ATLANTA, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc said on Tuesday that it plans to offer more amenities including bigger meals and on-demand games and music to business customers flying from New York to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The carrier said it has added full flat beds on flights between New York's John F. Kennedy airport and London's Heathrow.
It also said it will introduce BusinessElite, a service generally for international travelers that provides bigger meal portions and other enhanced benefits, on transcontinental flights between its JFK hub and Los Angeles and San Francisco next month.
The carrier also said it expected to expand wireless Internet access for business and economy-class travelers on flights between New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco by year's end.
Despite the economic slump, airlines have taken moves to improve customer conveniences. For example, Southwest Airlines and AMR Corp's American Airlines in recent days announced plans to keep expanding Wi-Fi Internet access on planes.
'I do think the incentive to keep and attract the business traveler is going to be a top priority as the economy seems to be emerging and as travel starts to pick up again,' said Mark Gerchick, principal with Gerchick-Murphy Associates, an aviation consultancy.
'There's also an increasing competition for that business travel market' emerging from low-cost carriers, Gerchick added.
Delta in July announced enhancements to its SkyMiles frequent-flier plan that will allow those who travel most to roll over miles earned above their qualification status during the year.
The Atlanta-based carrier, which acquired Northwest Airlines last year, is seeking to build a major hub in New York. Earlier this month, it announced a deal with US Airways Group Inc to swap takeoff and landing rights at New York's LaGuardia and Washington Reagan National airports.
The accord, which must be approved by U.S. regulators, would transfer 125 pairs of slots from US Airways to Delta at LaGuardia, enabling Delta to more than double the nonstop destinations served from that airport. US Airways would receive 42 pairs of slots from Delta at Reagan National, as well as rights to expand to certain international cities.
(Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Tim Dobbyn) Keywords: DELTA/BUSINESS (karen.jacobs@thomsonreuters.com; +1 404 493-3656; Reuters Messaging: karen.jacobs.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The carrier said it has added full flat beds on flights between New York's John F. Kennedy airport and London's Heathrow.
It also said it will introduce BusinessElite, a service generally for international travelers that provides bigger meal portions and other enhanced benefits, on transcontinental flights between its JFK hub and Los Angeles and San Francisco next month.
The carrier also said it expected to expand wireless Internet access for business and economy-class travelers on flights between New York and Los Angeles and San Francisco by year's end.
Despite the economic slump, airlines have taken moves to improve customer conveniences. For example, Southwest Airlines and AMR Corp's American Airlines in recent days announced plans to keep expanding Wi-Fi Internet access on planes.
'I do think the incentive to keep and attract the business traveler is going to be a top priority as the economy seems to be emerging and as travel starts to pick up again,' said Mark Gerchick, principal with Gerchick-Murphy Associates, an aviation consultancy.
'There's also an increasing competition for that business travel market' emerging from low-cost carriers, Gerchick added.
Delta in July announced enhancements to its SkyMiles frequent-flier plan that will allow those who travel most to roll over miles earned above their qualification status during the year.
The Atlanta-based carrier, which acquired Northwest Airlines last year, is seeking to build a major hub in New York. Earlier this month, it announced a deal with US Airways Group Inc to swap takeoff and landing rights at New York's LaGuardia and Washington Reagan National airports.
The accord, which must be approved by U.S. regulators, would transfer 125 pairs of slots from US Airways to Delta at LaGuardia, enabling Delta to more than double the nonstop destinations served from that airport. US Airways would receive 42 pairs of slots from Delta at Reagan National, as well as rights to expand to certain international cities.
(Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Tim Dobbyn) Keywords: DELTA/BUSINESS (karen.jacobs@thomsonreuters.com; +1 404 493-3656; Reuters Messaging: karen.jacobs.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.