ATLANTA, Dec. 16, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delta Air Lines' (NYSE:DAL) customers can now book convenient nonstop flights between Detroit Metro Airport and Rome's Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport for service beginning on June 4, 2009*. The flight will make travel to the Eternal City more accessible through Detroit's 115 easy connections and will complement Delta's existing nonstop daily service between Rome and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and twice daily nonstop from New York's John F. Kennedy-JFK International Airport.
"As the leading U.S. carrier to Italy, Delta is pleased to add nonstop connections for customers in Detroit and across the United States to Rome -- Italy's leading destination," said Bob Cortelyou, Delta's senior vice president-Network Planning. "We have strategically scheduled flight times between our Detroit hub and Rome to ensure optimal connections."
Delta's subsidiary Northwest will operate the service in cooperation with Northwest's joint venture partner, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, using Airbus 330 aircraft with 298 seats -- 34 in business class and 264 in economy. The airline's A330s are equipped with World Business Class lie-flat seats featuring a privacy canopy, 60 inches of space between seats, and personal laptop computer power. Customers traveling in both the A330's business and economy cabins enjoy on-demand in-flight entertainment with a wide selection of movies, games and on-board shopping.
Delta's new service between Detroit and Rome will operate as follows:
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Flight Departs Arrives Effective Frequency
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NW50 Detroit at 7:45 p.m. Rome at 11 a.m. June 4, 2009 Daily
(next day)
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NW49 Rome at 1 p.m. Detroit at June 5, 2009 Daily
5:50 p.m.
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To celebrate the new flight between Detroit and Rome, Delta is offering a one-way special fare of $699 from Detroit to Rome (based on a round-trip purchase) for travel through July 3, 2009. Special-fare tickets must be purchased by Dec. 24, 2008. **Additional taxes, fees, baggage charges and restrictions apply. See below for details. Fares are available immediately via delta.com.
Cargo customers also can book cargo shipments online at the new deltacargo.com.
Delta offers more service between the United States and Italy than any other airline. During the peak summer 2009 season, Delta plans to offer 59 weekly nonstop flights to and from Italy -- 14 between Milan and New York-JFK and Atlanta; 28 between Rome and Atlanta, Detroit and New York-JFK; 11 between Venice and Atlanta and New York-JFK; and six between Pisa/Florence and New York-JFK.
Delta Air Lines is the world's largest airline. From its hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita, Delta, its Northwest subsidiary and Delta Connection carriers offer service to more than 376 destinations worldwide in 66 countries and serves more than 170 million passengers each year. Delta's marketing alliances allow customers to earn and redeem either SkyMiles or WorldPerks on more than 16,000 daily flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta and its 75,000 worldwide employees are reshaping the aviation industry as the only U.S. airline to offer a full global network. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and flight status at delta.com or nwa.com.
The Delta Air Lines, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1825
* Subject to foreign government approval.
** TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Restrictions: Fare shown is available at delta.com. Tickets cost $20 more if purchased from Delta or Northwest over the phone, $35 more at a Delta or Northwest ticket counter or ticket office, and these amounts are nonrefundable. Tickets are non-transferable. Seats are limited. Tickets: Fare shown is one-way; round trip purchase is required. Tickets must be purchased within 72 hours after reservations are made and no later than December 24, 2008. Travel Period: Travel may begin on/after June 4, 2009 and must be completed by July 4, 2009. Blackout Dates: None. Fare Validity: Fares are valid only in the Economy (Coach) cabin via nonstop flights operated by Delta Air Lines. Minimum Stay: Saturday night. Maximum Stay: 1 month Taxes/Fees: A $3.50 Federal Excise Tax, Passenger Facility Charge(s) of up to $4.50 for each flight segment, and the September 11th Security Fee of up to $2.50 for each flight segment are not included. Fares do not include U.S. International Air Transportation Tax of up to $30.80 and U.S. and foreign user, inspection, security or other similarly based charges, fees or taxes of up to $299, depending on itinerary. Taxes and fees must be paid when the ticket is purchased. Baggage Charges: For travel within the United States/PR/U.S. Virgin Islands, $15 for 1 checked bag and $25 for second checked bag. For all other travel, no fee for 2 checked bags and $200 fee for third checked bag. Allowances subject to size/weight limits. Contact a delta agent or visit delta.com for details. Cancellations/Refunds/Changes: Tickets are nonrefundable except in accordance with Delta's cancellation policy. Fees may apply for downgrades/reissues and itinerary changes. Contact a Delta agent or visit delta.com for details. Miscellaneous: Fares, taxes, fees, rules, and offers are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply.