Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

[Tombstoner]

Originally Posted by atlantaguy

Tombstoner - United codeshares on the Lufthansa flight to Frankfort - it is really operated by Lufthansa metal, not United. Same thing with NW/KLM - it is operated by KLM, NW codeshares on it.

American has never flown from Atlanta to London, just BA & Delta (and British Caledonian back in the day.....)

My bad. I always take the UA and NW codeshared flights and forgot that it's not domestic metal.

[MAH4546]

Delta will announce Atlanta-Stockholm and Atlanta-Shanghai on Tuesday.

[STrek777]

Originally Posted by MAH4546

Delta will announce Atlanta-Stockholm and Atlanta-Shanghai on Tuesday.

rrreeeaaalllyyy?! Any word on Atlanta - Beijing

[Plasticman]

Originally Posted by STrek777

Well Delta now has a new CEO and has announced the lineup of the new management team.

http://www.ajc.com/business/content/...elta_0908.html

Now we just wait and see what happens.

Well I flew out of Atlanta to Akron on Monday of last week and back to Atlanta from Akron on Friday afternoon. I've made this trip several times and when I take Airtran the flight is smooth, always on time, with no issues. This time and one other time I took Delta Connection and every flight was late. Monday morning it was due to "We are sorry but our crew has not arrived yet". And then they announced for another flight at an ajoining gate "We are sorry but the lavatory facilities on this flight are out of order. Please use the airport lavatory before boarding this flight".

Delta is poorly ran and poorly maintained. Let's hope new management can turn that around.

[MarketsWork]

Delta Connection is not the same as Delta, as Delta has sold its controlling interests and has no day to day management control over the independent airlines which operate those flights. Unfortunately though, what happens under the "Delta Connection" name tarnishes Delta's image. I have also had very good experiences on AirTran, but a fairer comparison would be made with actual Delta Air Lines flights.

[GTviajero81]

Originally Posted by MarketsWork

Delta Connection is not the same as Delta, as Delta has sold its controlling interests and has no day to day management control over the independent airlines which operate those flights. Unfortunately though, what happens under the "Delta Connection" name tarnishes Delta's image. I have also had very good experiences on AirTran, but a fairer comparison would be made with actual Delta Air Lines flights.

Not quite the whole story there. In Atlanta, Delta has taken over the majority of ground operations for Delta Connection therefore Delta IS actually controlling the day-to-day operational management of its Connection carriers. Outstations are at times a different story. If a lavatory does not function on an aircraft that only has one, of course the passengers would notice. If, however, there were three or more, I doubt anyone would say much about it. I just flew Delta Connection (ASA) from New Bern, NC to Atlanta (continued on to Minneapolis on NW) yesterday and the service from the flight attendant on the DLC flight was superb. Nice leather seats, interesting reading material, and service that would be the same that one would receive on a Delta mainline flight of similar time and service.

My MANY experiences on AirTran, however, have been just 'okay'. Never have I been blown away by anything...in fact sometimes I am a little appalled at the cabin crew and their actions and demeanour (along with some of the passengers). With this being said, however, the story is the same for most airlines. Some days you get the best of all worlds, other days one just has to settle. Quite honestly, my mindset is that when I am flying economy, I don't expect too much of anything -- how can expect a lot when one is paying low fares. When I am flying business (or the ever so occasional first class) I do expect a lot more. Maybe if more people thought along a similar vein then flying would be more pleasurable for all.

[STrek777]

Ok... one down. So it made it in the paper on Monday 9/24/07 instead of Tuesday 9/25/07. Now it's out there with one China announcement to go!

Delta announces daily Atlanta-Stockholm route

By RUSSELL GRANTHAM
rgrantham@ajc.com
Published on: 09/24/07

Delta Air Lines plans to launch daily non-stop flights between Atlanta and Stockholm next summer as it heads into the third year of its international expansion.

With the addition of the Swedish capital to its network, Delta said it will offer flights from Atlanta to all but four of the top 25 European passenger markets.

Delta was expected to announce the new service, which begins June 3, on Monday. Delta, which emerged from bankruptcy almost five months ago, has pinned much of its recovery on re-drawing its route map to shift more planes from domestic flying to more profitable overseas flights. The Atlanta carrier said it has launched 33 new international routes since 2005 from Atlanta, its largest hub for both domestic and international flights.

But Delta has indicated that much of its focus next year will shift to building its overseas route network out of New York. The airline has already been expanding its operations at New York's John F. Kennedy airport, turning it into a key hub over the past year. The bulk of the new overseas routes Delta will add to its schedule next year are expected to be out of New York.

With the addition of the Stockholm flight, meanwhile, Delta said it will be flying non-stop to more than 80 overseas destinations from Atlanta by next summer. Delta plans to operate six flights per week using 214-seat Boeing 767s.

"Delta's successive expansion into global markets continues to bolster the company's financial position and provides a diversified portfolio of options for our international customers," Delta executive vice president Glen Hauenstein said in a press release.

The company said the new route will "open a critical economic access point" between Sweden and Georgia. Delta said 55 Swedish companies operate in Georgia and about 900 U.S. companies have operations in Sweden.

[dirtybird]

Delta expected to get direct Atlanta-China flights
Airline wants entry into Asian country's huge economy

By RUSSELL GRANTHAM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 09/24/07

Federal officials are expected to announce Tuesday that Delta Air Lines has won long-sought rights to launch new non-stop service between Atlanta and China as early as next year.

Delta could win rights to fly to either Shanghai or Beijing — or both.

Delta, the largest U.S. carrier without flights to China, has two applications pending with the U.S. Department of Transportation to begin nonstop flights from Atlanta to Shanghai next year and to Beijing in 2009.

Longtime industry consultant Mike Boyd said he was told Delta will get the more lucrative Shanghai route.

"It's the business center. Beijing is just the capital," said Boyd, with Evergreen, Colo.-based The Boyd Group.

He said the new route could boost Delta's revenue by $250 million within a year as it draws business travelers throughout the Southeast and Latin America. "You don't go to Shanghai on a cheap vacation. It's business fares."

The Atlanta airline has been trying for years to gain entry to China's huge economy as it has pinned much of its recovery strategy on expanding its international route network. Delta has added dozens of overseas destinations in the past two years as it cut its domestic capacity and shifted jets to more profitable international routes.

Many of those new overseas flights have been to emerging economies, such as its flights between New York and Mumbai, India, which the carrier says were profitable soon after the route was launched in 2006. Some routes have taken years to become profitable, however.

State and local government officials have also backed Delta's growing campaign for the China routes, arguing that access to the manufacturing powerhouse will boost job growth in the state and the southeastern United States. After being snubbed in earlier applications, Delta lined up political support from Gov. Sonny Perdue and dozens of governors, mayors and members of Congress, as well as email petitions from thousands of its frequent fliers and employees.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters is scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday morning at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to "make an announcement regarding new air service," according to a press advisory released Monday.

Officials familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named, said they believe the DOT scheduled the event to announce the awarding of flying rights to Delta for at least one new route to China.

A spokeswoman with the DOT declined to comment.

DOT is considering applications from several airlines to open new flights to China through 2009. The flying rights were negotiated under a recent treaty between the United States and China.

Delta is widely believed to be the likely winner for the first flight to become available this winter or spring, which has been earmarked for a new entrant into China. The airline would offer the daily service using its long-range Boeing 777s, which carry 268 passengers.

Besides Delta, US Airways is the only other major network carrier that doesn't fly to China. It too has applied to begin Philadelphia-Beijing flights in 2009.

Delta faces other stiff competition for the 2009 flights. American, Continental and Northwest are hoping to begin new flights to China that year.

The DOT is also making two daily flights available as early as next spring, but only to certain destinations excluding Beijing and Shanghai, the most attractive cities for U.S. carriers.

—Jim Tharpe contributed to this report.

[Fiorenza]

Well damn, building the Mandarin Oriental and peddling the neighboring Campanile to the Chinese starts to make even more sense.

[MAH4546]

It's more than just Stockholm and Shanghai...

[Harry Cane]

MAH, 33137? That's my old zip and stomping ground.

[STrek777]

Originally Posted by MAH4546

It's more than just Stockholm and Shanghai...

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! Since you are obviously someone with an inside knowledge... any hints about Beijing?!?!?! Also if you want to drop any other little hints about other destinations feel free to do so. I've only heard, on good authority, about JFK - CAI comming for the 2008 lineup. Any others.

Delta Air Lines Wins Rights to Serve China Nonstop from Atlanta


Flights between world’s largest airline hub in Atlanta and fast-growing Shanghai slated to begin March 30, 2008

ATLANTA, Sept. 25, 2007 – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is poised to add nonstop flights between the world’s largest airline hub in Atlanta and Shanghai, China*, effective March 30, 2008, based on a ruling issued today by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“We applaud Secretary Peters and the Department of Transportation for recognizing that nonstop Delta flights between Atlanta and Shanghai will bring more value to airline customers than any competing route application,” said Delta Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson. “Delta’s new flights to China will fill a critical void in air travel today by providing the 65 million residents of the Southeast with direct access to the world’s fastest growing economy.”

Nearly 70,000 people supported Delta’s application to serve Shanghai from Atlanta, including more than 80 federal, state and local officials; and more than 80 companies, airports, business, tourism and professional organizations.

Delta plans to provide daily nonstop service between Atlanta and China using its flagship Boeing 777 aircraft in a two-class configuration featuring BusinessElite, Delta’s award-winning business class service. Additionally, Delta plans to introduce fully horizontal lie-flat seats on its Boeing 777 fleet beginning in 2008, with new in-seat entertainment system offering on-demand, digital video and music at every suite.

Delta Air Lines operates service to more destinations than any global airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 315 destinations in 54 countries. Since 2005, Delta has added more international capacity than all other major U.S. airlines combined and is a leader across the Atlantic with flights to 36 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers nearly 400 weekly flights to 54 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 477 worldwide destinations in 103 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.

*Subject to foreign government approval

Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the cost of aircraft fuel; the impact that our indebtedness will have on our financial and operating activities and our ability to incur additional debt; the restrictions that financial covenants in our financing agreements will have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub airports; our increasing dependence on technology in our operations; our ability to retain management and key employees; the ability of our credit card processors to take significant holdbacks in certain circumstances; the effects of terrorist attacks; and competitive conditions in the airline industry. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in Delta’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2007. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on Delta’s forward-looking statements, which represent Delta’s views only as of Sept. 25, 2007, and which Delta has no current intention to update.

NOTE TO BROADCAST MEDIA: B-Roll is available from Delta at http://mediaport.nmedia.com/

[STrek777]

Looks like in about two or three months we could get our first look at the revised International Terminal design.

Airport terminal gets $110 million push
Atlanta City Council committees move ahead on money for international facility

By JIM THARPE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/13/07
A new international terminal for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is still on the drawing boards, but city officials took major steps Wednesday to make sure it's in operation by 2011.

Two committees of the Atlanta City Council approved $110 million in construction funds to build and equip two tunnels that will be used by underground trains to carry passengers back and forth to the facility from the main terminal.

"It looks like we're getting started on the international terminal," said Councilwoman Clair Muller, who chairs the Transportation Committee, after her panel approved the release of $45 million to dig the two tunnels and line them with concrete.

The Finance Committee later in the day approved $65 million for the trains, track and various systems needed to make the people-movers work. Most of the construction funds, which will be voted on by the entire City Council next week, come from passenger fees, federal grants and airline fees.

"We're going forward with the terminal," airport General Manager Ben DeCosta said after the Transportation Committee vote. "This terminal is needed for this airport and the area's future."

Since the 1990s, city officials, airport bigwigs and airline chiefs have talked about a new terminal for Hartsfield-Jackson's fast-growing international passenger load. However, this appears to be the year it actually will begin coming into focus.

DeCosta has said the new Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. International Terminal eventually could cost more than $1 billion, though no official price tag has been placed on the facility.

The airport already has moved about 1.5 million cubic feet of dirt to prepare the site for the facility, which will be located near the new control tower.

However, the future of the facility has been up in the air for about three years. The first terminal design team was fired, and is now suing the city for $60 million. Then, two years ago, Delta Air Lines declared bankruptcy, a move that brought into question the need for a new terminal.

Delta has now emerged from bankruptcy, and a new team should have a "schematic design" for the new facility in two or three months, DeCosta said. Delta, which represents about 80 percent of the business at the world's busiest airport, recently named a new CEO, Richard H. Anderson, who immediately stressed that international flights represent the largest growth opportunity for the airline.

The airline has added 60 international routes systemwide in a year or so. And since 2005, it has added 33 international routes from Hartsfield-Jackson. The airline is trying to secure two China routes, one of which would begin next year.

Delta officials said that two years ago about 20 percent of Delta's total revenues came from international routes. Today, that number is approaching 40 percent.

[RobMidtowner]

Giant ads to dot landscape near airport

By JIM THARPE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 09/25/07

Just in case you don't get enough advertising from in-flight magazines as you descend into Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, a London advertising agency has a treat for you.

The agency, Ad-Air, plans to install huge ads — the size of three football fields — on the ground near Hartsfield-Jackson along the flight paths of the world's busiest airport.

The agency plans similar ads near airports in London, Paris, Geneva, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Abu Dhabi, beginning with Abu Dhabi next month.

Kate Rosser, a London-based spokeswoman for the public relations firm that represents Ad-Air, said the ads near Hartsfield-Jackson could be in place by early next year. She said several sites had been contacted along the flight paths to the airport, but did not know their locations.

"We can't say who will be advertising on any of them yet," Rosser said during a telephone interview Tuesday.

Rosser said the ads will be on private property and will easily be visible to passengers on flights approaching the airport. Hartsfield-Jackson officials said they had not heard of the plan.

The giant ads, Rosser said, will be printed on a fabric mesh-type material that will be suspended above the ground, facing skyward.

[ThrashATL]

Originally Posted by STrek777

Delta Air Lines Wins Rights to Serve China Nonstop from Atlanta

Appears so!

[MAH4546]

Delta will announce the following routes on Thursday from New York City. Not Atlanta-related, but still exciting:

Amman, Jordan
Cairo, Egypt
Cape Town, South Africa (via Dakar, Senegal)
Dakar, Senegal
Edinburgh, Scotland
Lagos, Nigeria
Malaga, Spain
Nairobi, Kenya (via Dakar, Senegal)

[STrek777]

Originally Posted by MAH4546

Delta will announce the following routes on Thursday from New York City. Not Atlanta-related, but still exciting:

Amman, Jordan
Cairo, Egypt
Cape Town, South Africa (via Dakar, Senegal)
Dakar, Senegal
Edinburgh, Scotland
Lagos, Nigeria
Malaga, Spain
Nairobi, Kenya (via Dakar, Senegal)

To add to your post I found this while doing some more digging around. Very fun stuff!!!

Nine new trans-Atlantic routes with nonstop service between JFK and:
Amman, Jordan (effective June 5)*;
Cairo, Egypt (effective June 4)*;
Edinburgh, Scotland (effective May 1);
Lagos, Nigeria (effective June 9)*;
Malaga, Spain (effective June 4)*;
Tel Aviv, Israel (effective March 10)*;
Dakar, Senegal (effective June 2)*;
Nairobi, Kenya (via Dakar) (effective June 2)*;
and Cape Town, South Africa (via Dakar) (effective June 3)*.

Five new Latin America routes with nonstop service between JFK and:
Guatemala City, Guatemala (effective Dec. 14);
Liberia, Costa Rica (effective Feb. 16)*;
Panama City, Panama (effective Dec. 13);
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago (effective Dec. 20)*;
and San Jose, Costa Rica (effective Feb. 15)*.

The flights will be operated with a mix of Boeing 737-800, 757-200 and 767-300ER aircraft, with 737s and 757s serving Latin America and 757s and 767s flying across the Atlantic. The airline’s 2008 expansion will be aided by the introduction of 15 additional Boeing 757-200 airplanes on international routes. With the introduction of 757s in trans-Atlantic service, Boeing 767-300s serving short-haul routes will be freed up to serve long-haul destinations in Africa and the Middle East.

Also: as part of its plan to address congestion and delays at JFK, Delta will make the following changes before summer 2008:

Metering its use of airport resources by reducing average hourly departures by 6 percent during the most congested hours of 3:30-6:30 p.m.;

Decreasing departures during JFK’s afternoon ‘rush hour’ by shifting short-haul trans-Atlantic flights to a third bank of international departures after 7 p.m.;

Optimizing connecting times to increase transit time for JFK customers to enhance overall baggage performance and schedule reliability;

Increasing by 47 percent the number of Delta flights operated with larger two-class jets. Of the 204 daily departures at JFK planned for 2008, 60 percent will be operated with larger two-class aircraft seating between 70 and 270 passengers – up from 40 percent in summer 2007; and

Eliminating all Delta flights at JFK operated with turboprop aircraft.

Together, these changes will reduce Delta’s demands on limited airspace and airport resources until a comprehensive redesign of the New York airspace is funded by the federal government. Delta’s redesign will offer a more than 20 percent increase in available seat miles by summer 2008, with 11 more daily departures.

[trainiac]

Originally Posted by RobMidtowner

The agency, Ad-Air, plans to install huge ads — the size of three football fields — on the ground near Hartsfield-Jackson along the flight paths of the world's busiest airport.

These better not be additional impervious surfaces -- the airport area has enough of that as it is. Oh, the poor Flint River

[STrek777]

Here is the official press release!

http://news.delta.com/article_displa...ticle_id=10861

[STrek777]

I thought ya’ll would like this. Apparently the US and Australia plan to finalize an open skies agreement early next year. With Delta’s dedication to international expansion out of ATL this could be a major boost to our airport. Delta still has quite a few 777-LRs left to take ownership of over the next few years. With the Australian open skies on the horizon we may not have to long to wait to catch a flight out of ATL to SYD or PER or CBR. Here is the link below.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/20...090945530.html