For decades Pan Am and then Delta were the preferred carriers to Istanbul. Delta was always superior to TK, especially upfront and the route was long and thin enough that no other US carrier competed on the route and AA then UA were content to codeshare on the route. Over the last decade TK experimented with MIA and the ORD, but Delta did not budge in increasing services. The year prior to 9/11 Delta did 3s a week service IST-ATL and it had one of the highest load factors of any Delta route while they ran it. After 9/11 it did not come back and everytime they considered bringing it back, some global crisis kept it from starting (Iraq War, SARS, Avian Flu, Recession).

Now jump ahead to 2010. TK flies a brand spanking new 777 on the route 7x, with a far superior Business Class. In addition in the summer they run an additional 4x with an A340. They not only are increasing ORD to 7x, and YYZ (not a possible Delta route, but has taken a bit of business away from them) they are now starting IAD AND LAX in the coming months and now they have announced an ATL tag to the Washington flight.

What on Earth is Delta thinking? They have an effective sales network in the country, they have name recognition, and have always had good loads, why on Earth would they want to do an India, whereby they had the lead for decades and frittered it all away without even putting up a fight!!??

I really am somewhat dumbfounded by this...........