Delta Air Lines, the headline sponsor of this US special edition of Travel Weekly, has high hopes for the UK market. LEE HAYHURST reports
Seattle: Delta believes city could become mass-market destination
Delta Air Lines hailed the success of its daily service to Seattle in the 15 months since it broke British Airways’ monopoly on the route. The US carrier began flying, in conjunction with its partner Virgin Atlantic, to the West Coast US city from Heathrow Terminal 4 in March 2014 and the airline claims it was profitable from the off. Delta is keen to promote Seattle not just as a destination for UK leisure travellers but also as a hub to its other 34 destinations to other parts of the US and beyond. Mike Medeiros, Delta’s vice-
president – Seattle, spoke to Travel
Weekly on a recent trade mission to the UK during which he met key industry partners. “The route’s gone
exceptionally well,” he said. “We could not be more pleased with sales both here and in the US. “It serves as a
great example of how competition is a great thing. It was probably one of the most under- served markets from an international perspective. “We are pleased with it and
bullish about the market itself. “From day one it’s been
profitable. Often, international carriers do not find it unusual if a route takes time to mature and develop.”
Reaping the rewards Medeiros said the carrier was particularly pleased with demand for its
Delta One business- class cabin, which was
higher than forecast. “What that tells us is that our
product is working exceptionally well,” he said. “It has really set us apart and we are getting nice rewards for the investment we have made.” Seattle is regarded as a
Seattle 16 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 2 July 2015
potential mass-market leisure destination by Delta, albeit one that lacks awareness in potential source markets such the UK. “I don’t know that Seattle has marketed itself in Europe well,” said Medeiros. “If you are downtown, in an hour you can be on the slopes skiing – that’s a great winter option. “In the summer, there are the
beautiful islands, the waterfront, hiking, cycling, ocean fishing and the wine country. And then there’s the music scene. It’s a beautiful area.” As well as the attractions of the Seattle region, a key plank of Delta’s strategy is to get people to use it a stopover on their way elsewhere – and to return subsequently for a full holiday. Only 10 of the 125 daily flights from Seattle are long-haul international; its comprehensive network of domestic routes includes San Diego, Palm Springs, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Hawaii. Medeiros said Delta was
working with the Port of Seattle, which also operates the airport, on marketing the city, and the UK trade can expect investment in marketing and fam trips.
Heathrow consolidation Having switched its London presence from Gatwick in 2008, Delta is in talks with Heathrow about bringing all its operations into Terminal 3, where Virgin Atlantic is based. Its services are currently split
between Terminals 3 and 4, which Medeiros called “an unacceptable situation in the long-term”. He said: “We believe Heathrow
can make a Virgin-Delta co-location in Terminal 3 work.” The airline has increased its presence at Heathrow, picking
SPECIAL REPORT
Delta’s partnership strategy pays off
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