Delta announces direct flight from Atlanta to Mumbai
Delta Air Lines has good news for those of us who’ve always wanted a non-stop flight to Mumbai from Atlanta. At a glittering event at the World Trade Center attended by senior Delta executives and representatives from the Indian American community in metro Atlanta, Robert Cortelyou, Senior Vice President, Network Planning, Delta, announced that effective November 1, 2008, Delta would initiate a direct flight to Mumbai from Atlanta. Counting Mumbai, Delta will have a total of 78 international destinations from Atlanta. This route was of specific interest because the southeastern Delta corporate customers were doing increasingly more business with India, Cortelyou said.
Delta wanted to add the non-stop flight to Mumbai from its hub in Atlanta to add to its stream of direct flights to the world’s dominant economies including Japan, Germany, China, Brazil, UK, France, etc. Significantly, no U.S. gateway has the international reach that Atlanta does. The Atlanta-Mumbai non-stop route will be the longest route flown by any U.S. carrier. This route would not have been possible without Delta’s acquisition of a Boeing 777 200LR earlier this year.
Commissioner Ken Stewart of the Georgia Department of Economic Development stated, “In this increasingly flattened world (the non-stop flight) places Georgia on the world map.” Narsi Narasimhan, GIACC President, thanked GIACC’s platinum sponsor Delta for the partnership it has offered in the Indian American business community. Steve Smith, Director, Atlanta Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, added, “This new route promotes multiple entry points to Atlanta from the Asian markets. Access to the emerging economy presents tremendous growth potential not only for the leisure traveler but the business traveler as well, not just for Atlanta but through it for the entire USA.”
The traditional “diya”, symbolizing a good omen, was lit by all the guests. Others attending the event were Maria Schnabel, Director, Delta International Corporate Communications, and Harold Bevis, Jr., Managing Director, Delta Public Affairs.
~ Viren Mayani
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