Delta to scrap London-Seattle service
10 Nov 2008 at 16:56 — by Stanley Slaughter
New service lasts six months
Delta, the new airline formed from the merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, is scrapping the London Heathrow-Seattle service began just six month ago.
The last flight eastward will be on January 7 and the last flight westward on January 8.
The service was started by Northwest Airlines in June in the wake of the Open Skies agreement between the US and the EU.
It aimed to challenge BA which has had a monopoly on this transatlantic route for many years.
But while BA offered a four-class service on Boeing 777s and 747s, Northwest had a two class service on A330s.
Delta did not say why the service was being stopped but merely said the slots at Heathrow would be re-allocated but did not say to which routes.
The airline added: "As with any route, Delta is hopeful that we have the opportunity to re-evaluate the Seattle to Heathrow route in the future should market conditions warrant."
ABTN was told the likely reason was that the route had performed poorly. One industry insider said that one a recent flight from Seattle only one tenth of the economy seats were sold.
ABTN reported last week that NWA was offering 14% commission to agents at point of sale on seats sold for the service while BA was offering 8%.
Both airlines denied they were paying any point of sale commission
(abtn)
10 Nov 2008 at 16:56 — by Stanley Slaughter
New service lasts six months
Delta, the new airline formed from the merger of Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, is scrapping the London Heathrow-Seattle service began just six month ago.
The last flight eastward will be on January 7 and the last flight westward on January 8.
The service was started by Northwest Airlines in June in the wake of the Open Skies agreement between the US and the EU.
It aimed to challenge BA which has had a monopoly on this transatlantic route for many years.
But while BA offered a four-class service on Boeing 777s and 747s, Northwest had a two class service on A330s.
Delta did not say why the service was being stopped but merely said the slots at Heathrow would be re-allocated but did not say to which routes.
The airline added: "As with any route, Delta is hopeful that we have the opportunity to re-evaluate the Seattle to Heathrow route in the future should market conditions warrant."
ABTN was told the likely reason was that the route had performed poorly. One industry insider said that one a recent flight from Seattle only one tenth of the economy seats were sold.
ABTN reported last week that NWA was offering 14% commission to agents at point of sale on seats sold for the service while BA was offering 8%.
Both airlines denied they were paying any point of sale commission
(abtn)