Delta has announced that it will temporarily suspend service at 10 stations in markets with more than one Delta-served airport.
The move will be effective May 13, and will allow more frontline employees to minimize their risk of exposure to COVID-19 while customer traffic is significantly reduced. Delta will continue to provide essential service to impacted communities via neighboring airports.
Suspended airports are Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Oakland International Airport (OAK), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Long Beach Airport (LGB), T. F. Green International Airport (PVD), Westchester County Airport (HPN), Stewart International Airport (SWF), Akron-Canton Airport (CAK), Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) and Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF).
The stations will remain closed until at least Sept. 2020, as Delta continues to evaluate overall network needs. Delta will re-accommodate customers whose travel is impacted as a result of service suspensions in these stations. Affected Delta employees will be provided pay protection options through Sept. 30, 2020.
“The safety of our employees and customers remains our primary focus as we navigate these challenges together,” said Sandy Gordon, senior v.p.—domestic airport operations, in a press release statement. “By consolidating operations while customer traffic is low, we can allow more of our people to stay home in accordance with local health guidelines.”
Delta has also announced an 85 percent reduction in its second quarter schedule, which includes reductions of 80 percent in U.S. domestic capacity and 90 percent internationally. Late last month, Delta filed a request with the U.S. Department of Transportation to consolidate operations in another nine cities served by multiple airports. That request is still under review.
Additionally, looking to the future, Delta has signed a trans-American Joint Venture Agreement with LATAM Airlines Group. Once regulatory approval has been granted, it will combine the carriers’ complementary route networks between North and South America, providing customers with a seamless travel experience.
“Late last year, we set out to build the leading strategic alliance in Latin America together with LATAM, and while the industry landscape has changed, our commitment to this joint venture is as strong as ever,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian in a press release statement. “Even as our carriers contend with the impact of COVID-19 on our business and take steps to protect the safety of our customers and employees, we are also building the airline alliance we know they’ll want to fly in the future.”
Since Sept. 2019, Delta and LATAM have achieved several milestones in their framework agreement including codeshare agreements between Delta and LATAM’s affiliates in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil. The agreements will allow customers to purchase flights and access onward destinations in their respective networks and will be expanded to cover long-haul flights between the United States/Canada and South America, as well as regional flights. Delta and LATAM’s affiliates in Chile and Argentina also plan to sign codeshare agreements in the coming weeks.
For more information on Delta’s partnership with LATAM Airlines Group click here.
