Delta, Continental Ads Bicker on N.Y.-to-Europe Service

Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines are in an advertising spat over who has the most flights to Europe from New York.

The dogfight --- which involves two carriers expanding overseas flights this spring --- essentially boils down to fine print and what counts as New York.

Continental claims Delta's advertising misleads customers into thinking it offers more service to Europe from the New York area. Continental is firing back with ads in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Financial Times.

"Only one airline flies nonstop to the most cities in Europe from the New York area. And it ain't Delta," the ad states.

"Our beef is that we actually have more flights to Europe," said Mark Bergsrud, a marketing executive at Houston-based Continental. "Delta would like to think they have the largest market presence, and the quickest way to get there is to pretend."

Delta says it's Continental that's fudging facts, because the carrier's Newark, N.J., hub isn't really in New York.

"Any true New Yorker knows that Newark is not part of their city," Delta spokesman Anthony Black said. "It is an undisputable fact that Delta does have the most flights from New York City to Europe," he added.

For the record, Delta has 126 flights a week to Europe from the New York area, all from John F. Kennedy Airport. Continental has 259 flights a week to Europe, all from Newark, which many industry watchers consider part of the New York market. Continental says it flies to 26 European destinations from metro New York; Delta flies to 18.

The battle started last month when Delta ran ads touting its international routes in the New York Times Sunday magazine, New York magazine and on billboards in New York.

"Think outside the borough," says one Delta ad in large letters, referring to the five areas of New York City. "The world is your Hamptons," says another, referring to the Long Island resort area. Both are followed by a smaller subhead, "Most flights to Europe," with an asterisk.

The asterisk leads to small print explaining that the Europe-bound flights are from all of the United States, including Delta's Atlanta hub, and include new service starting in coming weeks as well as flights offered by alliance partners such as Air France.

Continental complains most customers who don't read the fine print would think Delta has the most European flights out of New York market. "We think this is playing a little fast and loose with the facts," said Bergsrud.

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