Delta is Honored for its Commitment to Latin American Markets

ATLANTA, Feb. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has been honored with two top distinctions by Latin Trade's Best of Travel Annual Awards 2014. Delta is the only U.S. airline in this year's rankings, leading the categories of "Most Improvement Overall" and "Best Partnerships and Alliances," recognizing Delta's improvements in customer experience and strengthened partnerships with regional airlines GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes, Aeromexico and Aerolineas Argentinas.

"We are humbled to see our efforts recognized by the readers of one of the most influential business publications in the region.  These awards validate the focus, strategy and diligent work Delta employees execute to achieve our goal of becoming the best U.S. airline in Latin America and the Caribbean," said Nicolas Ferri, Delta's vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean. "As Delta's partners, GOL and Aeromexico are also committed to building a better overall experience and global network for our customers."

Over the last two years, Delta Air Lines has invested more than $3 billion to improve all levels of services.  Customers can expect an enhanced experience from the moment they book their reservation on the recently re-launched www.delta.com, to their arrival at the newly designed international terminals at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, to the superb on-board experience. These improvements also include the remodeling of Delta's fleet to add full flat-bed seats in the BusinessElite cabin, popular Economy Comfort seats, a redesigned menu for BusinessElite by Chef Michelle Bernstein, as well as Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson's upgraded wine program, and the expansion of its state-of-the-art entertainment system in flights to and from Latin America and the Caribbean.

"We are very pleased to present two awards to an airline that has been part of business travel in the region for so many years, and which made an outstanding improvement in services offerings last year," said Maria Gallo, Executive Director of the Latin Trade Group.  "Receiving one award is a good sign of leadership; receiving two is a strong indicator of an airline moving truly in the direction of service quality and customer satisfaction."

"Delta was recognized not only for its great improvements, but also for having the best partnerships and alliances in the region. Our readers appreciate the connectivity that these alliances have brought to them for both business as well as leisure travel," said Santiago Gutierrez, Executive Editor for Latin Trade Group. "Delta is the only U.S. airline to receive not one but two important awards and this speaks highly of their steadfast dedication. Delta keeps climbing to new heights and we celebrate their dedication to excellence."

Delta's strategic alliances with GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes provide customers access in Brazil to 99 percent of domestic demand points– more than any other U.S. airline. In Mexico, Delta's customers have access to a large network of flights to the interior of the country. Likewise, the alliance with Aerolineas Argentinas increases Delta's offerings in South America.

Latin Trade's Best of Travel Annual Awards 2014 were selected by an editorial board composed of the Magazine's staff and a group of journalists with broad experience in business travel and the airline industry.

About Delta Air Lines

Delta is working to become the best U.S. airline in Latin America and the Caribbean and was just recognized with the Best Airline to North America award by Premio Destaque Companhia de Viagem, by Grupo Companhia.  As part of that goal Delta has established a long-term exclusive alliance with GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes investing more than US $100 million in GOL. Likewise, Delta has invested more than US $65 million in Aeromexico as part of a long-term exclusive commercial alliance and entered a code sharing agreement with Aerolineas Argentinas solidifying its footprint in Latin America. Executive Travel magazine recognized Delta with the Gold Leading Edge Award for the Best Flight Experience to Mexico. Delta provides service to 29 countries and 50 destinations in the region offering over 1,100 weekly flights between Latin America/Caribbean and the U.S. Spanish speaking Delta customers can receive real-time, on-the-go travel assistance in Spanish and Portuguese through its Twitter channels @DeltaAssist_ES and @DeltaAjuda 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST. Brazilian customers can also access Delta's dedicated Brazil Facebook page visiting http://www.facebook.com/DeltaAirLinesBrasil.

Delta Air Lines serves nearly 165 million customers each year. This year, Delta was named the 2014 Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine, marking the first time in a decade that a North American-based carrier has earned the distinction. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 322 destinations in 59 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 as well as a newly formed joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. 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 has invested billions of dollars 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, Facebook.com/delta and Delta's blog takingoff.delta.com.

Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090202/DELTALOGO

SOURCE Delta Air Lines