Delta doubles network to Scotland with new route between New York-JFK and Glasgow

NEW YORK, June 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Two weeks after Delta Air Lines [NYSE:DAL] started service between New York-JFK and Edinburgh, it has announced it will double its Scottish network in summer 2017 when flights begin between the Big Apple and Glasgow.

The service, which will begin on May 25, 2017, will be the only nonstop fight between New York-JFK and Glasgow and will operate daily throughout the summer. Customers from across the United States can conveniently connect to this service via Delta's JFK hub. The flight will be operated in conjunction with partners Virgin Atlantic Airways and adds to Virgin's seasonal service from Orlando to Glasgow.

"As a core component of our global strategy, we are eager to build our network across the U.K. and offer more nonstop services from New York," said Henry Kuykendall, Delta's Vice President – New York. "With this flight, Delta will operate to four airports in Scotland and England, offering both our business and leisure customers more choices when visiting the U.K."

The schedule for the service between Glasgow and New York-JFK is:

"The arrival of Delta Air Lines in Glasgow is fantastic news for Scotland, and we really cannot underestimate the significance of this announcement, especially since it comes just as Glasgow Airport is about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its official opening," said Amanda McMillan, Chief Executive of AGS Airports Ltd and Managing Director of Glasgow Airport. "Routes such as this enable Scotland to maintain and increase its global competitiveness. Not only will it play a major role in supporting our growing tourism industry, it will also provide Scottish businesses with yet another direct link to the world's largest economy. New York is an iconic city for which there is huge demand, and passengers will be able to take advantage of Delta's extensive route network through its hub at New York-JFK."

The United States is the number one inbound tourism market to Scotland, with nearly half a million visitors in 2014 – an increase of 100,000 compared to the previous year*. Scottish Government data also reports that overall tourism expenditure in the country stood around £9.7 billion in 2014.

"This announcement is a fantastic endorsement by one of the world's biggest airlines for Scotland and the important growth opportunity that is Scottish tourism, coming, as it does, hard on the heels of the commencement of Delta's new Edinburgh-JFK service," said Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland. "Our strategy sees us working closely in partnership with airlines like Delta to develop and promote direct air connectivity to Scotland. This new service to Glasgow will be well timed to exploit the increased interest in Scotland and Scots heritage stimulated by the highly successful Outlander TV series and our Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology in 2017."

Councillor Frank McAveety, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, added: "The USA is Glasgow's largest international market with 100,000 American visitors currently travelling to the city each year, contributing £38 million to the local economy. Delta's new service to Glasgow Airport will bring a mix of leisure and business visitors to the city, as well as serving to increase our worldwide connectivity. We look forward to welcoming Delta to Glasgow and working closely with them and city partners to grow this key market."

Delta's Glasgow service will be operated using a 164-seat Boeing 757-200ER. All flights will be equipped with Wi-Fi, allowing customers to stay connected at 30,000 feet, in addition to complimentary on-demand in-flight entertainment in all cabins. Movies and TV shows can also be downloaded to tablet and laptop devices.

Customers flying in Delta Comfort+ will benefit from up to four additional inches of legroom and 50 percent more recline than Main Cabin seats, as well as priority boarding. Furthermore, all Delta's flights to Scotland feature fully flat-bed seats in the Delta One cabin, with Westin Heavenly Inflight Bedding from Westin Hotels & Resorts and TUMI amenity kits featuring products by MALIN + GOETZ. Customers enjoy a range of regional dining options in the Delta One cabin produced using seasonal ingredients and paired with wines selected exclusively for Delta by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson.

Tickets for Delta's New York service are available through Delta Air Lines on 0871 221 1222, www.delta.com or via travel agents.

Notes to Editors:

*stats from Office for National Statistics

About Delta:
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 five consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 337 destinations in 62 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 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.

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SOURCE Delta Air Lines