Delta first to submit plan to allow customer use of portable electronic devices below 10,000 feet as early as Nov. 1

ATLANTA, Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is ready to allow its customers to be the first to use their portable electronic devices below 10,000 feet as early as Nov. 1, 2013 pending Federal Aviation Administration approval. All Delta aircraft have completed carrier-defined PED tolerance testing to ensure the safe operation of passenger portable electronic devices during all phases of flight and Delta's plan has been submitted to the FAA for approval.

In support of the FAA's call for expanded PED usage in flight, more than 570 mainline domestic aircraft stand ready to allow customer use of e-readers, tablets, and smartphones, all in airplane mode, during taxi, takeoff and landing on domestic flights. Delta Connection's more than 550 regional aircraft will be ready by the end of the year. In-flight Wi-Fi will continue to be available for customers above 10,000 feet.

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Today's announcement continues Delta's efforts to lead the industry by offering customers:  

• The largest Wi-Fi enabled fleet, including more than 800 aircraft
• The only U.S. domestic carrier with personal on-demand entertainment at every seat on all long-haul international flights by the end of 2013
• The first real-time baggage tracking on delta.com
• The first U.S. airline with real-time customer service through Twitter @DeltaAssist
• The Fly Delta app, including Glass Bottom Jet which gives customers the ability to sightsee from the sky using dynamic maps, social networks and more
• Full flat-bed seating with direct-aisle access on all international widebody aircraft by mid-2014
• Unprecedented runway views at the award-winning Sky Decks at Delta Sky Club in New York-JFK and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

"We appreciate the FAA's collaboration with the industry to define a path for enabling the safe use of portable electronic devices below 10,000 feet," said Joanne Smith, senior vice president, In-Flight Service. "The Delta team is committed to always working to make flying better and thanks to their efforts our customers are the first to be able to use their devices throughout their entire flight."

Additional details on Delta's new PED policy are available at news.delta.com.

Delta has invested more than $3 billion in the customer experience since 2010, including installation of full flat-bed seats on Delta's widebody international aircraft, a new Terminal 4 at New York-JFK and the new Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal in Atlanta. Delta has also spent more than $100 million to expand, renovate and consolidate terminals C and D at New York-LaGuardia Airport. Additionally, customers have seen Delta's investment in its more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs throughout the system, power poles at dozens of airports, mobile apps that include features such as baggage tracking and Wi-Fi on more than 800 aircraft. 

Delta Air Lines serves more than 160 million customers each year. Delta was named by Fortune magazine as the most admired airline worldwide in its 2013 World's Most Admired Companies airline industry list, topping the list for the second time in three years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 312 destinations in 56 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 700 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-LaGuardia, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Delta is investing more than $3 billion in airport facilities and global products, services and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on delta.com, Twitter @Delta, Google.com/+Delta and Facebook.com/delta.

SOURCE Delta Air Lines