ATLANTA, June 28, 2002—Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today said it expects to carry high numbers of passengers over the Fourth of July holiday period, with more than 300,000 expected today alone. The holiday falls on a Thursday this year, and many travelers will take advantage of a four-day weekend or an entire week’s vacation.

In an effort to make travel more of a picnic than a panic for customers, Delta employees would like to share timesaving tips to speed travel through busy airports. As customers prepare for vacation, Delta employees recommend they review and follow the tips below to make their travel time fly:

á FLY WITH THE SCOOP.  Before arriving at the airport, get the details. Information about flights, baggage allowances, non-acceptable travel items, security procedures, airport check-in and security wait times and acceptable forms of ID all can be found online at delta.com. 

á FLY ORGANIZED.  Don`t be slowed down by last-minute details. Get your seat assignment in advance; make ticketing changes and any special need requests prior to the day of travel. When making your reservation, confirm the correct spelling of your name and make sure all contact phone numbers and e-mail addresses are current.
á FLY PREPARED.  Pack carry-on bags with essential items. Place contact name information inside and outside baggage. For international travel, make sure passports and visas are current for all passengers, including infants. Keep all identification and ticketing documents in a handy location and remember: checking baggage will make security checkpoints smoother and faster. 
á FLY VIRTUAL.  To avoid long lines at the ticket counter, try Delta`s Virtual Check-in (VCI) options or self-service kiosks. VCI allows passengers to check in on delta.com, through personal digital assistants, Web-enabled phones and toll-free telephone lines. Customers may use the new self-service kiosks to check in, check baggage, request upgrades, and make seat selections.
á FLY EARLY.  Arrive at the airport at least one hour prior to flight departure for domestic travel and at least two hours prior to flight departure for international travel. Check delta.com for airport wait and check-in estimates for specific airports during peak and off-peak times and budget extra time for random security checks. Be prepared to remove shoes, jackets, scarves, belts and any metal or sharp objects as you visit security screening. Have your ID ready, remove laptop computers from their cases and empty your pockets.
á FLY INFORMED.  When waiting to board the aircraft, use the Gate Information Display Screens and Flight Information Display Screens to keep informed on departure times, standby procedures and the current weather at your destination city. To expedite the boarding process, arrive at the gate early with your boarding pass, e-ticket receipt, passport, personal ID card and other documentation ready.

á FLY CONNECTED.  Upon landing, listen to gate announcements, especially if you have a connecting flight.
Note:  Delta is expecting to carry its highest number of passengers so far for the year during the Fourth of July period. More than 315,000 passengers will travel on Delta today, with nearly 300,000 anticipated to travel on Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30, as well as on Wednesday, July 3.  Following the holiday, Delta expects to carry more than 325,000 travelers on Sunday, July 7. 
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