MEDIA RELEASE
Delta, Virgin Blue Welcome Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission’s Draft Decision on Joint Venture Application
2 November
2009:
Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and the Virgin Blue Airlines Group (ASX:
VBA) welcome the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) draft
determination to grant authorisation to the airlines’ proposed joint venture.
The draft determination
recognises that the proposed alliance will enhance the strong
competition on trans-Pacific routes. The proposed alliance will allow the carriers to provide
an enhanced service and develop future services and routes, through collaboration on route
and product planning, codesharing on their respective networks and the extension of
frequent flyer program benefits and lounge access to customers of both airlines.
This cooperation will allow the carriers to offer seamless, integrated travel between cities
throughout the Australian and US domestic markets. This enhanced network-to-network
product will enable the maintenance and expansion of existing trans-Pacific scheduling and
the introduction of new direct trans-Pacific routes.
The proposed alliance also fulfils a key policy rationale behind the Australia-US Open Skies
Agreement, introducing further and sustained competition on one of Australia’s most
important air routes.
Delta and Virgin Blue will continue to cooperate with the ACCC as part of the authorisation
process and look forward to the final decision in due course. Delta and V Australia are
awaiting a similar positive decision from the U.S. Department of Transportation in order to
proceed with their joint venture.
About Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, the world’s No. 1 airline, serves more than 170 million passengers each
year. With its unsurpassed global network, Delta, its Northwest subsidiary and the Delta
Connection carriers offer service to 355 destinations in 64 countries on six continents. Delta
employs more than 70,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of nearly
800 aircraft. A founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the
industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France KLM. Including its worldwide
alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 16,000 daily flights, with hubs in
Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK,
Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. The airline’s service includes the
SkyMiles frequent flier program, the world’s largest airline loyalty program; the award-
winning BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide.
Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and flight status at
delta.com.
About Virgin Blue
Nine-year old Virgin Blue Airlines Group carries 18 million guests annually and comprises
Australia’s domestic airline Virgin Blue, Long Haul international airline V Australia, New
Zealand-based Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue*, a joint venture airline with the
Government of Samoa. Together the airlines operate a fleet of 81 modern Boeing 737-NGs,
Boeing 777 and Embraer E-Jet aircraft flying to 28 Australian and 13 international
destinations in the U.S., South Pacific and Southeast Asia. The airline group is much
acclaimed for outstanding guest service. Recently, Virgin Blue was awarded Australia’s
highest national customer service accolade. The airline was acknowledged as having the
highest customer service standards of any organization at the 2008 Australian customer
Service Institute Awards.
Also in 2008 Australian travel agents again voted Virgin Blue Australia’s “Best National
Airline” and “Best Regional Airline” at the annual National Travel Industry Awards (NITA).
Velocity, the airline’s loyalty program, was awarded 2009 “Program of the Year” in the
global Freddie Awards, which recognize the world’s most outstanding airline frequent flyer
programs.
*Polynesian Blue is not included in the joint venture alliance.
For further information:
Delta Air Lines Corporate Communications
+81-3-5400-7230 (Japan, Asia, Australia)
+1-404-715-2554 (U.S.)
Virgin Blue Airlines Group Media Relations
Heather Jeffery,
General Manager Public Affairs
Ph +61-7-3295 5898 Mob: 0412 922 122
heather.jeffery@virginblue.com.au
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