Delta to Roll Out Eleven Transatlantic Routes in 2006

Delta Air Lines Inc. said earlier this week it would add eleven new routes scattered among the United States, Europe and the Middle East in 2006 in a bid to become the world´s largest transatlantic airline, despite its financial woes.

The move is part of a “transformation plan” to pull the carrier back from the brink of collapse by tapping more lucrative markets. It filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

“This is a cornerstone of the transformation plan in Delta, shifting assets to markets where we are doing well,” said Loren Neuenschwander, managing director for the Atlantic region at Delta.

The transition will be carried out by transferring existing wide-bodied aircraft from struggling domestic markets where flight frequencies will be cut, Delta officials said at a Paris news briefing.

The move will increase the proportion of revenues from international routes to 35 percent from 22 percent of total sales, Delta officials added.

The eleven new routes include three already announced, linking Atlanta to Tel Aviv, Dusseldorf and Copenhagen, along with eight new ones, from Atlanta to Edinburgh, Athens, Nice and Venice and from New York´s JFK airport to Budapest, Dublin, Manchester and Kiev.