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Delta opens Accra, Mumbai routes

Delta Air Lines will be the only airline to offer customers nonstop service to five continents from metropolitan New York.This comes with the addition of new nonstop flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Mumbai, India, and Accra, Ghana, effective Nov. 1 and Dec. 11, 2006, respectively.

The new service further demonstrates Delta’s commitment to growing its position as New York City’s leading airline.

“Delta is New York’s airline and we are excited to again pioneer new routes that expand our global reach and add convenience to the lives of our customers,” said Jim Whitehurst, Delta’s chief operating officer. “The JFK-to-Mumbai route will be the first and only nonstop flight between two of the world’s most important business centers, and our new service to Africa will open a corridor of commerce between the world’s largest travel market and growing economies on the West African coast.

“Delta already operates service to more global destinations than any airline in the world with the largest domestic network of destinations in the United States, the largest trans-Atlantic route system with 29 nonstop destinations across Europe, India and Israel, and the second-largest route system in South and Central America. With more additions planned by winter, Delta is proud to offer our customers nonstop flights to 12 unique trans-Atlantic destinations not served by any other U.S. carrier,” Whitehurst said.

The new nonstop service from JFK to Mumbai and Accra will be operated with international widebody aircraft featuring Delta’s refurbished business and economy class products. The 268-seat Boeing 777-200ER aircraft will be used to Mumbai while the 214-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft will fly to Accra. On both routes, customers can enjoy Delta’s award-winning BusinessElite service featuring all-leather sleeper seats with 60 inches of legroom, innovative food offerings designed by celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein, award-winning, original wine selections, and industry-leading, on-demand personal in-seat entertainment boasting more than 20 first-run and popular classic movies, a variety of TV programs, a broad range of music, and a suite of 12 video games. Economy class customers also will notice recent improvements on Delta, including new all-leather economy seats, enhanced food offerings and a complimentary cocktail with each meal.

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With the start of this new nonstop service, Delta will discontinue its one-stop service to India via Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Delta’s new nonstop service to Mumbai will replace existing one-stop service to Mumbai and to Chennai, effective Nov. 1. Delta will continue to serve Chennai with convenient codeshare service via Paris on SkyTeam partner Air France, once codeshare approval is obtained. Additionally, Delta will offer direct, same-plane service between its largest international hub in Atlanta and Mumbai with these schedule enhancements.

The new flights will significantly improve customer travel times between Mumbai and the United States, reducing the flight duration by at least four hours in each direction when compared to the current one-stop service. To Accra, Delta also will increase customer convenience by reducing travel times by up to eight hours in each direction when compared to connections on other major airlines via Europe. As previously announced, Delta will be the only major U.S. carrier operating scheduled service between Africa and the United States this winter with new service to Dakar, Senegal*, and Johannesburg, South Africa* beginning from Atlanta Dec. 4, and now between New York and Accra one week later.

Said Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, whose district includes John F. Kennedy International Airport: “I commend Delta Air Lines for offering New York travelers this much-needed nonstop service to Mumbai, India and Accra, Ghana, from one of the world’s leading airlines. For the past several years, I have worked hard with the Port Authority on bringing nonstop air service from JFK to these important cities that both have significant constituencies in New York. Delta recognizes the tremendous value these emerging markets offer to business and leisure travelers. I appreciate Delta’s commitment to providing New York’s air travelers with many options and excellent service at affordable prices.”

Delta’s new nonstop service between New York-JFK and Mumbai, India

Flight Departs Arrives Effective Frequency

16 New York-JFK at 9:20 p.m. Mumbai at 10:10 p.m. (next day) Nov. 1, 2006 Daily 17 Mumbai at 12:10 a.m. New York-JFK at 6 a.m. Nov. 3, 2006 Daily

Delta’s new nonstop service between New York-JFK and Accra, Ghana

Flight Departs Arrives Effective Frequency 166 New York-JFK at 5:15 p.m. Accra at 8:15 a.m. (next day) Dec. 11, 2006 Four-times weekly

167 Accra at 9:45 a.m. New York-JFK at 4:15 p.m. Dec. 12, 2006 Four-times weekly

To celebrate the new service, Delta is offering special low introductory fares to invite customers to try its newest international routes. Fares between New York and Mumbai are as low as $449 one way for travel between Nov. 1, 2006 and March 31, 2007, while fares between New York and Accra are as low as $399 one way for travel between Dec. 11, 2006 and March 31, 2007. All fares are based on a round-trip purchase and additional taxes/fees/restrictions apply. Fares shown are available only for purchase on delta.com or from a travel agent. See below for important details.

For customers traveling to the United States from India or Ghana, Delta’s new service will provide convenient onward connecting opportunities thanks to the continued growth of the airline’s domestic hub at JFK. By October, Delta will double to 140 the number of domestic departures from JFK, up from 70 in May. This growth includes new or expanded nonstop service to key U.S. destinations such as Boston, Columbus, Ohio, Detroit, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, San Diego and Washington, D.C. Additionally, with the July schedule, Delta will be the only airline to operate service to all 50 states.

As JFK’s leading airline, Delta operates nonstop service to more U.S. and international destinations than any other carrier. In total, Delta will offer customers 165 peak day flights to 69 worldwide destinations by December, including new nonstop service to 10 international destinations and more than a dozen new domestic destinations beginning this summer.

Most recently, Delta inaugurated the only nonstop service offered by a U.S. carrier between New York and Kiev, Ukraine and on June 16 added its first nonstop service from New York to South America with daily flights between JFK and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

To support the continued growth of the JFK hub, Delta is investing in more than $20 million in renovations to its Terminal 2 and 3 facilities at JFK. Refurbishments under way include the addition of a new, dedicated BusinessElite check-in area in Terminal 2, refurbishing the customs and immigrations entrance, refreshing facilities in Delta’s BusinessElite lounge and Crown Room Clubs, and adding new international check-in kiosks throughout the facility.
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