Delta Air Lines Starts First Nonstop Service between Dubai

DUBAI, May 31, 2007 – Delta Air Lines - America’s fastest growing international airline – will touch down at Dubai International Airport tomorrow (01/06/07) evening with its first nonstop flight between Dubai and Atlanta, the world’s largest single airline hub. Delta is the only US airline to operate between Dubai and the United States, offering five weekly services from Dubai with hundreds of onward connecting opportunities offered via Delta’s Atlanta hub.

“We are excited to expand our global reach. This new route to Dubai will not only serve to increase commerce and tourism between the Gulf and the United States, but will also provide our customers with convenient connections throughout the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean,” said Tony Charaf, Delta’s Senior Vice President Technical Operations at a press conference in Dubai ahead of the flight’s arrival. “Our new service will mean greater travel options for UAE business and leisure passengers flying beyond Atlanta along with providing multiple opportunities for freight forwarders and cargo shippers. Delta is the only carrier to serve all 50 U.S. states, and passengers can fly on to around 190 destinations including Los Angeles, Dallas, Washington and Orlando as well as international destinations such as Mexico City, Bermuda and Caracas (Venezuela).”

Commenting on the news of the new flight, Paul Sutphin, the United States Consul General in Dubai, said “We are very enthusiastic about Delta’s new service. With over 500 US companies registered in Dubai and more than 26,000 US citizens living in the UAE, we are confident that this non-stop link to one of the America’s most dynamic commercial centres – as well as one of its most important travel hubs – will boost trade and tourism between the US and UAE.”

Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb, Executive Director, Operations and Marketing for the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said “The growth in trade and tourism between the two countries is extremely healthy. Trade between the US and the UAE reached almost US$12 billion last year. Over the past 10 years the number of US visitors to Dubai per year has multiplied by 10 times. During the same period the number of US companies in Jebel Ali Free Zone has doubled to 227 and the whole world knows about Halliburton’s decision to open a head office here.”

Delta will operate the new service using Boeing 777-200ER aircraft seating up to 268 passengers and featuring Delta’s refurbished business and economy class service. Customers can enjoy Delta’s award-winning BusinessElite service featuring all-leather sleeper seats with 152 cm of legroom, a 2x2x2 configuration which means there is never a middle seat, innovative food offerings designed by celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein, on-demand personal in-seat entertainment boasting more than 20 first-run and popular classic movies, a variety of TV programmes, a broad range of music, and a suite of 12 video games. Economy class customers also will benefit from new all-leather economy seats, amenity kits and enhanced food offerings. All flights will have Arabic speaking flight attendants on-board. Due to time differences when travelling westwards, travellers can take off from Dubai at 10.45pm in the evening and reach anywhere in North America the following day, including Hawaii in time for tea.

Describing Delta’s arrival in Dubai as a continuation of historical ties, Jamal Al Hai, Chairman, Executive Board of Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, said: “The service will translate into greater convenience and flexibility for the thousands of Americans who travel between the two countries each year including many US expatriates who consider the UAE their second home. According to current statistics, almost half a million people travelling to the US fly through or from Dubai and this number is expected to rise over the coming years. For an airline operating from destinations in the US, Dubai provides an opportunity to tap into a regional market of 2 million passengers annually.”

Delta’s general sales agent (GSA) in the United Arab Emirates and Oman is Sharaf Travel. Salah Ibrahim Sharaf, Chairman of Sharaf Travel said: “Dubai, like Atlanta, is a major aviation hub and the linking of these cities will create dynamic opportunities.”
Delta’s Dubai service is one of five new transatlantic routes to be launched this summer, strengthening Delta’s presence as a leading carrier across the Atlantic. The flight is an integral part of the airline’s strategy of international growth to offer more non-stop departures to more destinations worldwide that will see Delta strengthen its presence as the leading carrier across the Atlantic.

About Delta

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) offers customers service to more destinations than any global airline with Delta and Delta Connection carrier service to 311 destinations in 52 countries. With more than 60 new international routes added in the last year, Delta is adding international flights at a faster rate than any other major U.S. airline and is a leader across the Atlantic with flights to 32 trans-Atlantic destinations. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 600 weekly flights to 58 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 462 worldwide destinations in 98 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.

For further information, please contact:

Jack Pearce / Philippa Daniels
Matrix PR, Dubai
PB #54250
T: 009714-3430888
F:009714-3432226
E: jack@matrixdubai.com/philippa@matrixdubai.com
W: www.matrixdubai.com

This release was published on openPR.