Delta Welcomes Vietnam Airlines into SkyTeam Alliance

Delta customers gain lounge, frequent flyer benefits when traveling to and from Vietnam

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Jun 10, 2010, 07:05 ET

ATLANTA, June 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today welcomed Vietnam Airlines as the newest member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance. With Vietnam's entrance, Delta customers immediately gain the ability to earn and redeem SkyMiles on the airline's flights, as well as access to its airport lounges in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

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"SkyTeam continues to improve Delta customers' access to some of the globe's most important commercial and tourism destinations," said Delta CEO Richard Anderson. "The addition of Vietnam's leading airline to SkyTeam positions our alliance as the fastest growing in Asia and builds on the planned addition of China Eastern Airlines."

Korean Air and China Southern Airlines also are long-standing Asian-based members of the alliance.

Beginning in mid-July, Vietnam Airlines will offer codeshare service via Delta's Tokyo-Narita hub allowing passengers to purchase a single Vietnam Airlines ticket to and from the United States. Delta operates 27 peak-day departures to 22 nonstop destinations from Tokyo-Narita, including nonstop flights to 10 U.S. cities – Atlanta, Detroit, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle.

By the end of this year, Delta passengers will have the ability to connect on a single codeshare ticket from cities throughout Delta's network to Vietnam. Over time, SkyTeam's addition of Vietnam Airlines will introduce 20 new destinations not offered by any alliance member today. Vietnam Airlines currently serves the SkyTeam hubs in Beijing, Guangzhou, Paris, Seoul and Tokyo.

More information is available in SkyTeam's news release announcing Vietnam Airlines as the newest member of the alliance at www.skyteam.com.

About SkyTeam

SkyTeam is a global airline alliance providing customers from member airlines access to an extensive global network with more destinations, more frequencies and more connectivity. Passengers can earn and redeem Frequent Flyer Miles throughout the SkyTeam network. SkyTeam Member airlines offer customers over 415 lounges worldwide. The 10 members are: Aeroflot, Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, China Southern, Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air and Vietnam Airlines. Additionally, SkyTeam has two Associate Airlines: Air Europa and Kenya Airways. SkyTeam offers its 393 million annual passengers a worldwide system of more than 13,000 daily flights to 884 destinations in 169 countries. SkyTeam celebrates its 10th anniversary in June 2010.

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 368 destinations in 66 countries on six continents. Delta employs more than 70,000 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. 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 more than 45 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.