Delta Air Lines Applauds DOT for Haneda Airport Decision

New flights will connect Detroit, Los Angeles with Tokyo's preferred business airport

News provided by

May 07, 2010, 04:22 ET

ATLANTA, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today issued the following statement from CEO Richard Anderson praising the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for its proposal to allow nonstop service between Tokyo International Airport, also known as Haneda Airport, and Detroit and Los Angeles.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090202/DELTALOGO )

"We thank Secretary Ray LaHood and his team at the DOT for this decision, which will increase competition and enhance customer benefits on flights between the United States and Haneda Airport. Secretary LaHood has provided great leadership for the U.S. aviation industry.

"I especially want to thank the more than 12,000 Delta employees, customers, elected officials, business leaders and community advocates, in both the United States and Japan, who sent letters in support of our application. This new service will create jobs and boost local economies on both sides of the Pacific.

"We're looking forward to serving this airport from Detroit and Los Angeles."

Delta will begin its service within the timeframe specified in the order, pending DOT's final approval.

The decision gives Sky Team, Delta's global airline alliance, its first opportunity to serve Haneda, which is conveniently located near central Tokyo. Delta's service will add a third major airline alliance to Haneda, increasing competition and benefits for the consumer.

In Detroit, new service to Haneda will boost Delta's Eastern U.S. gateway to Asia. Delta's hub at Detroit, featuring a state-of-the-art 120-gate terminal designed for international connections, will provide one-stop service to Haneda for 106 U.S. cities.

With its new flights between Haneda and Los Angeles, Delta will service the largest mainland U.S.-Tokyo market, as well as providing one-stop service for customers in 18 U.S. cities.

Delta's new service at Haneda would complement the airline's existing service at Tokyo's Narita airport. Delta currently offers flights between Narita and 11 U.S. cities.

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. With its unsurpassed global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 367 destinations in 66 countries on six continents. Delta employs more than 70,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of nearly 800 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France KLM. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 16,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.