Delta Air Lines Provides Update on Proactive, Voluntary Review of MD-88 Aircraft

Customer impact to be minimized as aircraft inspections are completed; normal operations expected early Friday

ATLANTA.– Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today provided the following update on the ongoing proactive and voluntary revalidation of a prior Airworthiness Directive on its fleet of 117 MD-88 aircraft:

“Safety is Delta’s No. 1 priority and we take Airworthiness Directives very seriously. Delta is working in full partnership with the FAA and is proactively and voluntarily revalidating the full compliance of a prior Airworthiness Directive completed earlier this year. We expect this voluntary review, which is taking place on Delta’s 117 MD-88 aircraft, to result in approximately 275 cancellations through early Friday, impacting about 3 percent of Delta’s worldwide flight schedule. Based on the aggressive and proactive re-inspection schedule, Delta expects inspections to be complete on approximately 70 percent of its MD-88 fleet by early evening, with normal operations planned by early Friday.

Delta apologizes in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and is working to proactively contact and reaccomodate affected customers. Customers should check the status of their flights on delta.com as the schedules for approximately 275 MD-88 flights have or will be affected as schedules return to normal. Delta is adding staffing at its largest hubs, especially Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, to accommodate higher-than-normal customer volume expected today.”