Delta Airlines daily service to New York from May 11

The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News: "Effective from May 11, Delta Airlines will begin its daily operations from here to New York via Paris. It is the first US-based carrier to offer direct services from Chennai and the sixteenth foreign airline to operate out of the city.

According to Rodney D' Cruz, Sales Manager-India of Delta Airlines, the service would be offered on a Boeing-767-300-series new generation aircraft. Travellers from Tamil Nadu and other southern States can now fly down to the West directly via Paris, a vital hub for those doing business.

Delta Airlines offers a dual class seating configuration with 167 seats in the economy and 36 in the business class along with an all-Indian cabin crew. The return fare between Chennai and Paris will be Rs.24,000 and Rs.45,400 to New York and back.

The American carrier has drawn up a series of events to mark the commencement of the operations. First, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the AIT by Paulette Corbin, senior vice-president In-Flight Services, followed by a garlanding reception by two elephants at the gateway. The Manging Director of Atlantic Region, Delta Airlines, Loren Neuenschwander, will greet the travel trade and corporates. Important personalities of Chennai will form the invitees list for a party on May 12 where a special American troupe will present a glimpse of "Mardigras".

The flight leaves Chennai at 2-45 a.m. and reaches Paris at 9-55 a.m.; leaves Paris at 1-35 p.m. and reaches New York at 3-50 p.m the next day. In the return direction, the service leaves New York at 6-10 p.m., arrives in Paris the next day at 7-55 a.m., leaves Paris at 11-10 a.m. and arrives in Chennai 45 minutes past midnight.

The American carrier has made available a code-share arrangement with Air France to market the Chennai-Paris-New York-Paris-Chennai flights "without quota restriction".

Mr.Hartej Singh Bains, who has taken over as the Chennai Airport Director on Monday, said he was happy that more foreign carriers were offering direct services from Chennai."