Company Watch - Delta Air Lines.

Nov 13, 2006

Special gain propels Delta to profitability. Delta Air Lines is bankrupt but profitable thanks to a $98 million noncash gain from reorganization items that propelled it to a $52 million net profit in the third quarter, a monumental reversal from the $1.13 billion loss incurred in the year-ago period. Nov 10, 2006

Delta Air Lines flew 9.56 billion system RPMs in October, a 1.7% increase over the year-ago month. Capacity fell 4.5% to 12.4 billion ASMs, lifting load factor 4.7 points to an October record 77.1%. Domestic traffic dropped 5.5% to 6.72 billion RPMs against a 14.1% decline in capacity to 8.57 billion ASMs, sending load factor up 7.1 points to 78.4%. International RPMs grew 24% to 2.84 billion, ASMs increased 27.2% to 3.83 billion and load factor dipped 1.9 points to 74.2%. Nov 9, 2006

Delta reports Q3 profit. Delta Air lines reported a third-quarter profit of $52 million, its first net profit since filing for bankruptcy protection in September 2005. The results included a one-time gain related to a decrease in a previously estimated bankruptcy claim. Executives also reiterated the airline plans to emerge from bankruptcy as a stand-alone carrier. Delta Air Lines said it had USD$3.9 billion in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, of which USD$2.8 billion was unrestricted. Nov 9, 2006

Delta Air Lines said it plans to recall an additional 1,000 flight attendants in 2007, with 500 recalls planned in January. The company also continues to recall maintenance personnel and is hiring in its Airport Customer Service and Reservation divisions, the carrier said in a statement. Nov 9, 2006

Delta Air Lines, the third largest US carrier, has said it is on track to meet its target of USD$3 billion in revenue increases and cost cuts and expects to emerge from bankruptcy protection in the first half of 2007. Total operating revenue in the quarter increased 8.1 percent to USD$4.66 billion. Fuel costs increased 3.2 percent to USD$1.24 billion. Nov 9, 2006

Business has been good for Cincinnati-based Delta AirElite, which also offers pay-as-you-go air charter, aircraft management and its Fleet Membership card programs. The company operates a vast number of Gulfstream, Learjet, Hawker and Cessna aircraft models. Nov 10, 2006

Delta AirElite Beefs Up Charter Fleet. In February, Delta AirElite Business Jets Inc., a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, expanded its fleet with the addition of a Citation X and Learjet 31A. In early August, DAE renewed its partnership with Bombardier Flexjet and Jet Solutions, LLC, first established in October 2003, to continue offering the Flexjet 25 jet card. Last week, on Oct. 31, DAE added a Bombardier Challenger 604 to its fleet. Nov 10, 2006

Delta AirElite president and CEO Michael B. Green, said DAE has experienced increased demand in all aspects of its business. "Demand for international flights has been especially strong. The added Challenger 604 will help us continue to meet this demand," he said. Nov 10, 2006

Delta AirElite's access to more than 400 business jets positioned throughout the U.S., DAE said it has strategically increased its fleet size through charter management agreements; agreements which allow DAE to increase corporate jet aircraft availability, but without large capital commitments. DAE has focused on charter management agreements, too, providing options for corporations and aircraft owners who want to lower aircraft ownership costs, by generating revenue having their corporate jets certified for DAE's commercial charter operations. Delta AirElite is a CharterX network customer and a Wyvern-recommended operator. http://www.AirElite.com or http://www.airguideonline.com/airgtravel_res2.htm#jetset Nov 10, 2006

Delta AirElite's 10-passenger C-604, based at Lunken Airport (LUK), located three miles southeast of Cincinnati, in Hamilton County, Ohio, DAE is one of the largest operators of C-604s in the industry. The 604, with a 4,600-nm range and a maximum cruise speed of 533 mph, is a popular choice of aircraft used for regional and intercontinental flights; the aircraft is a good choice for flights to Europe and South America. Nov 10, 2006

Editor: Aram Gesar, eMail: [e-mail]

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Oct 30, 2006