difference operator in mathematics.
- In and around Atlanta there are advertisements promoting Delta as the "Official Airline of the Braves Unofficial Airline of the World". Also "Make Every Game a Home Game" is used.
- After the merger with Northwest, both airlines adopted "One Great Airline" and "Together In Style".
- 2010: "Keep Climbing" campaign is launched in NYC in select media outlets and onboard Delta aircraft. Donald Sutherland is the 'voice' of Delta in the television ads.
Environmental initiatives
In 2008, Delta Air Lines was given an award from the
United States Environmental Protection Agency's
Design for the Environment (DfE) program for their use of PreKote, a
more environmentally friendly, non-hexavalent chromium surface
pretreatment on its aircraft, replacing hazardous chemicals formerly
used to improve paint adhesion and prevent corrosion. In addition,
PreKote reduces water usage by two-thirds and reduces wastewater
treatment.
PreKote is also saving money by reducing the time needed to paint
each airplane. With time savings of eight to ten percent, it will save
an estimated more than $1 million annually.
[96]
- Delta served as a corporate sponsor in the early 1980s at Six Flags
Astroworld for the area music. After the music completed one loop,[clarification needed] an announcement would play that Delta was sponsoring the music[citation needed].
- Delta served as the official airline of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City,[97] and is also the official airline for the Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins,[98] New York Mets, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals,[99] Los Angeles Lakers,[100] Utah Jazz,[citation needed] Chelsea F.C.[101] and Cirque du Soleil[102]
- Delta also sponsored seasons 4 and 5 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?[citation needed]
- Delta awards the annual Delta Prize for Global Understanding in conjunction with the University of Georgia.[103]
- EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, home of the NBA's Utah Jazz,
was originally known as the Delta Center. Delta held the naming rights
to the arena from 1991 to 2006 and continues to be an official sponsor
of the team.[104]
- Delta was a sponsor of the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.[105]
- Delta is the official airline for High Museum of Art. Delta has added the image of a moustache to a Boeing 757 aircraft[when?]
as part of the airline's sponsorship of an upcoming exhibit of the work
of Spanish artist Salvador Dalí at Atlanta's High Museum of Art.[citation needed]
- As of 2009, Delta is the official airline and a Signature Partner of Madison Square Garden and all of its properties, including: the New York Knicks, the New York Rangers, the New York Liberty, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre (New York City), the Chicago Theatre, and the Wang Theatre in Boston.[citation needed]
- Delta is the official airline for the Grammy Awards.[106]
- Also in 2011, Delta is the official airline for the Durham Bulls minor league baseball team.[107]
- In August 2011, Delta continued its push into New York City by securing its first arts sponsorship. The deal, with the Whitney Museum, makes Delta the official and exclusive airline of the Museum.[108]
In popular culture
Deltalina
As part of the rebranding project, a
safety video
featuring a flight attendant showed up on YouTube in early 2008,
getting over 1 million views and the attention of news outlets,
specifically for the video's tone mixed with the serious safety message.
The flight attendant, Katherine Lee, was dubbed "
Deltalina" by a member of FlyerTalk for her resemblance to
Angelina Jolie.
[109][110][111][112]
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.
[113]
Incidents and accidents
The following are major incidents and accidents that occurred on
Delta Air Lines mainline aircraft. For Northwest Airlines incidents, see
Northwest Airlines Incidents and Accidents. For Delta Connection incidents, see
Delta Connection incidents and accidents.
Delta Airlines DC 9 51 Cockpit N774NC 9865
"Delta Air" redirects here. For the defunct German airline, see DBA (airline).
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major American airline, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.[10] The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving six continents. Delta Air Lines and its subsidiaries operate over 5,000 flights every day and have approximately 80,000 employees.[11] The airline's hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
is the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic (over 91 million
passengers per year) and number of landings and takeoffs; it is also
home to Delta's Technical Operations Center.[12]
Delta is the sixth-oldest operating airline by foundation date, and the
oldest airline still operating in the United States. Delta Air Lines is
one of the four founding members of the SkyTeam airline alliance,[11] the other three being Korean Air, Air France, and Aeroméxico. The loyalty program for Delta Air Lines is SkyMiles. Delta Air Lines was the world's largest airline in terms of fleet size in 2011[13] and scheduled passenger traffic in 2012,[14] and the second-largest in terms of revenue passenger-kilometers flown in 2012.[15] Regional service for the airline is served by Delta Connection.
