Delta Air Lines announced it will introduce full flat-bed seats in the BusinessElite cabin of all transcontinental flights operating between New York and Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle beginning in March 2013.
According to a release, all of Delta's Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft serving these transcontinental markets will offer the flatbed seats over approximately the following 24 months.
Transcontinental flying will be operated using a combination of Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft types. The first 767 will begin flying in March of 2013, between New York- JFK and Los Angeles.This flight will be timed to provide seamless connections with Delta's Los Angeles - Sydney flight in both directions, and offer JFK - Sydney customers a flatbed product and onboard experience throughout their itinerary.
By June, four of Delta's seven daily flights between JFK and LAX, and one of five daily flights between New York and Seattle, will operate with a 767 widebody aircraft featuring the flat-bed product in the BusinessElite cabin.
"We are committed to the business customer and offering full flat-bed seats on three domestic markets out of New York will set us apart from the competition," said Glen Hauenstein, Delta's executive vice president Network, Revenue Management and Marketing. "Delta offers a superior product on our transcontinental flights and this move is a game-changer."
The 767 transcontinental product features an entirely new interior including 26 full flat-bed BusinessElite seats and direct aisle access at every seat in a 1-2-1 configuration. The 21-inch wide seats offer an average bed length of 79 inches and feature a 10.6-inch video monitor. The 767s are configured with 29 Economy Comfort seats featuring 35" of pitch and 50 percent more recline, in addition to 171 Economy seats. Every seat in the Economy cabin features a 9-inch video monitor and USB power. Standard 110v power is available in the BusinessElite cabin and Economy Comfort section.
Sixteen full flat-bed seats on the updated transcontinental 757 fleet will be arranged in a 2-2 configuration and offer a 20-inch wide seat and an average bed length of 79 inches. Each BusinessElite seat will feature a high definition 16-inch video monitor. This fleet modification will also include changes to the Economy cabin, with 44 Economy Comfort seats offering 35 inches of pitch and 50 percent more recline, in addition to 108 Economy seats. All seats in the Economy cabin will feature a nine-inch video monitor, with standard 110v and USB power ports available at every seat. Prior to the full cabin modification and by next summer, the transcon 757 fleet will increase the number of Economy Comfort seats to 25, up from 11 today.
The entire transcon fleet will feature in-flight Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment with a library of more than 1,000 on-demand options. Additionally, the 757 will feature 18 channels of live satellite TV.
Beginning in May of 2013, transcontinental customers flying into and out of New York's JFK will experience Delta's new $1.2 billion expansion of Terminal 4, which will host all flights operating to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. The Concourse B extension will include the largest Delta Sky Club in the system, as well as nine new international gates, for a total of 16 the airline will occupy. The project will improve passenger flow by adding more capacity at check-in areas and security checkpoints. The state-of-the-art facilities also will feature a new automated baggage handling system and larger shopping and dining areas post-security. The project expands baggage claim and Customs and Border Protection areas to speed fliers through the airport. Delta jets will see faster taxi times with the addition of dual taxiways, improving on-time performance.
July 2013 schedule between New York JFK and Los Angeles
JFK 7 a.m. LAX 10 a.m. 76Z
JFK 9 a.m. LAX Noon 75E
JFK Noon LAX 3 p.m. 75E
JFK 3:30 p.m. LAX 6:45 p.m. 76Z
JFK 5 p.m. LAX 8:25 p.m. 75E
JFK 6:15 p.m. LAX 9:35 p.m. 76Z
JFK 9 p.m. LAX 12:20 a.m. 76Z
LAX 6:30 a.m. JFK 3:05 p.m. 76Z
LAX 8:30 a.m. JFK 5:10 p.m. 76Z
LAX 11:15 a.m. JFK 7:55 p.m. 76Z
LAX 1:30 p.m. JFK 10:05 p.m. 75E
LAX 4 p.m. JFK 12:30 a.m. 75E
LAX 9:30 p.m. JFK 6 a.m. 76Z
LAX 11:30 p.m. JFK 8 a.m. 75E
July 2013 schedule between New York's JFK and Seattle
JFK 7:30 a.m. SEA 10:40 a.m. 75E
JFK 9:30 a.m. SEA 12:40 a.m. 75E
JFK 3 p.m. SEA 6:25 p.m. 76L
JFK 5 p.m. SEA 8:33 p.m. 75E
JFK 7 p.m. SEA 10:36 p.m. 75E
SEA 7 a.m. JFK 3:20 p.m. 76L
SEA 9:35 a.m. JFK 5:55 p.m. 75E
SEA Noon JFK 8:25 p.m. 75E
SEA 3 p.m. JFK 11:15 p.m. 75E
SEA 11:30 p.m. JFK 7:45 a.m. 75E
July 2013 schedule between New York's JFK and San Francisco
JFK 7 a.m. SFO 10:25 a.m. 75E
JFK 10 a.m. SFO 1:25 p.m. 75E
JFK 2 p.m. SFO 5:30 p.m. 75E
JFK 4 p.m. SFO 7:45 p.m. 75E
JFK 5:30 p.m. SFO 9:20 p.m. 75E
JFK 7 p.m. SFO 10:50 p.m. 75E
SFO 6:15 a.m. JFK 2:55 p.m. 75E
SFO 8 a.m. JFK 4:40 p.m. 75E
SFO 11:30 a.m. JFK 8:10 p.m. 75E
SFO 4 p.m. JFK 12:35 a.m. 75E
SFO 9:15 p.m. JFK 5:45 a.m. 75E
SFO 11:15 p.m. JFK 7:50 a.m. 75E
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