Press release -
Delta launches year-round service from New York-JFK to Edinburgh
Delta Air Lines [NYSE:DAL] will launch its new nonstop flight between Edinburgh and New York’s John F. Kennedy airports tomorrow (May 27, 2016), offering more onward connections and on-board amenities than any other airline serving this route.
The new service extends Delta’s U.K. network into Scotland and will operate year-round, offering customers a choice of 60 onward connections throughout the U.S. including popular destination such as Los Angeles, Orlando and San Francisco.
Frank Jahangir, Delta’s vice president sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said:
“We’re looking forward to launching service to Scotland offering extensive travel options throughout the U.S. for customers in the Edinburgh area, as well bringing thousands more American visitors to Scotland.
"Plus, as the only year-round nonstop flight between Edinburgh and New York-JFK, we are confident that the route will expand trade and tourism opportunities. VisitScotland statistics estimate that the new flight has the potential to bring an additional £23 million to the Scottish tourism industry in one year alone.”
The United States is the number one inbound tourism market to Scotland, with nearly half a million visitors in 2014 – an increase of 100,000 compared to the previous year*. Scottish Government data also reports that overall tourism expenditure in the country stood around £9.7 billion in 2014.
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive at VisitScotland, said:
“Scottish tourism punches above its weight on the world stage and this new Delta Air Lines service from New York to Edinburgh will be another fantastic boost; strengthening our connectivity in the North American market by unlocking Delta’s vast internal network.
"The USA is our biggest global market and a diaspora stronghold and, with visitors spending an average of almost £900 per trip, the flights have the potential to bring in an incredible £23 million to the economy. Our history and heritage is a huge appeal for U.S. visitors and so it’s appropriate that passengers will begin their exploration of the spirit of Scotland just a stone’s throw from the majestic Edinburgh Castle.”
Delta’s Edinburgh service will initially be operated using a 163-seat Boeing 757-200ER, with a larger 210-seat widebody Boeing 767-300ER during the summer months, effective June 9, 2016. From 6 September, the 757-200ER will operate on the route.
Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport said:
“This direct new route between Edinburgh and New York is a great statement of confidence from Delta Air Lines both in this city and in Scotland.
“It is further confirmation of Edinburgh Airport’s position as the leader for connectivity from Scotland to the USA. I congratulate Delta Air Lines for recognising the growing international demand for direct links to Edinburgh, and this move shows that they have similar aspirations for growth as we do.”
Minister for Transport and the Islands, Humza Yousaf added:
“It’s fantastic to see this new service get off the ground, highlighting the important cultural and historical links between Scotland and the United States of America.
“Not only will this route bring real benefits for Scottish businesses, giving them greater access to the American markets, but it will also help boost our tourism industry by making it even easier for visitors to get a taste of the fantastic experiences Edinburgh and Scotland as a whole have to offer.
“I congratulate Edinburgh Airport and Delta on the launch of this new service and have no doubt it will prove popular with travellers on both sides of the Atlantic.”
All flights from Edinburgh will be equipped with Wi-Fi, allowing customers to stay connected at 30,000 feet, in addition to complimentary on-demand in-flight entertainment in all cabins. Movies and TV shows can also be downloaded to tablet and laptop devices.
Customers flying in Delta Comfort+, Delta’s premium economy service, benefit from up to four additional inches of legroom and 50 percent more recline than Main Cabin seats, as well as priority boarding.
Furthermore, Delta’s flights from Edinburgh feature fully flat-bed seats in the Delta One cabin, with Westin Heavenly Inflight Bedding from Westin Hotels & Resorts and TUMI amenity kits featuring products by MALIN + GOETZ. Customers enjoy a range of regional dining options in the Delta One cabin produced using seasonal ingredients and paired with wines selected exclusively for Delta by Master Sommelier, Andrea Robinson.
Tickets for Delta’s New York service are available through Delta Air Lines on 0871 221 1222, www.delta.com or via travel agents. Flights are operated in conjunction with joint venture partner, Virgin Atlantic Airways.
*stats from Office for National Statistics
- ENDS -
CONTACT:
Delta Corporate Communications
Telephone: +44 208 237 4680
Email: EMEAnews.delta@delta.com
The schedule for the new service between Edinburgh and New York-JFK is:
| Flight | Departs | Arrives |
| DL209 | Edinburgh at 1.10 p.m. | New York-JFK at 3.43 p.m. |
| DL409 | New York-JFK at 10.45p.m. | Edinburgh at 10.50 a.m. (+1 day) |
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- new york
- edinburgh airport
- international marketing
- airline
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
- This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
- Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
- Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
- Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
- Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
- Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
- Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
- Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP.
- The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.gov.scot or follow @scotgovESIF
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business events in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016 - 2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design begins on 1 January 2016 and ends on 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
- Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed creative industries sector.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
- Join the conversation at #IAD2016
- Events can join the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design Partner Programme throughout the year by visiting http://www.eventscotland.org/YIAD_partner_programme
About Delta:
global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 324 destinations in 58 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta,Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta’s blog takingoff.delta.com.
