 Delta launches direct Chennai-NY flight
 Delta Air Lines today launched its new daily, direct flight from Chennai International Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport via Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport, providing customers with a convenient link between India's fourth largest city, the leading city in Europe, Paris and New York, the financial capital and most famous city in the United States. The flight has fulfilled a long-felt need of US and Indian citizens.
"We are extremely excited about launching this new flight today and being the only carrier to provide this direct link between this important southern Indian city, Chennai, and New York, via Paris", said Paulette Corbin, Delta's Senior vice president In-flight Service, at today's inaugural ceremony in
Chennai.
"India is a strategic and growing market for Delta and our new flight to Chennai is part of our international expansion plans with Chennai and the Tamil Nadu region showing strong economic growth and rising prosperity, as well as being a key centre for trade and the gateway to South India," she added.
 Delta's new flight to its New York/JFK international gateway will now connect local passengers to a large number of destinations worldwide and brings added convenience and travel options for both business and leisure passengers from India, along with multiple opportunities for freight forwarders and cargo shippers.
"The new flight presents a key opportunity in terms of inward investment for India and the Tamil Nadu state, in which Chennai is based, through business and tourism," said Loren Neuenschwander, Delta's managing director for the Atlantic Region, responsible for Europe and India. "There is a natural multiplier effect of economic activity from a new flight which affords a positive return, such as job creation." With a flight attendant base already in Mumbai, Delta has employed an additional 80 flight attendants in Chennai to support this new flight. It has also recently appointed a new sales manager, who will oversee sales and marketing activities in the region in conjunction with Delta's General Sales Agent (GSA), InterGlobe Enterprises. Overall, Delta now employs approximately 250 people in India.
Delta is operating its daily direct flight between Chennai and New York/JFK, via Paris Charles de Gaulle, with Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with the capacity to carry up to 204 passengers in a two-class configuration, featuring Delta's award-winning SusinessElite service.
Furthermore, Delta's flight is tailored for the Indian market with a localised menu reflecting specialities such as vegetarian Channa Dal, Chicken Nilgiri Korma and Kesari Saffron Rice as well as offering a choice of two new films each month in Tamil language and 12 local language newspapers and magazines.
Delta has served the Indian market since 1991 and is one of the leading U.S. carriers flying to India, already offering a daily direct service to the US from Mumbai via Paris and on to New York/JFK.
Delta's schedule between Chennai and New York/JFK, via Paris/Charles de Gaulle effective May 11, 2005
| Flight 17 departs Chennai at 2.45
a.m. |
Arrives Paris/CDG at 9.55 a.m. |
| Flight 17 departs
Paris/CDG at 1.35 p.m. |
Arrives New YorklJFK at 3.50 p.m. |
| Flight 16 departs New
York-JFK at 6.10 p.m. |
Arrives Paris/CDG at 7.55 a.m. (next day) |
| Flight 16 departs
Paris/CDG at 11.10 a.m. |
Arrives Chennai at 12.45 a.m. (next day) |
 Delta Air Lines is the leading U.S. carrier across the Atlantic and the world's second-largest airline in terms of passengers carried offering daily flights to 490 destinations in 85 countries on Delta, Song, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and its worldwide partners. Delta's marketing alliances allow customers to earn and redeem frequent flier miles on more than 14,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and. services. For further information customers should visit
www.delta.com or call Delta reservations in India on 1-600-225-2000.
Loren said Delta chose Chennai as its first destination for the direct flight from New York as the airline felt that the city had tremendous growth potential which was largely untapped. "There is a lot of interest in India, particularly in south India, especially Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad, and we feel there will be a lot of traffic opening up between New York and Chennai. The fact that Chennai is a major IT destination will also help grow traffic and business and tourism links", he added.
"I have been in Chennai for just a week in connection with this launch, and although most of what I have seen is the airport. Bt after today's launch, we are planning to take time off and have a good time at Mamallapuram, enjoy the beaches and relax", Loren said.
Delta will look at the possibility of having direct flights from other Indian cities as well based on the response generated by the Chennai flight. Loren said adding that a link-up with other US cities would also be explored. He welcomed the Open Skies agreement between US and India and said several associates of Delta were looking at the possibilities of working in India.
The launch was marked by dazzling dances, two female and a male dancer flown in from the US, and suddenly it was as if Delta had flown in not just an aircraft but also a nightclub. Of course, for the Indian television channels, it was a visual treat.
|
