Delta Renames Business Jet Subsidiary 'Delta Private Jets'

News provided by

Sep 09, 2010, 09:00 ET

ATLANTA, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) today announced that its wholly owned private jet subsidiary, Delta Air Elite, will now operate under the new brand of Delta Private Jets. Delta is the only U.S.-based carrier with commercial and private jet service, enabling customers to design their travel plans with the combined reach and convenience of an on-demand charter service and the world's largest commercial airline network.

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

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090202/DELTALOGO )

"This rebranding demonstrates Delta's continued investment in and commitment to the private jet business. This new name leverages the respected Delta brand and the worldwide resources behind it and clearly communicates to customers our comprehensive air travel offering," said Wayne Aaron, Delta Vice President Corporate Strategy and Business Development.

The rebranding is the latest in a series of investments Delta has made in its private charter operation this year.

In January, Delta Private Jets doubled the size of its fleet with the acquisition of Kinston, N.C.-based Segrave Aviation, a leading jet charter and jet management company, and an innovator in online booking and flight management technology.
In June, Delta Private Jets introduced the Air Elite Card, which offers high-value customers several exclusive benefits, including the ability to book on-demand private jet service and commercial flights in a single call using a pre-paid Air Elite account.
Throughout the year, the company added nine of the most popular aircraft to its fleet -- two Learjet 31A, three Beechjet 400A light jets, one Learjet 60, one Citation Excel, and two Citation X super-midsize jets.

"We believe the new name better conveys a seamless, quality air travel experience for all of our customers, while explicitly connecting us to the Delta brand," said Jim Segrave, president -- Delta Private Jets. "With the resources of Delta Air Lines behind us, we are building a unique product and position in the private air travel market. We offer what private jet customers are telling us they want: better value, more options and greater flexibility."

About Delta Private Jets

Delta Private Jets, formerly Delta AirElite Business Jets, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), providing aircraft charters, aircraft management and its innovative Air Elite Jet Card and Fleet Membership program, which allows members to purchase flight time by the hour. Delta Private Jets combines more than 25 years of experience serving business travelers with the resources of the world's largest airline to provide a truly exceptional travel solution. The company operates a diverse fleet of Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Gulfstream and Hawker Beechcraft jets. Delta Private Jets was named 2009 "Best Private Jet Service" by Executive Travel Magazine. It consistently receives awards for outstanding customer service and has continuously held the coveted ARG/US Platinum safety rating longer than any other operator in the world. More information is available by calling 877-541-3548 or by visiting www.DeltaPrivateJets.com.

About Delta

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 65 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 75,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 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. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, the world's largest airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.