Delta Becomes Only U.S. Carrier with Full Flat-Bed Seats Featuring Direct-Aisle Access on All Widebody Overseas Flights

Full flat-bed seating to be expanded to Delta's 757-200 transcontinental fleet starting spring 2014

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Apr 22, 2014, 11:36 ET

ATLANTA, April 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has completed the installation of full flat-bed seats with direct-aisle access in BusinessElite across its entire international widebody fleet, making it the only U.S. carrier to offer full flat-bed seats and the convenience of direct-aisle access on all overseas flights.

The completed interior fleet modifications include all Delta Airbus A330-200/300, Boeing 767-300ER/400ER, 747-400 and 777-200ER/LR aircraft, which represents Delta's largest interior fleet modification investment in more than a decade. With these modifications complete, Delta also is the only U.S. domestic carrier to offer personal, on-demand entertainment at every seat on all long-haul international flights.

The fleet modifications are Delta's latest investment in improving the customer experience. Since 2010, Delta also has:

Launched international Wi-Fi service and completed the installation of Wi-Fi on all domestic, two-class mainline and regional jets, offering more than 400,000 customers per day access to the Internet above 10,000 feet on more than 870 aircraft.
Transformed the sleep experience in the air by offering Westin Heavenly In-Flight bedding for customers in the BusinessElite cabin.
Updated BusinessElite amenity kits with stylish cases from Tumi and skincare product brand Malin+Goetz.
Built a team of celebrity chefs and James Beard Award winners to offer customers great food and wine selections at 30,000 feet.
Introduced International Economy Sleep Kits and added new amenities for its Economy customers on transoceanic flights.

"We're investing in giving our customers the wide range of options they want on long flights -- from being fully connected via in-flight Wi-Fi to being fully disconnected and enjoying a great movie or comfortable sleep," said Tim Mapes, senior vice president – Marketing. "Delta has set a new standard for our customers by adding full flat-bed seats with direct-aisle access, improved meals and amenities, and quality in-flight entertainment options."

Beginning July 1, 2014, Delta also will operate three updated Boeing 757 aircraft with full flat-bed seats on the transcontinental route between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. These will be the first 757 aircraft in service to feature Delta's previously announced upgrades including full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite on transcon flights between New York-JFK and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. All transcon flights on these routes will feature full flat-bed seats by summer 2015.

Customers can see a complete overview of Delta's ongoing updates to its products with the Delta Fleet Sheet on Facebook. Images of Delta's BusinessElite seats are available at news.delta.com:

Delta has invested billions of dollars in the customer experience including, updating interiors with more baggage space and access to power throughout 225 domestic narrowbody aircraft through 2016, a new Terminal 4 at New York-JFK and the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in Atlanta. Delta has also spent more than $100 million to expand, renovate and consolidate terminals C and D at New York-LaGuardia Airport, opened a Sky Deck at Delta Sky Clubs in New York-JFK and Atlanta in 2013. Additionally, customers have seen Delta's investment in its more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs throughout the system, power recharging stations at dozens of airports, continued updates to the Fly Delta app including features such as integrated baggage tracking and mobile check-in.

Delta Air Lines serves nearly 165 million customers each year. This year, Delta was named the 2014 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine and was named to FORTUNE magazine's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the third time in four years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 319 destinations in 57 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta's blog takingoff.delta.com.