Emergent Delta Keeps Global Goals

The recently approved Open Skies agreement should create opportunities for Delta to serve London's Heathrow Airport from both Atlanta and New York. Not only will Delta seek routes on its own, but alliance partner Air France(AKH Quote) could also provide Delta with some of its Heathrow slots. "I don't see Air France flying from Heathrow to New York, but I think they would be happy with their code on our flights," Grinstein said.

Glen Hauenstein, executive vice president, said he would fly to Paris Tuesday in an effort to secure Heathrow slots, "to determine what the market is and how we can acquire them in the most cost-effective way." Not serving Heathrow, "is like fighting with one hand behind our back," he said.

Among U.S. carriers with a major international presence, only Delta lacks a China route. It has filed for the authority to fly an Atlanta-Shanghai route in 2008. "We fully expect to get China next year," Bastian said. "Shame on us if we don't." Additionally, Delta will begin Atlanta-Seoul flights and New York-Mumbai flights this year.

Grinstein said Los Angeles should provide another gateway to Asia. A domestic carrier has an opportunity because Los Angeles "has a huge international base of traffic, and 90% of that is carried on foreign carriers," he said.

Boosting its New York presence is Delta's No. 1 priority. Combining totals at LaGuardia and Kennedy airports, Delta has the most service, but "we're not getting our share of the premium," Bastian said. "New York has to be our second base of profitability (after Atlanta)" Delta will spend money in New York, he said. It will not match the $1.1 billion American(AMR Quote) has spent on a new Kennedy terminal, after committing the money before the Sept. 11 attacks forced a cutback in airline spending.