Delta Dreams Big in L.A. in 2017

Delta to swap four gates in T5 and T6 with American in first step of $1.9 billion LAX infrastructure project

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Jan 31, 2017, 11:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With a $1.9 billion airport infrastructure project, new local partnerships, expanding routes and the implementation of a strategic alliance, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is kicking off its biggest year yet in L.A.

"Continuous improvement is the essence of who we are at Delta, and in 2017 we will stay true to that promise with projects and partnerships that significantly improve the customer experience, such as our $1.9 billion LAX project and our strategic partnership with Aeromexico," said Ranjan Goswami, Delta's Vice President – Sales, West. "Big ideas keep us energized, and Delta is more energized than ever as we kick off an important year in 2017 and continue our efforts to be the premier airline in Los Angeles."

Delta Takes on Larger Presence in T6 Ahead of Move in May
In 2016, Delta, Los Angeles World Airports and the City of Los Angeles announced a $1.9 billion effort – one of Los Angeles' largest investments and public-private partnerships – to build a premier partner hub by upgrading and connecting Terminals 2 and 3 at LAX. Prior to the proposed reconstruction, Delta will move out of Terminal 5 and 6 and into Terminal 2 and 3 in May.

"Airport infrastructure is a major driver of economic growth, and Delta has deep experience successfully managing major infrastructure projects around the country," Goswami said. "This project will create the airport experience Angelenos have always wanted. Prior to the proposed project, we will be executing a move involving 22 airlines at LAX to enable co-location with our partners, which is unprecedented, so we're putting all our resources into planning, preparing, communicating and executing this move as flawlessly as possible for our customers."

The first visible sign of the move will occur on Jan. 31, when Delta will increase its presence in Terminal 6, operating temporarily from Gates 60-63 in addition to Gates 68A, 68B and 69B. Delta will also use its nine remaining gates in Terminal 5 until it moves to Terminals 2 and 3 in May. The airline has placed additional check-in positions closer to Terminal 6 and will have two baggage claim positions for passengers arriving into Terminal 6. Additionally, the underground tunnel inside the secure area remains available for passengers with connecting flights between Terminals 5 and 6. American Airlines will acquire four gates in Terminal 5 as part of the swap.

Delta customers departing LAX for Denver, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle will depart from Terminal 6. Customers should check their flight status and gate information on delta.com or the Fly Delta app before arriving at the airport to confirm their departure terminal and gate.

Assisting Customers with Wayfinding
Delta will also install signage throughout Terminals 5 and 6 to help direct customers to the correct location and is proactively reaching out to customers ahead of their planned travel to notify them of the gate swap. Delta will also be utilizing out-of-home advertising in and around the airport to raise awareness of the upcoming move and project. Customers can also visit the Investing in LAX page on delta.com to learn more.

Building a Better L.A. in 2017
Delta's move into Terminals 2 and 3 is one in a series of L.A. milestones in 2017 as the airline works to build a better L.A. This year, Delta expects to close on a Joint Cooperation Agreement with Aeromexico, establishing the largest trans-border alliance between the United States and Mexico and benefitting customers of both airlines. Together, Delta and Aeromexico will be the largest provider of service between LAX and Mexico. Last week, Delta and its partner Aeromexico were named the Official Airline Partners for the MLS expansion team, the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). The partnership with LAFC is an extension of Delta's Dream Up, L.A. campaign that launched in 2016 and expands Delta's partnerships in Los Angeles, which include serving as the Official Airline of the GRAMMY Awards, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, STAPLES Center, UCLA and the Rose Bowl.

In April, the airline will launch daily nonstop service to Washington–Reagan Airport, and Delta's joint venture partner Virgin Australia will begin service five days per week to Melbourne. Virgin Atlantic will launch a third daily round-trip flight on a Boeing 787-9 between LAX and London-Heathrow beginning this summer. Delta will celebrate these accomplishments and the people, places and ideas native to L.A. with the release of the annual L.A. edition of Sky magazine, which will be onboard all Delta flight on Feb. 1.

Los Angeles' Airline
Since 2009, Delta has been the fastest-growing carrier at LAX, more than doubling its number of seats and growing from 70 daily departures to more than 175. In 2016, Delta announced a $1.9 billion plan to modernize, upgrade and connect Terminals 2 and 3 at LAX over the next seven years, as well as to provide a secure connector to the north side of the Tom Bradley International Terminal, enabling Delta to build a premier space for its LAX operations alongside its airline partners. Delta's nearly 4,000 L.A.-based employees are deeply integrated into the community, supporting organizations near and dear to the hearts of Angelenos, including AIDS Walk Los Angeles, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Covenant House California, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Junior Achievement of Southern California, KaBOOM!, L.A. Regional Food Bank and The Motion Picture and Television Fund, among many others.

Delta Air Lines serves nearly 180 million customers each year. In 2016, Delta was named to Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the fifth time in six years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented six consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 323 destinations in 57 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta.