What are Delta Air Lines' current priorities in France?
Béatrice de Rotalier - The aim is to consolidate operations at our destinations and ensure flight regularity and operational performance. New York has the largest offer with, between Delta and Air France, ten daily flights from France, i.e. a real shuttle service, particularly since the launch at the end of March of flight DL266 which allows you to have breakfast in New York and dinner in Paris. But all the Delta routes are working very well. This summer, for example, we are operating two seasonal flights a day from Nice: the first to Atlanta until the end of September and the second to New York until the end of October. From our Paris-CDG hub, we offer 14 flights to New York, as well as Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis, Seattle, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. If we add the Air France code-share flights, this makes a total of 47 flights between France and the United States. I would remind you that during the Skytrax World Airlines Awards recently awarded, Delta won the best company in North America "In terms of services, we have been communicating better with our passengers since January. In terms of services, we have been communicating better with our passengers since January via the Fly Delta application, whose information system management has been taken over directly by Delta [editor's note: after having been operated by Air France]. This means we can react more quickly by sending out notifications.
What do you expect from the Olympic Games?
B. de R. - Delta Air Lines is the official airline of the American team present at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. To mark the occasion, an Airbus A350-900 was rebooked in Toulouse to bear the big logo of the Olympic Games. "Team USA" on the hullas well as the Olympic rings. A second aircraft is sporting a livery dedicated to the next Olympic Games, those of Los Angeles in 2028. These aircraft, which already fly on our transatlantic routes, notably from Los Angeles and Atlanta, will transport our 500 athletes and the American delegation to Paris. It is on board the second aircraft that the flame will symbolically take off for Los Angeles on 12 August. Karen Bass, the mayor of the Californian city, will be there during the Paris Olympics, as will Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, as our airline is a sponsor of the 2028 Games.
Will the Olympic Games have a positive impact on Delta, while Air France has announced that the sporting event will weigh on its business?
B. de R. - As far as flights from the United States to France are concerned, tickets were expensive in December-January. This is no longer the case. It is clear that some passengers have chosen not to come to Paris, particularly during the Olympic Games, or to make connections at Paris-CDG airport. With the largest transatlantic network, Delta has increased its global seat capacity in Europe by 6% with an additional flight to Barcelona and Athens, the opening of a Minneapolis-Dublin route and connections from New York to Geneva, Venice, Naples... As far as outgoing travel is concerned, the Olympic Games and the political uncertainty during the general election campaign may have made French people reluctant to travel abroad. The fact that the United States is currently an expensive destination also affects the desire to visit Uncle Sam's country. Hence the problem of overcapacity in Paris this summer. Delta is therefore continuing to push individual sales, even with promotional fares in August. All in all, if business is expected to be less buoyant this year, it is also because of the exceptional year 2023.
What about business activity?
B. de R. - As a precaution, some companies have decided to stop taking their staff on trips during the Olympic Games. With the exception, of course, of sponsors such as Cisco, Coca Cola, Visa, Deloitte, Ralph Lauren and Intel, who are inviting their best customers to Paris for exclusive events. For the rest, Delta recorded good results in his front classDelta One, an excellent product to which business travellers are loyal because they know what to expect in terms of service and comfort. The Delta Premium Select class, present on the majority of our transatlantic and transpacific routes as well as to Latin America, is also very popular. Launched in 2017, this class, which offers extra comfort and luxury, is being redesigned for the first time and will be offered from 10 September on some flights between New York JFK and Los Angeles airports.
Are there any other new features planned for the front classes?
B. de R. - To coincide with the Olympic Games, Delta will be offering a free wifi connection on its transatlantic flights this summer to passengers who are members of its SkyMiles frequent flyer programme. A new travel kit is being distributed to passengers in Delta One class following an agreement with the Italian fashion house Missoni. In Delta Premium Select, this kit continues to be made by Someone Somewhere, a Mexican brand whose products are made from local and sustainable materials by craftsmen in the states of Oaxaca and Michoacan. When it comes to catering, Delta relies more than ever on local chefs who prepare seasonal and regional dishes using sourced produce, and who do this on a route-by-route basis so as not to bore frequent travellers. Our lounges have also been updated, with the first premium lounge, covering 3,500 m², having just opened at New York's JFK airport. With its catering, relaxation and wellness areas, this lounge offers a personalised welcome with an enhanced level of comfort, service and conviviality. Los Angeles and Boston will follow in 4e quarter with the creation of this top-of-the-range lounge within our Delta Sky Club. Last but not least, Delta will be celebrating its 100 years in 2025. We will be celebrating this anniversary throughout the year with a programme of events that is currently being put together.
