Delta Air Lines resumes flights to US

American air travel company Delta Air Lines, the third largest flight operator in America, estimates it will have an approximately 75-80% occupancy rate on its Bucharest – New York route, which would ensure the profitability of transatlantic flights operated by the company.
Delta Air Lines, which has decided to resume flights to the US after an over ten-year hiatus, will operate four flights a week, already recording an 83% occupancy rate for its very first flight. Delta Air Lines resumed its flights from the Otopeni International Airport, to the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, yesterday. No other airline company is currently operating flights on the Romania – US route.
“Romania was our next logical market, given our expansion in the region. We have started to operate flights from Prague, Budapest, Kiev and Vienna, and we didn’t want to exclude Bucharest from our list of destinations,” stated Loren Neuenschwander, managing director of Delta Air Lines.
According to data supplied by the company, one business class return ticket, all taxes included, costs 1,817 euros, while an economy class ticket costs 527 euros, at a special promotional price.
The planes operating on these routes have a maximum capacity of 214 passengers, with 36 seats being allocated for business class travelers. Under the circumstances, in the first year, Delta Air Lines could earn 26.4 million euros, with an 80% occupancy rate.
“We are now operating four flights a week, but we could reach seven flights a week depending on how the market evolves. For the summer months, for instance, we already have an over 80% occupancy rate,” added Neuenschwander.
According to the Delta Air Lines official, there is a diverse blend of people who are opting for these flights. Both Americans, who want to travel to other European states, are trying out Romania as a travel destination, and also Romanians are becoming more interested in taking transatlantic trips.