Delta Kicks Off 70th Anniversary Year as Atlanta's Hometown Airline

/PRNewswire/ -- When Lynda Lloyd boarded her first Delta Air Lines flight in Atlanta as a flight attendant in 1964, the airline had recently become the first commercial carrier to fly across the country in less than three hours and had just launched the industry's most sophisticated electronic reservations system, all under the watchful eye of company founder and then-chief executive C.E. Woolman.

Today, Lloyd, Delta's most senior employee who lives and works in Atlanta, will join hundreds of her fellow Atlanta-based employees as well as elected, community and business leaders from across Georgia to mark the airline's 70th anniversary as Atlanta's hometown airline.

A Delta Boeing 777-200LR aircraft used to connect Atlanta nonstop to cities such as Tokyo, Dubai, Johannesburg and Tel Aviv, will be christened as the "Spirit of Atlanta" during a celebration at Delta's massive Technical Operations Center, adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and in the shadow of the $1.4 billion Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal currently under construction.

Delta (NYSE: DAL), today among the largest airlines in the world, was a small carrier focused on the Southeast when it moved its headquarters from Monroe, La., to Atlanta in 1941. In the decades that followed, Delta built the world's largest connecting hub in Atlanta, and for more than two decades has remained Georgia's largest private employer and a major economic force in the region.

With 25,000 employees based in Atlanta, Delta is estimated to pump more than $25 billion into the local economy, and is a major contributor to key community organizations, including the Grady Health Foundation, the Woodruff Arts Center, AID Atlanta, Hands On Atlanta, Habitat for Humanity, CARE, the Carter Center and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

"Delta Air Lines and Atlanta have a unique partnership that has been inextricably linked to the success and prosperity of our city and our airport for nearly three quarters of a century," said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. "The strong relationships among companies such as Delta, state and local elected officials and civic organizations are what make Atlanta not only a global, dynamic city, but a great place to live and do business. Congratulations to Delta Air Lines, Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson and all employees on the company's 70th anniversary as Atlanta's hometown airline."

"Delta is truly an economic force for Georgia," said Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. "It is our biggest employer and its presence here plays a key role in helping us attract new investment and jobs. I look forward to partnering with Delta as it sets out on the next 70 years."

"The success of Delta and the city of Atlanta have been intertwined for seven decades, and it's hard to argue with the results," said Richard Anderson, Delta's chief executive. "Atlanta has grown into a major international city while Delta built the world's largest hub at the city's airport. Central to this success has been the historic partnership between Delta, the city of Atlanta, the state of Georgia and our thousands of Atlanta-based employees and customers."

Recognizing one of Atlanta's longest and most successful business partnerships, the "Spirit of Atlanta" will be christened at the celebration with a bottle of Coke. Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive of the Coca-Cola Company, will be honored and make remarks at the celebration.

In addition, Lloyd will be honored as the Delta employee who has lived and worked in Atlanta the longest. The airline also will recognize its most frequent Atlanta flyer, Ed Robinette, who has flown nearly 7 million miles on Delta over the past 30 years, and Cheryll Davis, Delta's most active Atlanta-based community volunteer, who has dedicated thousands of hours during her 20-year Delta career to the airline's preferred local charities.

"As a longtime Atlanta resident it's been so exciting to be part of this airline, which is such a positive force for the community," Lloyd said. "It was the very best decision of my life, to come to Atlanta, remain here, and be a Delta Flight Attendant. I am still enjoying the very best job in the world. It always makes me proud when I tell people I work for Delta."

"Two years ago, I moved my business to Atlanta because of the great flights and service offered by Delta, and I'm not the only one, we have so many businesses based in Atlanta solely because of Delta," said Robinette, who has been a member of the Delta SkyMiles frequent flier program since its inception in 1981. "I've flown 7 million miles on Delta, and I can honestly say I don't remember a single bad experience."

"Delta has always encouraged its employees to become involved in our communities, and service is a big part of being a member of the Delta family," said Davis. "As an Atlanta resident, it's great that Delta is so supportive of our community, and it's one of the benefits of being Delta's hometown."

"It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Delta on its 70th anniversary as Atlanta's hometown airline," said U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. "Delta Air Lines has come a long way since its beginnings in Monroe, La., to the international commercial airline it is today. For seven decades, Delta has thrived, employing thousands of Georgians and becoming an integral part of our communities. Delta has established itself as an economic engine not only for Georgia, but for the entire Southeast. I am grateful that such a company calls Atlanta its home."

"As Georgians, we are all proud to be recognizing Delta's 70th anniversary as our hometown airline," said U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. "Over the past seven decades, Delta has become an integral part of the community, bringing jobs, businesses and great opportunities to the state of Georgia by connecting us to cities across the country and the world."

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 357 destinations in 67 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 75,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, the world's largest airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $2 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.

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Delta Air Lines Accelerates Employee Pension Funding

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today announced the addition of $558 million on an accelerated basis to four pension funds covering most of the airline's U.S.-based employees. With the accelerated contributions, Delta will complete its required contributions to these plans for 2010 approximately seven months ahead of schedule. Delta's pension funding is normally distributed throughout the year, with the majority of contributions added near the end of the year.

"Putting this money into our pension plans earlier means it will start working for employees sooner, by earning returns that add to the plan assets," said Mike Campbell, Delta's executive vice president - Human Resources. "Delta is committed to funding these plans, which provide an important part of the retirement benefit for many of our employees."

By the end of this month, Delta will have contributed $665 million to its traditional pension plans in the first four months of this year, in addition to $100 million that has been contributed to employees' defined contribution 401(k) plans. With another roughly $200 million scheduled to be contributed to 401(k) plans during the balance of the year, Delta is on track to contribute nearly $1 billion towards employees' retirement security in 2010.

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Delta to Invest in Customer Experience, Fleet Efficiency

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) will invest $1 billion, or about $300 million per year, through mid-2013 to improve the customer experience in the air and on the ground. The capital investment will improve the consistency and level of service provided to Delta's BusinessElite, First Class and elite-level flyers, as well as increasing the efficiency of the airline's fleet. Planned enhancements include:

-- Installing full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite on 90 trans-oceanic
aircraft, including 14 Boeing 767-400ERs, 52 Boeing 767-300ERs, 16
Boeing 747-400s and eight Boeing 777-200ERs. Upon completion, each of
these fleets will have full flat bed seats on all aircraft.
-- Adding in-seat audio and video on demand throughout Economy Class on
16 Boeing 747-400 and 52 Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. With these
additions, Delta will offer personal, in-seat entertainment for both
BusinessElite and Economy class customers on all wide-body aircraft.
-- Adding First Class cabins to 66 CRJ-700 aircraft operated by Delta
Connection carriers ASA, Comair and SkyWest, bringing to 219 the
number of regional aircraft with First Class seating.
-- Completing the modification of 269 pre-merger Northwest aircraft to
feature Delta's signature blue leather seats, updated lighting and
enhanced cabin amenities such as increased overhead bin space on
pre-merger Northwest 757-200s.
-- Installing winglets on more than 170 Boeing 767-300ER, 757-200 and
737-800 aircraft to extend aircraft range and improve fuel efficiency
by as much as five percent.
-- Renovating and expanding Delta's Los Angeles Sky Club lounge, and
introducing new Sky Club locations in Seattle, Philadelphia and
Indianapolis.


"Delta's planned fleet and product investments mark the most significant investment we have made in our customers in more than a decade," said Delta CEO Richard Anderson. "Our premium travelers tell us that the comfort of a flat bed seat with direct aisle access, a first class experience on regional jets and in-flight entertainment are important factors in their choice of carrier."

"This investment will be made while staying well within the level of our historical capital expenditures," said Ed Bastian, Delta's president. "Rather than invest in new aircraft, Delta will be spending its capital to improve the quality and consistency of the on-board product and efficiency of the aircraft we already own."

Delta currently offers the most on-demand entertainment among U.S. carriers with more than 100 domestic aircraft equipped with in-seat audio and video on demand. Delta also continues to rapidly expand in-flight Wi-Fi service, which is available on more than 340 aircraft and more than 1,200 flights each day. Delta, the largest operator of Wi-Fi enabled aircraft in the world, plans to have more than 530 aircraft equipped with Wi-Fi by mid-2010.

Delta's upcoming fleet and product investments build on recently announced improvements including the re-launch of the Red Coat program at Delta's international hub at JFK and subsequently at all domestic hubs; the addition of BusinessElite service on Delta's transcontinental routes between New York-JFK and Los Angeles and San Francisco; the introduction of the full flat bed seats on all flights between the United States and London-Heathrow; and the announcement of plans to create a domestic hub at Delta's No. 1 business airport - New York-LaGuardia, subject to government approvals.

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US Airways Pilots Ask Department of Justice to Investigate US Airways/Delta Transaction

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA) announced November 30 that it is seeking a full investigation on the impact of a proposed slot, gate and facility transaction between US Airways (LCC) and Delta Airlines at New York’s LaGuardia and Washington’s Reagan National airports. In a letter to Christine Varney, assistant attorney general of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, USAPA stated that this transaction may have serious antitrust concerns.

“We are extremely concerned about the market concentration that this transaction would create if it is allowed to be consummated,” said USAPA President Mike Cleary. “Those conditions raise the prospect of much higher fares and, if history repeats itself, a reduction in service to smaller communities. It also places a great burden on many of US Airways’ New York-based employees whose jobs will be eliminated and will cause financial harm to the New York City and tri-state economy. With all that is at stake, the transaction warrants a thorough review of the consequences of a deal that creates this level of market domination.”

The proposed transaction calls for the transfer of 125 pairs of New York’s LaGuardia Airport slots from US Airways to Delta Airlines and 42 pairs of Washington’s Reagan National Airport slots from Delta Airlines to US Airways. A pair of slots is both a takeoff and a landing right. In addition, US Airways proposes to transfer what USAPA believes to be LaGuardia Airport’s most coveted real estate and gates to Delta Airlines.

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Delta Air Lines Issues Statement on Northwest Flight 188 Investigation

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today (October 26) issued a statement regarding the company's cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the investigation of Northwest Flight 188. Delta and its Northwest operating subsidiary continue to openly and fully cooperate with the NTSB and FAA to complete the investigation. The pilots in command of Northwest Flight 188 remain suspended until the conclusion of the investigations into this incident.

Using laptops or engaging in activity unrelated to the pilots' command of the aircraft during flight is strictly against the airline's flight deck policies and violations of that policy will result in termination.

Delta CEO Richard Anderson said: "Nothing is more important to Delta than safety. We are going to continue to cooperate fully with the NTSB and the FAA in their investigations."

The NTSB earlier today (October 26) issued a public release highlighting the initial findings of its investigation into the incident, including evidence that the pilots involved said they were distracted at cruise altitude between San Diego and Minneapolis-St. Paul. The NTSB's press release stated that the pilots said in interviews that "there was a concentrated period of discussion where they did not monitor the airplane or calls from ATC even though both stated they heard conversation on the radio ... neither pilot noticed messages that were sent by company dispatchers ... both said they lost track of time ... (and) each pilot accessed and used his personal laptop computer while they discussed the airline crew flight scheduling procedure."

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Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson Issues Statement on Lease Extension at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) CEO Richard Anderson yesterday issued the following statement announcing an agreement with the City of Atlanta to extend its lease at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport through 2017.

"Delta is pleased to have reached an agreement with the City of Atlanta on a lease extension at Hartsfield-Jackson that will maintain the airport's position as the leading airport in the world and ensure the continued growth of air service in Atlanta.

"Atlanta and Delta are successful because we have worked hand-in-hand for nearly 70 years to distinguish our hometown airport as one known for its convenience, efficiency and competitive costs. We have been fortunate to work with a long line of visionary leaders including Mayors Hartsfield, Young, Jackson and Franklin who understood that Atlanta's economic prosperity and growth is directly tied to Hartsfield-Jackson's more than $20 billion annual economic impact.

"We look forward to working with the city administration and the city council on finalizing the legislation and moving forward with the development of the Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr. International Terminal."

The agreement is subject to the finalization of definitive documents and approval by the Atlanta City Council and Delta's Board of Directors.

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Delta Community Credit Union Shares Earnings with Customers

/PRNewswire/ -- Delta Community Credit Union, Georgia's largest credit union, believes in sharing its financial successes with its customers. A strong capital base and solid financial results in 2008 enabled the credit union to give back approximately $5.0 million to its members as a Patronage Reward and to further strengthen its capital position, which remains significantly above the regulatory target for well-capitalized status.

Under the Patronage Reward, customers earned additional deposit dividends or loan rate rebates based on the amount of business they conducted with the credit union last year. Customers who maintained positive balances in checking, savings, money market and IRAs received a bonus equal to 4.50 percent of the total dividends they earned on those accounts during 2008. Borrowers in good standing received a rebate equal to 2.50 percent of the interest they paid on their loans during the same period.

"The Patronage Reward is just one of the many ways Delta Community gives back to our customers and the communities we serve," said Rick Foley, President and CEO. "In 2008, we opened six new branches and introduced several new products, including the well received 4.50 percent APY StandingStrong CD. We also awarded three scholarships to high school seniors, honored ten young 'Hometown Heroes' for their contributions to the community and gave more than $200,000 to Children's Miracle Network."

"Sharing our earnings with our members is one important difference between Delta Community Credit Union and other financial institutions," Foley continued. "In light of the current economic climate, we believe it's a difference that is more important than ever."

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Delta Launches Improved SkyMiles® Shopping with 350 Added Retailers

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Delta Air Lines [NYSE: DAL] SkyMiles members now can shop at more than 500 leading online retailers while searching and comparing more than 20 million products through the new and improved SkyMiles Shopping, a premier online shopping destination.

At SkyMilesShopping.com, members earn up to 10 miles per dollar spent and receive special mileage bonuses and savings when they shop at top online merchants, including Barnes & Noble.com, circuitcity.com, homedepot.com, JCPenney.com, Lands’ End ®, Staples.com, Williams-Sonoma.com, and many more.

“We’re excited to offer our members more options and convenience when shopping at their favorite online stores,” said Jeff Robertson, managing director of Delta’s SkyMiles Program. “This seamless and superior shopping experience gives members the opportunity to earn their next Award ticket by making everyday purchases.”

To launch the new SkyMiles Shopping experience, Delta worked with Mall Networks, a leading provider of merchant-funded loyalty shopping solutions. Mall Networks offers SkyMiles members more retailers, hundreds of special offers and coupons, improved search capabilities and a personalized comparison shopping experience. Prior to Mall Networks, SkyMilesShopping.com featured mileage-earning opportunities and savings at 150 online retailers.

Dave Andre, president and CEO of Mall Networks, said, “Delta is a market leader and innovator when it comes to loyalty programs, and they recognize the unmet potential of merchant-funded loyalty shopping. With our innovative solution and strong track record of success, Mall Networks is the perfect partner to provide powerful, flexible shopping options to SkyMiles members.”

Mall Networks provides innovated multi-channel loyalty shopping solutions that increase revenue, strengthen customer loyalty, and improve member engagement for a range of industries including financial services, card issuers, airline and hospitality, affinity organizations and loyalty programs. Featuring an integrated network of more than 700 world-class online and bricks-and-mortar merchants, Mall Networks' multi-channel shopping solutions and flexible, on-demand platform power personalized online and in-store shopping programs for more than 100 million consumers. Industry leaders including JPMorgan Chase, Upromise, Verizon, Shop.org, Spirit Airlines, Virgin and NASCAR rely on Mall Networks to build loyal, profitable customer relationships. Mall Networks is headquartered in Lexington, Mass. For more information, visit www.mallnetworks.com.

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Delta CEO Says Company ‘Holds Best Hand in the Industry’

Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) CEO Richard Anderson today told shareowners that Delta “holds the best hand in the industry.” Anderson outlined several areas of success including the best employees in the industry, double-digit top line growth and the continuous expansion of the airline’s international network.

Anderson also acknowledged the challenges the airline faces as a result of the record-breaking cost of fuel. “The company is performing well but faces headwinds due to the cost of fuel. We are proactively managing the issue in this environment while sticking to the greater strategy of Delta Air Lines.”

Anderson identified several efforts the company has made during the past months to combat the cost of fuel including domestic capacity reductions, various revenue initiatives and an aggressive multi-year fuel hedging portfolio which is currently valued at more than $1 billion.

“It’s very important to note the contribution of the Delta employees over the last few years,” Anderson continued. “The airline is running extremely well, producing the best on-time performance among the network carriers in 2007.”

Two proposals were put before the stockholders for approval. A preliminary tabulation of votes cast showed that the stockholders elected all nominees to Delta's Board of Directors by a substantial majority of the votes cast. In addition, the stockholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as Delta’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2008. Final results of the voting will be published on Delta’s Web site, as well as in its next quarterly report on Form 10-Q.

Delta Air Lines’ Board of Directors Announces Annual Meeting Date

Living in Atlanta it's hard not to either be a Delta baby or to be friends with a Delta baby. I grew up in a Delta Air Lines home. Delta employees were part of our extended family. The changes are Delta mirror the changes that have occurred across the country in businesses. Yes, September 11th impacted the airline industry mightily. However, all it did was expedite what was already written in the tea leaves. Despite all the ups and downs, there will always be a soft spot in my psyche for this particular airline. I hope they do well and I'll continue to watch their rise from the coals (didn't quite hit the ash stage) carefully. - TBB

Delta Air Lines’ (NYSE: DAL) Board of Directors has set Delta’s 2008 annual meeting of shareowners for June 3, in New York City. The meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. EDT in the Auditorium at AXA Equitable Center, 787 Seventh Ave., New York.

The record date for determining shareowners entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting will be the close of business on April 18, 2008.

To be considered for inclusion in Delta’s proxy statement for the 2008 annual meeting, shareowner proposals must be submitted in writing and received by Delta’s Corporate Secretary no later than 5 p.m. EST, on Jan. 11, 2008, at the following address: Corporate Secretary; Delta Air Lines, Inc.; Dept. No. 981; Post Office Box 20574; Atlanta, Georgia 30320.

Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 324 destinations in 58 countries. Since 2005, Delta has added more international capacity than any other major U.S. airline and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 36 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 650 weekly flights to 61 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 15,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 489 worldwide destinations in 106 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.