Delta Gets JFK to London!

Delta finally breaks into the the London market from JFK! Good news for Delta.

In a connected story, UAL is dropping its JFK-LHR routes and its NRT routes, no more UAL 777s at JFK, rather sad.

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Delta Acquiring NY-London Route
Friday July 28, 9:50 am ET
By Harry R. Weber, AP Business Writer
Delta Acquiring New York-London Route From United


ATLANTA (AP) -- Delta Air Lines Inc., the nation's third-largest carrier, said Friday it has reached a deal with UAL Corp.'s United Airlines to acquire the authority to provide nonstop service from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to London.

Delta has been trying for a decade to get authority to operate flights to London from JFK.

Terms of the deal, which is subject to U.S. Department of Transportation approval and certain other closing conditions, were not disclosed.

Atlanta-based Delta said that if the deal with Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based United is approved, its first daily round-trip flight between JFK and London's Gatwick Airport would begin later this year with a second flight beginning in spring 2007.

Delta also wants to serve London's Heathrow Airport. It said it supports an open skies agreement between the United States and Europe that would allow it to do that.

Since filing for bankruptcy in September 2005, Delta has ramped up its international operations, and New York has been a big part of that expansion.

It believes the JFK to London route will help it expand its options in the international market.

With the addition of service to London, Delta will serve 22 trans-Atlantic markets nonstop from JFK.

Delta said it plans to operate the new flights with its 214-passenger Boeing 767-300ER aircraft.

Delta is spending more than $20 million on renovations to its Terminal 2 and 3 facilities at JFK. The changes include the addition of a new, dedicated BusinessElite check-in area in Terminal 2, refurbishing the customs and immigrations entrance, refreshing facilities in Deltas BusinessElite lounge and Crown Room clubs, and adding new international check-in kiosks throughout the facility.

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Bad news for UA at JFK...that leaves them with just the SFO and LAX flights, and maybe some feed to IAD? JFK-NRT is being switched to IAD (see link below).

But yes, it's great to see Delta serve London, filling in their Europe dominance even more.


http://<a href="http://biz.yahoo.com...html?.v=56</a>

UAL does feed IAD with CRJs to IAD, perhaps that will be upgraded to E170s if the need arises now.

Strange to think UAL's only aircraft type at JFK will soon be the B752. No wide bodies!!! Did anyone ever think UAL would drop so many markets? The strange thing to me is American already provides good frequent service to LAX and SFO from JFK with B762'S/B763's. Delta also provides service on the LAX and SFO routes with an assortment of B763/ B752's and B738's and of course JetBlue has service to the west coast with their A320 fleet filling the low cost niche market. So there continues to be plenty of capacity on such routs. I wonder how United thinks they can compete on these 2 routs but gives up LHR and NRT. Yes there is no shortage of service to both LHR and NRT with choice of many airlines out of JFK, but what is the difference between those routs and the ones they are retaining?

UAL took a different approach on the SFO and LAX routes with the PS Service rather then just the standard config. The transcon market is a huge route traveled for business and they offer something the others don't. Remember to they are feeding these routes from two of their hubs. If SFO and LAX were just spokes in there system they might have a problem but the PS service seems to be doing well.

You think UA's service is that different than AA's?

It will be interesting to see how Delta is going to compete against AA and BA on this route. Also you also can't forget about Virgin Atlantic or the numerous other airlines servicing this rout. This will be tough market to break into even with the loss of UA's service.

Another question about DAL success is how effectively they can compete with American's Flag Ship (B772) First & Business Class service as well as BA (B744/B772) and Virgin's (B744/A346/A343) established high end product and services. Delta only offers an okay (B763) business class service internationally.

In addition they will be possibly taking on 2 key OneWorld Alliance airports on this route JFK and LHR, if they get the okay into LHR.

I guess we will have to wait and see how Delta's load factors look.

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Originally Posted by s2vKJFK

In addition they will be possibly taking on 2 key OneWorld Alliance airports on this route JFK and LHR, if they get the okay into LHR.

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Delta won't get LHR until the UK-US "Bermuda II" bilatteral is overturned - the current agreement restricts each country to only two carriers into LHR, currently BA, VS, AA and UA. And if B-II is removed, then I suspect we'll see bmi entering the LHR-JFK market to restore a Star Alliance product into the market.

Andy

PS: Got my United J-class LHR-JFK-LHR award in just in time, travelling September - seems like from soon after that there won't be a Star Alliance option from London to New York

Now their dopes in routing need to get the connection times right to FILL these planes. They have not done a good job with that from what I understand and looking at the loads on Deltanet. Anyone want to non rev in first class to Europe with me on Delta?! Seriously, the O&D will only carry you so far because for the sidze of their network and the loyal following they have, they could pull from every market in their network and fill every flight across the pond and than some if they wanted to do it. (My personal opinion) Go Delta Go!