Delta Air Lines is planning a massive change to their flight schedules, and possibly the most notable is a nonstop flight from the Delta hub in Atlanta, GA, to Delhi, India! This new airline alliance framework is attempting to better connect India with North America and Europe.
What is this airline partnership with Delta?
According to Airline Geeks,
Delta announced Sunday that it signed a memorandum of understanding with IndiGo, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic that will eventually allow the partners to coordinate their route networks and sign codeshare agreements. Plans are in the works to allow IndiGo passengers traveling from India to book certain onward flights via the other carriers.
Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Air Lines said in a statement this week,
This agreement is another example of our commitment to making travel more connected, more inclusive and more accessible. Combining our strengths with those of IndiGo, Air France-KLM, and Virgin Atlantic, will enable us to offer unparalleled connectivity and convenience, ensuring that our customers enjoy the highest standards of service and reliability across the globe. We look forward to restarting Delta’s direct service from the U.S. to India in the near future.
Why is this important?
In a statement, Delta says,
By linking IndiGo’s extensive domestic network with Delta’s strength in North America and the transatlantic, the extensive reach of Air France-KLM in Europe and North America, and the U.K. and transatlantic presence of Virgin Atlantic, the partnership is poised to offer travelers broader access, smoother journeys, and a more consistent experience across continents. Linking dozens of cities in the United States, Canada, Europe and India, the airlines aim to meet rising demand for international travel while setting new standards for connectivity and cooperation in global aviation.
This will also be the first time in half a decade that Delta has offered a nonstop flight from the U.S. to India, since its New York-to-Mumbai flight was discontinued in 2020. The last time Atlanta had a direct flight to India was in 2009, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Imagine flying directly from Atlanta to India… the possibilities are endless!