Delta Air Lines now offers in-flight Wi-Fi service on all Delta Shuttle flights between New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Boston Logan and Washington National and on all Delta Shuttle flights between LaGuardia and Chicago O’Hare.

Delta operates the world’s largest Wi-Fi-equipped fleet of aircraft and by this summer more than 800 Delta aircraft, including more than 250 two-class regional jets, will be equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi service. More than 550 mainline aircraft are already Wi-Fi-equipped.

Delta is the first carrier to deploy Wi-Fi across its entire mainline and two-class regional fleet. When Wi-Fi installations on regional jets are complete, more than 400,000 Delta customers on more than 3,000 daily flights will have in-flight connectivity on a fleet that already makes up nearly half of the world’s Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft.

“Wi-Fi offers travelers the flexibility and tools to stay connected at 30,000 feet, enabling them to send email or finish a presentation before they reach their destination,” said Gail Grimmett, Delta’s senior vice president - New York. “We are thrilled that Wi-Fi is now available to our Delta Shuttle customers as it’s a perfect complement to other Shuttle amenities including free morning coffee and newspapers.”

Delta was named last month as the “Top Tech-Friendly U.S. Airline” by PCWorld magazine for its airport recharging stations, in-flight Wi-Fi on more domestic flights than any other carrier and smartphone apps with innovative features such as baggage tracking and airport check-in. The magazine also highlighted Delta’s 24-hour customer service via Twitter from @DeltaAssist, as well as the ability to book tickets directly from Facebook.

Delta also offers Delta Connect, its in-flight Wi-Fi portal, for access to real-time travel information, free news content from The Wall Street Journal and People magazine, exclusive shopping deals and entertainment options.

Delta’s Wi-Fi investments are the latest in the airline’s previously announced plan to spend $2 billion improving its products, services and facilities. As part of that goal, Delta is participating in a $1.2 billion project to expand Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport to create a modern overseas gateway.

When completed in spring 2013, the terminal will feature nine new gates, a state-of-the-art baggage screening system and one of the largest Delta Sky Clubs in the system. Delta also will spend more than $100 million to renovate Terminals C and D at LaGuardia after it takes over certain landing rights there from US Airways next month. Delta will add 100 new flights and 28 new destinations to become the leading carrier in New York by mid-July.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/cseeman/

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The Council on American-Islamic Relations and United Firm of Carolina Law announced the filing of a lawsuit against Delta Air Lines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines for removing two Islamic religious leaders, or imams, from a flight to a conference on Islamophobia in Charlotte, North Carolina, earlier this year after the pilot refused to fly with them on board.

CAIR and UFC Law attorneys announced the lawsuit at a news conference earlier today at Memphis International Airport in Tennessee. Interfaith leaders also took part in the news conference.

The lawsuit states in part:

“Despite having been cleared twice by TSA agents, Defendants’ pilot took the matter into his own hands when he chose to eject Plaintiffs from the flight based on arbitrary and capricious reasons, including his personal preconceived notions of race, religion, and national origin.”

According to the lawsuit, the defendants violated both a federal law preventing an air carrier from subjecting a passenger to “discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or ancestry” and a Tennessee law that prohibits denying an individual the “full and equal enjoyment of the… advantages and accommodations of a place of public accommodation… on the grounds of race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin.”

The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction that would prohibit the defendants from “singling out passengers for mistreatment based on their perceived race, color, ethnicity, religion, alienage, ancestry, and/or national origin” and order them to “take all affirmative steps necessary to remedy the effects of the illegal, discriminatory conduct described herein and to prevent similar occurrences in the future.” It also seeks attorneys’ fees and compensatory and punitive damages against Delta and Atlantic Southeast Airlines “in an amount to be determined at trial.”

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eBay is giving passengers aboard all Gogo equipped Delta Air Lines flights the gift of free Wi-Fi this holiday season. Starting December 12 through January 2, passengers can access 30 minutes of free Gogo during any of Delta’s more than 2,500 daily Wi-Fi equipped flights courtesy of eBay. In addition to the free half-hour session, passengers will also be able to shop on eBay throughout the duration of the flight.

“As people head out to visit their relatives on Delta for the holidays, we are delighted to be able to partner with eBay to offer 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi, so they can shop for last minute gifts, connect with friends and family, or send holiday greetings from 30,000 feet,” said Ash Eldifrawi, Gogo’s chief marketing officer. “This is always a hectic time of year, and we’re happy to be able to offer Delta passengers this holiday gift.”

The eBay free Wi-Fi promotion is one more way Gogo is working with partners to bring exciting shopping and entertainment options to travelers.  “With over 200 million listings on eBay, Delta flyers are sure to find exactly the right gift as they head home this holiday season,” said Richelle Parham, CMO of eBay North America. “Shoppers will also be able to access our Daily Deals while they fly, which offer deep discounts on hot products and free shipping.”

“This is the second time Gogo has partnered with eBay in creative ways to help promote their brand through Gogo’s new in-air multimedia platform,” added ElDifrawi. “We’re extremely excited to work with them on building unique opportunities to reach shoppers at 30,000 feet.”

To access the free Wi-Fi, just connect to Gogo on your Delta flight using your own Wi-Fi enabled device, open your browser, enter your email address in the special eBay promotion on the home page, and click the “Give Me Free Wi-Fi” button.

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Delta Air Lines is offering a fast, convenient way for Spanish-speaking passengers in the U.S. and Latin America to receive up-to-the minute assistance with their holiday travel plans through its @DeltaAssist_ES pilot program on Twitter.com.

Like its English counterpart, @DeltaAssist en Espanol is a dedicated Spanish Twitter channel offering real-time, on-the-go travel assistance specifically to Spanish-speaking passengers. The pilot program is one of the first of its kind offered by a U.S. airline.

A team of Spanish-speaking agents are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST to respond quickly to tweets in Spanish from customers concerning flight information, rebookings, baggage tracking and more.

“Since launching @DeltaAssist en Espanol, we’ve received very positive feedback from our Spanish-speaking customers throughout Latin America and the Caribbean who’ve taken advantage of the service and view it as an essential tool for managing their travel plans,” said Allison Ausband, Delta’s vice president – Reservation Sales and Customer Care.

For stress-free holiday travel, customers can tweet @DeltaAssist en Espanol for questions related to connecting flights, weather delays, flight cancellations, airport check-in and more simply by logging onto http://twitter.com/deltaassist_es.

Delta also recommends the following travel tips:

• Check in online up 24 hours prior to departure, or from a web-enabled mobile device in select cities.*
• Arrive at least 90 minutes prior to domestic departures and three hours prior to an international flight.
• Comply with the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight program, and stay up-to-date on passport and visa requirements.
• Know the requirements for the security checkpoint, pack three-ounce containers of liquids in a quart-size clear plastic zip-top bag, and read the U.S Department of Transportation’s Safe Travel information about traveling with spare batteries.

More travel tips are available at delta.com. Customers also can download a free Delta app for their smartphone, which allows them to check in, view flight status, rebook a flight and more. Delta offers industry-leading mobile applications for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Windows Phone with eBoarding pass capability and built-in push notifications.

In addition to its on-the-go customer service assistance, Delta is staffing up the airports to assist customers with checking in and making connections in some of the airline’s busiest hubs, such as New York-JFK and Atlanta-Jackson Hartsfield International Airport. More than 800 Delta Red Coat Customer Service Agents in the U.S. will be roaming the airports to offer one-on-one assistance.

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Delta Air Lines announced a significant upgrade to its service in Brazil with the introduction of full flat-bed seats in BusinessElite on flights between the U.S. and Brazil.

Delta began operating routes between New York-JFK and Sao Paulo using the 767-400ER aircraft, which offers full, 180-degree, flat-bed seats in BusinessElite. On December 14, Delta also will begin using the 767-400ER on routes between Atlanta and Sao Paulo. The aircraft upgrade increases the number of seats Delta offers on the routes by 17 to 18 percent. Previously, Delta had operated the flights using smaller Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

“The upgrade and expansion of our New York and Atlanta flights from Sao Paulo underscores our commitment to offering our customers in Brazil a superior travel experience,” said Nicolas Ferri, Delta’s vice president – Latin America and the Caribbean. “In addition to the popular flat-bed seats, the enhanced offerings in BusinessElite include upgraded in-flight entertainment, fine dining and wines, noise-canceling headphones, and other amenities.”

Delta, which is working to become the best U.S. carrier in Latin America, operates 35 nonstop flights between Brazil and the U.S., including non-stop service from Atlanta, Detroit, and New York-JFK to Sao Paulo, as well as non-stop service from Atlanta to Rio de Janeiro and Atlanta to Brasilia.

Last week, Delta and GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes announced a new agreement for a long-term exclusive commercial alliance. Under the agreement, Delta and GOL, which has a 40 percent market share in Brazil, will expand cooperation to benefit from each other’s strengths and further link Delta’s global network with one of Brazil’s largest and most successful airlines.

As part of the agreement, Delta will invest $100 million in GOL and will have a seat on the GOL board of directors. GOL, Latin America’s largest low-cost, low-fare airline, offers more than 940 daily flights that connect 51 domestic destinations in Brazil and 11 international markets in South America and the Caribbean.

All 39 BusinessElite seats onboard Delta’s Boeing 767-400ER offer a fully horizontal sleep experience with a full-size pillow and duvet, along with direct aisle access and more privacy. In addition, Delta’s customers flying in business class will earn 150 percent Medallion qualification frequent flyer miles and bonus miles.

Customers flying in Economy class will also have access to state-of-the-art personal entertainment system with thousands of choices, including Delta on Demand — an advanced, touch-screen, digital, entertainment system with up to 250 movies, HBO, 18 channels of satellite TV, an extensive music library with up to 4,100 songs, MP3’s, and in-flight trivia.

Delta will also begin flying daily from Detroit to Sao Paulo as well as daily between Atlanta and Brasilia. Detroit -Sao Paulo will increase from five times a week to daily service starting December 15. Atlanta to Brasilia, which began two years ago this month,  increased from six times a week to daily service on December 9.

“Brasilia is a natural hub for us as the capital, but more importantly, it serves all the cities in the country, particularly reaching the North, Northeast, and Midwest regions of the country,” said Luiz Teixeira, Delta’s regional sales manager in Brazil.

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