GDEcD News

CONTACT:
Bert Brantley
Georgia Department of Economic Development
404.962.4830
 

Delta Corporate Communications
404.715.2554

Delta to Begin First Nonstop Service between Atlanta and Tel Aviv
Flights connect business, religious, leisure and cargo customers with U.S. Southeast and Israel

ATLANTA, Oct. 6, 2005 – Beginning next spring, Delta Air Lines’ customers will be part of history when the airline starts the only nonstop service between the U.S. Southeast and Israel. On March 27, 2006 Delta will begin daily service between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, Israel, as part of its ongoing international expansion to popular global business and tourist destinations.

"I am proud that Georgia will become the first southeastern state with nonstop service to Israel," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "This new route will boost commerce and tourism between Georgia and Israel, which have grown exponentially over the last several years."

Delta’s newest international service builds on a wave of expansion planned for 2006 between Georgia and the world, including recently announced routes between Atlanta and Düsseldorf, Germany, and Copenhagen, Denmark, both of which begin next spring.

“As part of our stepped up transformation plan, Delta is expanding to the world’s high-potential business and leisure destinations where our customers want to travel,” said Delta’s Chief Executive Officer Gerald Grinstein. “This new service makes Atlanta the second U.S. city with nonstop service to Israel and bolsters Hartsfield-Jackson’s status as the pre-eminent gateway to America for global travelers. We expect Delta’s presence in the U.S.-Tel Aviv market to enhance economic growth and tourism opportunities for both the U.S. and Israel.”

Governor Perdue will lead a technology and trade mission to Israel in November sponsored by the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Department of Economic Development. The mission will generate new business opportunities for Atlanta and the Southeast while helping promote Delta’s new service to Israeli business leaders. In 2004, Israel ranked 22nd among Georgia export destinations with exports totaling $173 million.

The Israel Department/Division of Tourism worked tirelessly to bring this historic service to Tel Aviv from Atlanta and are eager to welcome U.S. travelers to Israel.

"We are delighted by Delta's decision to begin flying nonstop flights from Atlanta to Israel,” said Israel’s Minister of Tourism Avraham Hirchson. “These flights will provide a much needed addition to the available capacity of seats for visitors from North and South America wishing to fulfill their dream to visit Israel. The demand for travel to Israel continues to increase, and we foresee 2006 as a record year. We welcome Delta to Israel."

Customers will enjoy the comfort of Boeing 777 widebody aircraft on Delta’s new flight between Atlanta and Tel Aviv which includes the carrier’s award-winning BusinessElite™ service. Delta’s in-flight experience will offer customers flying to Israel with Kosher meal selections. In addition, these new flights bring multiple opportunities for freight forwarders and cargo shippers.

Delta’s new daily non-stop service between Atlanta and Tel Aviv
beginning March 27, 2006**:

Flight Departs Arrives
152 Atlanta at 10:45 p.m. Tel Aviv at 5:25 p.m.(the following day)
153* Tel Aviv at 11:45 p.m. Atlanta at 6 a.m. (the following day)
*Flight begins March 28
**Subject to Israeli government approval

With its upcoming fall and winter schedule, Delta will add to the more than 40 new international routes already introduced, announced or sought authority to serve since Jan. 1, 2005, including Atlanta to Moscow, Russia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to name just a few. These schedule enhancements strengthen Delta’s position as both a leading carrier to Latin America as well as the No. 1 U.S. airline across the Atlantic.

Additionally, customers flying Delta between Atlanta and Tel Aviv will have access to the world’s most extensive connecting flight schedules thanks to Atlanta’s status as the world’s largest single-airline hub. Each day, Delta operates flights to 49 destinations in 32 countries from Atlanta, including 150 domestic destinations.
“Delta is a great partner because of the number of direct flights that come into and leave out of Georgia,” Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Craig Lesser said. “Accessibility is so important in today’s business climate, especially international commerce, and Georgia has an advantage on the competition because we are so accessible, in large part thanks to the great service that a home-grown company provides.”

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.

For more information, visit www.georgia.org.

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