Delta plans to start nonstop service between its main hub in Atlanta and Delhi as part of a new airline alliance framework meant to better connect India with North America, Europe, and the UK.
Delta announced last week that it had 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. Those onward flights include KLM service to various destinations in Europe, Delta and KLM flights linking Amsterdam with the US and Canada, and Virgin Atlantic service between Manchester, England, and the US.
This new level of cooperation will require the completion of “commercial contracts and regulatory procedures,” the partners said.
New route subject to government approvals, launch date yet to be decided
Delta announced the Atlanta-Delhi service alongside the alliance, but will not rely on any of the other carriers to operate it. The airline has not offered a nonstop flight between the US and India since 2020, when it discontinued a route connecting New York and Mumbai. The new route is subject to Government approval, and Delta has not disclosed a prospective launch date.
“This agreement is another example of our commitment to making travel more connected, more inclusive and more accessible,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “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 US to India in the near future.”
The airline partners said their alliance could eventually include collaboration on loyalty programmes, cargo, and sales, as well as non-commercial cooperation on aircraft maintenance, technology, sustainability, and ground handling. In September, KLM will launch a route between Amsterdam and Hyderabad, India. As part of the new agreement, KLM will start selling IndiGo routes to 24 destinations beyond Hyderabad. IndiGo, the largest airline in India, is in the process of expanding its network beyond South Asia. This summer, it will launch service between Mumbai and Amsterdam and Manchester. The airline plans to expand its long-haul offerings as it gradually acquires more wide-body aircraft l i k e the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350-900. IndiGo has had partnerships with Air France-KLM and Virgin Atlantic since 2022 allowing passengers to earn IndiGo rewards points. B
Delta’s gamma & theta
Delta Airlines is a major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its largest in terms of total passengers and number of departures. With its regional subsidiaries and contractors operating under the brand name Delta Connection, Delta has over 5,400 flights daily and serves 325 destinations in 52 countries on six continents. Delta is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance which helps to extend its global network. It is the oldest operating US airline and the seventh-oldest operating worldwide.
Delta began humbly in 1924 as a crop-dusting company called Huff Daland Dusters in Macon, Georgia — the first of its kind in the world. Originally created to battle the boll weevil infestation in cotton fields, it was bought in 1928 by C.E. Woolman, a visionary who saw greater potential in the skies. Renamed Delta — a nod to the Mississippi Delta region — the airline took its first passenger flight in 1929.