Delta, Air France Unveil Transatlantic Joint Venture
Delta Air Lines and Air France today announced a transatlantic joint venture set to go into effect in two phases beginning in April and to be completed by 2010. Through the agreement, the carriers plan to share a common bottom line for transatlantic operations, align transatlantic corporate sales strategies and expand routes in tandem. The deal gives Delta Air Lines access to three Air France slots at London Heathrow, through which Delta plans to launch daily Atlanta-Heathrow service and twice-daily New York JFK-Heathrow service in March. In addition to new Heathrow service, the first phase of the joint venture covers flights between Air France's Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly and Lyon hubs and Delta's Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York JFK and Salt Lake City hubs, representing combined annual revenues of $1.5 billion, the companies said.
By 2010, the joint venture will govern all flights across the Atlantic operated by the two carriers and all flights between Los Angeles and Tahiti, representing combined annual revenue of $8 billion, the carriers estimate. Delta and Air France said by next summer "many transatlantic flights operated by Air France and Delta between Europe and the U.S. will be sold on a codeshare basis."
No comments:
Post a Comment