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Delta Receives U.S. DOT Approval to Begin Flights between Atlanta and Africa in December


WEBWIRE

Flights to Dakar, Senegal, with continuing direct service to Johannesburg, South Africa, now available for sale to customers

ATLANTA, Feb. 28, 2006 – Delta Air Lines – the United States’ fastest growing major international airline – has received the necessary U.S. government approvals to begin flights between the world’s largest airline hub in Atlanta and the burgeoning South African city of Johannesburg, with an intermediate stop in Dakar, Senegal, effective Dec. 4, 2006. Beginning today, customers can purchase tickets for these new flights at delta.com and through other ticketing channels.

“We are delighted that the U.S. Department of Transportation has acted so quickly to grant Delta’s request to connect the business capital of the Southeastern United States with the business capital of South Africa via our flagship international hub in Atlanta,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s executive vice president of Network Planning and Revenue Management. “We are grateful to our customers and civic supporters for their role in voicing support for this historic new route and we look forward to welcoming customers from around the world to and from Africa as we inaugurate service in December.”

With the new service, Delta will become the only major U.S. airline to offer non-stop service between Africa and the United States and the first airline to offer non-stop service between Atlanta and Senegal on the West African coast. The new service, subject to certain foreign government approvals, will operate as follows:

Flight | Departs | Arrives
34 | Atlanta at 3:55 p.m. | Dakar at 5:15 a.m. (next day)
34 | Dakar at 6:30 a.m. | Johannesburg at 4:30 p.m.
35 | Johannesburg at 6:50 p.m. | Dakar at 1:50 a.m. (next day)
35 | Dakar at 3:05 a.m. | Atlanta at 7:25 a.m.

The new service also marks the first time since 1997 that Delta has entered a new continent from Atlanta and expands to more than 60 the number of international destinations that Delta plans to serve from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport by December – up from the approximately 14 international destinations offered 10 years ago. Thanks to this continued expansion, Delta customers traveling to or from Africa via Atlanta will have convenient connecting opportunities to more than 140 North American cities.

Delta will operate its new service to Africa with Boeing 777 aircraft featuring 50 Business Class and 218 Economy Class seats. Customers flying to or from Africa in Delta’s award-winning BusinessElite cabin will enjoy access to the airline’s personalized dining service, which allows them to enjoy award-winning wines and cuisine at anytime during the flight when it’s most convenient for them. Additionally, beginning later this year, Delta will provide customers with a more comfortable and entertaining international BusinessElite experience offering all-leather seats and state-of-the-art digital technology.

Delta Air Lines (Other OTC: DALRQ) is one of the world’s fastest growing international carriers with more than 50 new international routes added or announced in the last year. Delta offers daily flights to 503 destinations in 94 countries on Delta, Song, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and its worldwide partners. In summer 2006, Delta plans to offer customers more destinations and departures between the U.S., Europe, India and Israel than any global airline, including service on 11 new transatlantic routes from its Atlanta and New York-JFK hubs. Delta also is a major carrier to Mexico, South and Central America and the Caribbean, with more than 35 routes announced, added or applied to serve since Jan. 1, 2005. Delta’s marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles 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. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.



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