Operations in Mexico reflect a 16 percent increase in capacity and a 29 percent increase in passenger traffic during the last year
Apr 18, 2012
Mexico City, Mexico, April 18, 2012 ? Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) announced today the celebration of its 25th Anniversary of uninterrupted service in Mexico with a year over year growth in that market. In the last twelve months ending on March 31, 2012, Delta experienced a 16 percent increase in capacity and a passenger traffic increase of 29 percent in the Mexico market. Delta currently offers up to 370 weekly nonstop flights during peak season. The airline started operations on April 5, 1987, with flights from Mexico City, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo and Mazatl?n.
?We are proud to celebrate 25 years of service in Mexico, a country that is fundamental in our Latin American strategy,? said Steve Sear, Senior Vice President of Global Sales for Delta Air Lines. ?Our growth this past year proves that our actions are on target. We have made great strides towards becoming the best U.S. airline in Latin America and the growth in Mexico reflects the support of our customers.?
In these 25 years, Mexico has established itself as one of the pillars for Delta?s growth in Latin America. Its expansion in the country has also been driven through the strengthening of alliances with key partners. In August 2011, Delta expanded its alliance with Aeromexico through an investment of US $65 million for a 3.5 percent stake in the company, as well as an additional US $20 million to be matched by the Mexican airline towards a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility, currently planned to be located in Guadalajara.
?Through its partnership, Delta passengers currently can travel seamlessly on 140 Aeromexico operated flights,? said Nicolas Ferri, Delta?s vice-president, Latin America and the Caribbean. ?We will continue to leverage the strengths of both our networks in order to provide greater benefits to our customers.?
Currently, Delta offers flights to and from Mexico?s three leading business centers; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, as well as eight beach destinations: Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Canc?n, Cozumel, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Los Cabos, Manzanillo and Mazatl?n, with connections to Delta?s hubs in the United States.
Delta and Aeromexico?s long-standing relationship began in 1994. The relationship broadened when both airlines became founding members of the SkyTeam global alliance.
In 2009, Delta announced a joint venture with Air France KLM, which was further enhanced when Alitalia joined it in February 2012. With its SkyTeam partners, Delta offers Mexico passengers multiple daily connections to Europe and beyond. In the last year, this joint venture has generated 38 percent growth in revenue and 36 percent increase in transatlantic passenger traffic.
?Our joint venture has been well received by corporate customers and travel agencies and we will continue working together to offer even more benefits to our clients?, said Sear.
Delta KLM Air France Alitalia has an integrated sales team, as well as joint customer ticket offices in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. Additionally, it offers small and medium-sized companies great benefits through SkyBonus, a corporate rewards program.
Delta has become an active participant in the communities it serves by creating and sponsoring two annual Delta KLM Air France Alitalia 5K runs, one in Guadalajara and the other in Monterrey. The proceeds from these events are donated to benefit the lives of handicapped individuals.
Delta Air Lines is working towards becoming the best U.S. carrier in Latin America and the Caribbean. As part of that goal Delta has established a long-term exclusive alliance with GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes investing more than US $100 million in GOL. Likewise, Delta has invested more than US $65 million in Aerom?xico as part of a long-term exclusive commercial alliance and entered a code sharing agreement with Aerol?neas Argentinas solidifying its footprint in Latin America. Delta provides service in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Delta reaching out to 32 countries and 54 destinations in the region offering more than 1,000 weekly flights between Latin America and the U.S. Spanish speaking Delta customers can receive assistance in Spanish through its Twitter channel @DeltaAssist_ES providing real-time, on-the-go travel assistance from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST.
Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. During the past year, Delta was named domestic ?Airline of the Year? by the readers of Travel Weekly magazine, was named the ?Top Tech-Friendly U.S. Airline? by PCWorld magazine for its innovation in technology and won the Business Travel News Annual Airline Survey. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to nearly 350 destinations in 62 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. A founding member of theSkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the industry?s leadingtrans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 13,000 daily flights, with hubs inAmsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline?s service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier program, a world-class airline loyalty program; the award-winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide. Delta is investing more than $2 billion through 2013 in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and review flight status at delta.com.