Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today announced it will expand its codeshare relationship with SkyTeam partners Air France and Alitalia by offering codeshare service from the United States to India via Paris and Milan, Italy. 

Delta plans to codeshare on Air France flights from Paris to Delhi, India, and on Alitalia flights from Milan to Mumbai, India. Delta also announced Air France will begin codesharing on Delta’s Paris to Mumbai service.

“With the addition of these codeshare services with SkyTeam partners Air France and Alitalia,  Delta will offer business and leisure customers a total of 20 weekly flights to the two largest business centers of India, one of the fastest growing regions in the world.  With its population of more than one billion people and strong emerging economy, India represents one of the most important global markets,” said Ben Darnell, Delta’s director - alliances.

Delta and Air France plan for codeshare service to start June 17, 2002, from Paris to Delhi and, subject to government approval, June 27 from Paris to Mumbai. The Delta and Alitalia codeshare flights from Milan to Mumbai are proposed to start on July 1, 2002. 

Delta and its SkyTeam partners Air France and Alitalia continue to expand their SkyTeam alliance relationship using Paris’ Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Milan’s Malpensa Airport and Rome’s Fiumicino Airport.

Top-tier flyers with the SkyTeam airlines (Air France, AeroMexico, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta and Korean Air) receive elite status on all member airline flights. Additionally, all SkyTeam member airline frequent flyers accrue miles and redeem awards on any of the six airlines.

Air France, operating a network of flights to more than 214 destinations in 91 countries (excluding codeshare flights), is well established in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia as well as in the Americas, where it operates more than 14 daily direct flights, plus the Concorde. It also has a predominant position in the French market, Europe’s largest domestic market.

Alitalia, which operates hubs in Milan and Rome, has more than 869 daily flights to 107 destinations in 53 countries. Founded in 1946, more than 26.6 million passengers flew on Alitalia last year. Alitalia has a fleet of 162 aircraft.

Delta Air Lines, the world’s second largest carrier in terms of passengers carried and the leading U.S. airline across the Atlantic, offers 5,696 flights each day to 417 destinations in 73 countries on Delta, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection and Delta’s worldwide partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. For more information, please go to delta.com

SkyTeam is the first global airline alliance created around the customer, partnering Aeroméxico, Air France, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Korean Air. Through one of the world’s most extensive hub networks, SkyTeam offers its 176.7 million annual passengers a worldwide system of 7,091 daily flights covering all the major destinations, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, where nearly 80 percent of the world’s traffic flies, while still providing a consistent standard of performance, quality and detailed attention to service.

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