speedbird0125

I heard that DL is going to discontinue ATL-ICN and ATL-PVG in couple month. Is is because they're not doing good job on the route?
Is it temporary change because of their fleet merge with NW?

AndyTLe

Welcome to FT.

I highly, highly doubt that either of these routes will be cancelled. While the economy is in the tank, there is still a demand for travel to Asia. If anything, there may be a reduction but a cancellation is very unlikely (especially PVG as DL fought so hard for the route authority).

mersk862

Welcome to FT, speedbird0125.

My guess is that the suspension of these routes from ATL is a combination of many things - first the merger with NW allows for passengers to still sta within the company to get to these destinations - PVG is served from both NRT and DTW nonstop, so for many passengers that were going via ATL, they can still be rerouted via DTW and have one-stop service. ICN is also served on DL/NW metal still via NRT as well.

The economy is also a big part of this. In a more prosperous time, we might have seen Delta filling these flights a lot more (especially up front). Simply put, a lot of this revenue has dried up. If you've got lower loads on an ultra-long haul flight like these (both are around 7000 miles from Atlanta), it makes costs even more difficult (especially with the recent rise in oil - up nearly $20/barrel over the past 6 weeks).

Between the fact that they can still keep passengers online (or in ICN's case, DL still has the codeshare on KE's ICN-ATL route), it makes sense to cut back a bit where necessary if it means making a profit or not.

N830MH

No, DL doesn't have any temproarily discontinuation this route for ATL-PVG. So this route for ATL-PVG availability is zero. Because DL/NW are already begin nonstop for DTW-PVG. DL will have to gets award from DOT authority for ATL-PEK will try to get fifth freedom traffic rights. It could be workout very well. DL will have considered for ATL-PEK will have to be exchange from PVG. I'm surely the loads will be very successful route on DL.

Because ATL-PVG are very poorly performance and this is reason why DL has been discontinuation for ATL-PVG. So DL will have to flying somewhere else either way in JFK or LAX beyond bound to Asia flights. I think DL will have to be stepped it up to get more new international route for ATL-GUM/AMM/CAI/IST/BEY/JED/DOH. I think this is restrictions any specific in Middle Eastern will denying to be denial approval for ATL-JED due to security concerns. I think this is best idea where DL will have to be expanded new transpacific routes for LAX-NAN/GUM/RAR/MAJ/PPG/PPT. It would have to be particularly consideration. This is so popular islands leisure vacation trip out of LAX is more convenient for DL. I think it would be done extremely very well.

AGSF

I hadn't heard that DL was thinking of flying to Saudi Arabia. But as far as security goes, there are non-stop flights between Saudi and the US, not to mention numerous flights between Europe and Saudi. So there are no official security concerns or restrictions on flying between the US and Saudi, and there is no reason for anyone to deny approval of this route. DL might have its own security concerns, but Saudi Arabia remains safe for Western airlines to fly to, and is very safe for Western flight crews -- there has never been a security incident related to a Western airline or flight crew in Saudi Arabia.

N830MH

I think you mentioned where SV are already flies out of Saudia Arabia-IAD/JFK, too.

DLATL777

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...september.html

Kumaranyc

Here is a response from Delta Airlines regarding the ATL-ICN and ATL-PVG routes:

Due to the global economic recession and rising oil prices Delta has
been forced to reduce capacity in various markets. We announced on June
11th that we will be discontinuing our non-stop Atlanta/Seoul service on
August 30, 2009. Our non-stop service to Shanghai will be ending on
September 1st. We will still offer convenient connecting service to
both destinations.

AndyTLe

I stand corrected.

N830MH

Yeah, unfortunately for DL will be no longer for ATL-ICN/PVG. Hopefully someday in the future DL will have ever to be reinstated if the global economic will have speedily recovery.

DLfan

Would love to see ATL-JED and ATL-DOH, but is the demand really there for these routes?

N830MH

Yes, I believe that so. DL will have more demand growth to be introduce nonstop for ATL-JED/DOH. I think it will have enough for between 3x or 4x weekly frequencies roundtrip instead of daily nonstop to Middle Eastern.

rclott

Wow, this is a big bummer for me. I live in both Seoul and HSV (a short hop from ATL). Yikes.

AndyTLe

KE's codeshare is still an option.

raehl311

The non-stop ATL-asia routes fly pretty much straight over DTW as it is, so might as well condense down to the one-hop to DTW and then over.

If they're feeling really generous, they can use the same flight number all the way through like NW does SIN-MSP and back.