Delta Air Lines is the second-largest airline in the world in terms of passengers transported. The Americans are headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and own a fleet of more than 450 aircraft, reaching around 300 destinations. In 2005, the SkyTeam founding member had to file for bankruptcy, from which it has yet to recover.
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In 1924, the Huff Daland Dusters crop-dusting operation was founded in Macon, Georgia. It was the first commercial agricultural flying company. In 1925, the company’s headquarters were moved to Monroe, Louisiana. Three years later, C. E. Woolman bought Huff Daland Dusters and renamed it Delta Air Service for the Mississipi Delta region it served.
In 1929, the first passenger flights were operated from Dallas, Texas to Jackson, Mississippi. Travel Air S-6000B planes were used.
In 1930, the company was renamed Delta Air Corporation and in 1934, Delta Air Lines. In the same year, mail service from Charleston to Fort Worth was begun.
Delta moved its headquarters to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1941. Its network was extended to Florida, Louisiana, the Carribean and Venezuela.
During WWII, Delta modified aircraft and trained Army pilots and mechanics.
In 1945, the company received its present name, Delta Air Lines, Inc. One year later, the one-millionth passenger boarded a Delta plane.
In 1955, the hub-and-spoke system was introduced.
Delta became the launch operator of the DC-8 and DC-9. By 1970, it had retired all propeller aircraft. In 1972, Northeast Airlines was purchased.
In 1987, Delta purchased Western Airlines, adding Western’s hubs in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles to their network and making Delta the fourth largest airline of the US.
In 1991, Pan Am’s transatlantic network including the Frankfurt hub was bought. In the late 90s, Delta expanded to Latin America and introduced the Boeing 777.
In 1996, Delta was the official airline of the Olympics in Atlanta and transported the torch from Athens to Los Angeles.
In 2000, the company was one of the founding members of SkyTeam alliance.
Like many other American airlines, Delta severely suffered from the consequences of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In spite of several cost-reducing measures like lay-offs of employees and fleet reductions the company had to file for bankruptcy on September 14, 2005. The management plans to return to profitability in late 2007.
In November 2006, US Airways tried to takeover Delta for eight billion US Dollar. The bid was later raised to more than ten billion. The Delta creditors, however, rejected the offer on January 31, 2007, following serious protests against the planned takeover by both Delta employees and management.
Delta is the second-largest airline in the world in terms of passengers transported, flying around 120 million passengers a year and serving 97 countries.
Its fleet consisted of more than 450 aircraft with an average age of 13 years in 2007.
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