Delta Shuttle

Last updated

Delta Shuttle
Delta logo.svg
IATA ICAO Callsign
DLDALDELTA
Founded1991;33 years ago (1991)
Commenced operationsSeptember 1, 1991;32 years ago (1991-09-01)
Frequent-flyer program SkyMiles
Alliance SkyTeam (affiliate)
Fleet size34
Destinations
Parent company Delta Air Lines
Headquarters Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Website www.delta.com/content/www/en_US/traveling-with-us/where-we-fly/flight-partners/delta-shuttle.html

Delta Shuttle is the brand name for Delta Air Lines' air shuttle service in the Northeastern United States.

Contents

History

New York Air

In 1980, airline industry entrepreneur Frank Lorenzo, through his holding company Texas Air Corporation, formed startup, non-union airline New York Air. Operations commenced on December 19, 1980, with hourly shuttle service between New York LaGuardia, Washington National, and Boston Logan airports in direct competition with the long-established, successful Eastern Air Lines Shuttle. Launched with McDonnell Douglas DC-9 series 30 aircraft, New York Air later added larger DC-9 Super 80s to its fleet. [1]

Pan Am Shuttle

In February 1986, Texas Air Corporation acquired debt-laden Eastern Air Lines and its shuttle operations. As a condition of the sale, the government required Texas Air to divest New York Air's takeoff and landing rights at LaGuardia and Washington National. [2] Pan American World Airways purchased them, along with gates at LaGuardia's historic Marine Air Terminal, for $76 million. [3] The rechristened Pan Am Shuttle launched on October 1, 1986, with dedicated crews, a fleet of Boeing 727 aircraft, and a newly renovated Marine Air Terminal. [1] Though Pan Am suffered a precipitous financial decline in the ensuing years, culminating in the airline's January 1991 bankruptcy filing, the shuttle operation remained profitable.

Delta Shuttle

A Delta Shuttle Boeing 727-200 at Washington National Airport Delta Shuttle Boeing 727-232; N412DA@DCA;19.07.1995 (6083497891).jpg
A Delta Shuttle Boeing 727-200 at Washington National Airport

Delta Air Lines purchased Pan Am Shuttle (including several Boeing 727s) for $113 million, thereby securing Delta's position as the third largest U.S. airline. [4] Delta relaunched the service under the Delta Shuttle brand on September 1, 1991. [5]

2000–2010

Delta Shuttle began introducing new Boeing 737-800 aircraft in August 2000 to replace its fleet of Boeing 727s. Delivered over the course of six months, the sixteen new aircraft were 90 percent quieter and 35 to 40 percent more fuel efficient than the Boeing 727s and afforded passengers laptop power ports and an industry-leading 36 inches of seat pitch and six inches of recline in an all-economy cabin. [6] The final Delta Shuttle 727 was retired on January 8, 2001. [7]

Amidst the fleet renewal, Delta Shuttle expanded its nonstop Boston-Washington service to nine daily round-trip flights, departing every other hour, on November 1, 2000. [8] The new service was short lived, however, as weak demand prompted Delta to discontinue the Shuttle product on the route on September 1, 2001, in favor of four daily round-trip flights operated by Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Coast Airlines. [9]

For a short period beginning in late 2003, Delta shifted service of its Shuttle routes to Boeing 737-300s. This move was temporary, and by November 2005, Delta had retired the aging Boeing 737-300s in favor of a dedicated Shuttle fleet of nine larger, younger McDonnell Douglas MD-88 aircraft. [10]

Delta Shuttle was the last of the shuttle operations to guarantee a seat to walk-up passengers. If a plane was oversold, a second plane would be rolled out within fifteen minutes to form an "extra section" to fly the overflow passengers. This practice ended in 2005. [11]

In September 2008, Delta announced it would dissolve the dedicated MD-88 Shuttle fleet into the much larger mainline MD-88 fleet. While the dedicated Shuttle fleet had featured a single cabin of economy class seating with increased pitch, the reconfigured planes offered both first class and economy cabins, with the mainline-standard seat pitch in each. By December 1, 2008, all Delta Shuttle flights offered first class seating, better aligning Delta's product with that of rival US Airways Shuttle. [12] Later that month, citing reduced demand, Delta announced that the MD-88s serving its New York-Washington route would be replaced with smaller, more efficient, two-class Embraer 175 jets operated by Delta Connection partners beginning in March 2009. [13]

On August 12, 2009, Delta Air Lines and US Airways announced their intention to swap facilities and takeoff and landing slots at capacity-controlled LaGuardia and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airports, pending government approval. Under the initial plan, Delta would have acquired 125 slot pairs and Terminal C at LaGuardia from US Airways. In return, Delta would have relinquished the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia and 42 slot pairs at Washington/Reagan to US Airways. Delta Shuttle was to relocate to newly connected Terminals C and D, alongside Delta's greatly expanded mainline operation. [14] Citing concerns about reduced competition, the United States Department of Transportation challenged several elements of the plan, and the frustrated airlines appealed the agency's ruling over the ensuing 21 months. Meanwhile, the United Airlines-Continental Airlines and Southwest Airlines-AirTran Airlines mergers sharpened competition in the New York and Washington regions. Delta and US Airways finally dismissed their appeal and submitted a revised slot swap agreement to the DOT in May 2011, by which time Delta had dropped its plan to relocate the Delta Shuttle out of the Marine Air Terminal. [15] Acknowledging new market realities and the airlines' willingness to divest a small number of slot pairs to other carriers, the DOT approved the slot swap on October 10, 2011, and the deal closed two months later on December 13. [16]

A Delta Shuttle MD-88 at LaGuardia Airport N914DE@LGA,05.02.2008-498ae - Flickr - Aero Icarus.jpg
A Delta Shuttle MD-88 at LaGuardia Airport

In the interim, Delta had expanded its Delta Shuttle network to serve Chicago's O'Hare Airport from New York/LaGuardia. Delta introduced eleven daily round-trip flights (later increased to fourteen) between the two airports on June 10, 2010. The service was operated with two-class Embraer 175 jets by Shuttle America. Given the Shuttle expansion at O'Hare, Delta discontinued its mainline service between New York/LaGuardia and Chicago/Midway on June 9, 2010. [17] Also in June, Delta ended MD-88 service between New York/LaGuardia and Boston, opting to use a combination of smaller, more efficient Airbus A319 jets (Sunday and weekday flights) and Embraer regional jets (Saturday flights). [18]

Delta connection carriers Shuttle America and Compass Airlines

On March 25, 2012, the longstanding Delta Shuttle schedule was adjusted as the parent carrier finally assumed control of the slot pairs acquired from US Airways at LaGuardia. Delta Shuttle flights between New York, Boston, and Washington, DC, which had previously departed on the half-hour, were rescheduled to depart on the hour in direct competition with US Airways Shuttle. [19] Having relinquished slot pairs to US Airways at Washington/Reagan, Delta also cut all nonstop flights between Boston and Washington, though by that point they hadn't operated under the Delta Shuttle brand in over ten years. [20]

With passenger loads declining, Delta discontinued the use of mainline Airbus A319s on the Boston route on June 10, 2012, in favor of Embraer 170 and 175s operated by Shuttle America. Boston had been the last remaining Delta Shuttle route that was still operated with mainline aircraft; thereafter, all Delta Shuttle flights were operated by Delta Connection carriers Shuttle America and Compass Airlines. Following its move to LaGuardia's Terminal C on November 2, 2014, the Boston shuttle now saw mainline service once again, with Delta's Boeing 717 operating alongside the Shuttle America Embraer 175. [21]

Delta Shuttle West Coast service

For a time, Delta expanded the Delta Shuttle network to the West Coast. The service was launched on September 3, 2013, with Delta adding additional service to create fourteen daily round-trip flights on the route between Los Angeles and San Francisco and adding additional features similar to the shuttle system on the East Coast. The West Coast shuttle was further expanded in mid-2016 with Delta adding its recently established Seattle/Tacoma hub to the network, with service to both Los Angeles and San Francisco. Additional flights between Los Angeles and San Francisco were also added at the same time. [22] The West Coast shuttle flights were served by a mix with two-class Embraer 175 regional jets operated by a Delta Connection partner, and Delta mainline Boeing 717 and Boeing 737-800 aircraft. [22]

Current operation

Delta discontinued its Delta Shuttle services on the west coast on January 4, 2018. The flights were rebranded as regular domestic service. At the time of the change, Delta kept the frequent schedules between the West Coast cities, but eliminated the additional services and amenities. [23]

As of December 21, 2021, all Delta Shuttle flights at Laguardia Airport depart from the new Concourse G. [24]

Destinations

Operated by Delta Air Lines and Republic Airways [25]

New York/LaGuardia to and from:

Fleet

AircraftPassengersNotes
FC+YTotal
Airbus A220-100 121582109Operated by Delta Air Lines
Embraer 170 9124869Operated by Republic Airways
Embraer 175 12125276Operated by Republic Airways

Services and amenities

Delta Shuttle is marketed primarily toward business travelers commuting between the Northeast's business centers in New York, Boston, Washington, DC, and Chicago. As a premium product, Delta Shuttle affords all passengers the following services and amenities not typically offered on mainline Delta flights: [26]

Competition

Delta Shuttle's East Coast operation was a direct competitor to American Airlines Shuttle which was discontinued in 2021. [27] While additional carriers compete on the same routes as Delta Shuttle, none match the enhanced shuttle-specific services and amenities that Delta provides.

In the Northeast Corridor, former air shuttle passengers have increasingly abandoned air travel for Amtrak's high speed Acela Express train service, especially in the wake of post-9/11 security screenings and airline service reductions. In response, both Delta and American have resorted to flying smaller regional aircraft on their shuttle routes, though hourly frequencies remain. [28]

Related Research Articles

Delta Air Lines is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The United States' oldest operating airline and the seventh oldest operating worldwide, Delta along with its subsidiaries and regional affiliates, including Delta Connection, operates over 5,400 flights daily and serves 325 destinations in 52 countries on six continents. Delta is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance. As of the end of 2022, it had 90,000 employees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LaGuardia Airport</span> Airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City

LaGuardia Airport is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. Covering 680 acres (280 ha) as of January 1, 2024, the facility was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Island MacArthur Airport</span> Airport in New York, U.S.

Long Island MacArthur Airport, formerly known as Islip Airport, is a public airport in Ronkonkoma, in the Town of Islip, in Suffolk County, on Long Island, New York, United States. Covering 1,311 acres (531 ha), the airport was established in 1942 and began serving as a commercial airport in 1960. It has three runways and two helipads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport</span> Airport in Florida, United States

Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport is an airport located within Eglin Air Force Base, adjacent to the city of Valparaiso and near the cities of Destin and Fort Walton Beach, in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. The airport was previously named Northwest Florida Regional Airport until February 17, 2015, and Okaloosa Regional Airport until September 2008.

US Airways was a major airline in the United States that operated from 1937 until 2015, when it merged with American Airlines. It was originally founded in Pittsburgh as a mail delivery airline called All American Aviation, which soon became a commercial passenger airline. In 1953, it was renamed Allegheny Airlines and operated under that name for a quarter-century. In October 1979, after the passage of the Airline Deregulation Act, Allegheny Airlines changed its name to USAir. A decade later it had acquired Piedmont Airlines and Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA), and was one of the U.S.'s seven transcontinental legacy carriers. In 1997, it rebranded as US Airways.

Jack Brooks Regional Airport, formerly Southeast Texas Regional Airport, is near Port Arthur, Texas, nine miles (14 km) southeast of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur. It was Jefferson County Airport, but its name was changed to honor former U.S. Representative Jack Brooks. The airport is southwest of the city of Nederland in unincorporated Jefferson County, and is used for general aviation. Southwest Airlines ended scheduled jet service in 1980 and several other airlines have started and ended service as well including American Eagle, Continental, Delta/Delta Connection and United Express. The latest chapter is the resumption of service by American Eagle for American Airlines to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW).

US Airways Shuttle was the brand name for US Airways' hourly air shuttle service operating in the Northeastern United States. It served Logan International Airport in Boston, LaGuardia Airport in New York City, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuttle America</span> Former American regional airline

Shuttle America Corporation was an American regional airline based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It fed United Airlines flights at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH) under the United Express brand, as well as Delta Air Lines flights at Atlanta (ATL), New York-LaGuardia (LGA), and New York-JFK under the Delta Connection brand. Shuttle America also operated two of three Delta Shuttle East Coast routes, serving Washington, D.C., and Chicago from New York-LaGuardia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trump Shuttle</span> Former air shuttle service of the United States (1989–1992)

Trump Shuttle, Inc. was an airline owned by businessman Donald Trump from 1989 to 1992. The landing rights and some of the physical assets necessary to operate the shuttle flights were originally part of Eastern Air Lines and known as the Eastern Air Lines Shuttle. It operated hourly flights on Boeing 727 aircraft from LaGuardia Airport in New York City to Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., as well as charter service to other destinations. Its IATA designator code was TB.

Republic Airways Inc. is an American regional airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Republic operates and maintains aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by a partner mainline airline. The company is contracted by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Air</span> Defunct low-cost airline of the United States (1980–1987)

New York Air was a low-cost airline in the United States owned by Texas Air Corporation and based at Hangar 5 at LaGuardia Airport in Flushing, Queens, New York. It ceased operations on February 1, 1987, in a merger with Continental Airlines.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Worcester Regional Airport</span> Public airport in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeast Airlines</span> United States airline from 1940 to 1972

Northeast Airlines was an American airline based in Boston, Massachusetts that chiefly operated in the northeastern United States, and later to Canada, Florida, the Bahamas, Los Angeles and other cities. It was acquired by and merged into Delta Air Lines in August 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Business Express Airlines</span> Defunct American airline

Business Express Airlines, often referred to as Business Express or BizEX, was an American regional airline founded as Atlantic Air in 1982. In an effort to appeal to its predominantly business commuter clientele, the airline assumed the Business Express name in 1985. In 1986 Pilgrim Airlines, which itself had acquired NewAir about a year prior, was acquired by the airline. This opened the valuable New York and Washington, D.C. markets. Shortly thereafter, Business Express became one of Delta Air Lines's first Delta Connection carriers, along with Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Comair and SkyWest Airlines. The company slogan was Fly BizEx Jets!

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chautauqua Airlines</span>

Chautauqua Airlines, Inc. was an American regional airline and a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Prior to the shut down of operations, it operated scheduled passenger services to 52 airports in the United States and Canada via code sharing agreements as the Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines, AmericanConnection for American Airlines, and United Express for United Airlines. Chautauqua previously flew feeder services for other airlines via code sharing agreements including Allegheny, USAir, TWA, Continental, Frontier, and America West. Its last day in operation was December 31, 2014, at which time all flying was absorbed by the Shuttle America certificate.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Song (airline)</span> Defunct low-cost airline of the United States (2003–2006)

Song, LLC, was a low-cost air service within an airline brand owned and operated by Delta Air Lines from 2003 to 2006. All Song flights were operated by Delta. Song's main focus was on leisure traffic between the Northeastern United States and Florida, a market where it competed with JetBlue Airways. It also operated flights between Florida and the West Coast, and from the Northeast to the West Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Airlines Shuttle</span> Former air shuttle service in the United States (2015–2021)

American Airlines Shuttle was the brand name for American Airlines' hourly air shuttle service operating in the Northeastern United States. It served Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., and Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. American Airlines discontinued the Shuttle product in 2021 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

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