ATLANTA, April 30, 2007 – Delta Air Lines today unveiled its updated corporate brand – a striking three-dimensional, red “Widget” icon flying across a blue background – that reflects the company’s successful transformation into a highly differentiated, customer-focused airline.  The updated brand, the result of months of employee and customer research, will appear on more than 900 Delta and Delta Connection aircraft, in more than 300 airports, on Delta’s award-winning delta.com Web site, and in all advertising and printed material. 

Delta rolled out the first Boeing 757-200 painted in the new livery at an employee celebration in Atlanta and tonight will transform its delta.com Web site and install new signage at more than 300 airport check-in locations in Atlanta and New York City.

“Delta’s brand, which includes the customer experience and our financial stability, has been changing for the last 19 months thanks to the tireless efforts of Delta people worldwide,” said Tim Mapes, Delta’s vice president of Marketing.  “Now, it’s time to refresh our visible brand identity to mark the progress we’ve made.  It represents the very core of Delta people who are more passionate than ever to provide our customers with the very best experience possible.”

Since 2005, Delta has transformed itself and put in place elements of a stylish, inviting new look and feel, from refurbished aircraft cabins with comfortable all-leather seats to designer uniforms to renovated facilities and additional Crown Room Clubs®.  Additionally, Delta has extended its worldwide reach by adding more than 60 new international routes to five continents in the last year and by translating delta.com into five languages.

As part of the re-branding process, Delta engaged a group of employees representing diverse customer-facing and corporate support divisions from Europe, Latin America and the United States to help in the transformation of the Delta brand.  This global group, called the Delta Brand Council, met in focus groups to discuss the importance of Delta’s brand to themselves and their peers and to evaluate potential design work.

Honoring the heritage of the Delta “Widget” is one outcome of the Brand Council’s involvement. In 78 years, Delta has had 19 brand logos. A "delta-shaped" triangle was incorporated in all of them except the "Flying D" logos from 1945-1959. Early logos also featured the Norse god Thor and the Roman god Mercury.  The first red, white and navy blue triangle emblem – affectionately known to Delta employees as the “Widget” – was introduced in 1959 when Delta entered the jet era with the introduction of the DC-8. Its shape resembles the swept wing appearance of a jet seen overhead.  The current brand honors the most famous version of the “Widget,” maintaining its sharp lines and vertical position.

Additionally, Delta’s new brand provides ways for the airline to be more efficient in its branding process.  The previous “flowing fabric” design introduced in 2000 required eight different colors when applied to aircraft – four shades of blue, two shades of red, one white and a clear coat – while the new livery requires only four. There is less paint layering on the new livery, which will help Delta trim paint cost costs, reduce aircraft weight and subsequently achieve additional fuel savings.  The new livery also will save Delta approximately one day in each paint cycle and reduce by 20 percent the number of man-hours and out-of-service time needed to paint a Delta aircraft. Delta aims to replace signage in all its airport locations by the end of 2007 and to complete the repainting of its fleet on an accelerated schedule over the next four years. 

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL.WI) offers customers service to more destinations than any global airline with Delta and Delta Connection carrier service to 312 destinations in 52 countries.  With more than 60 new international routes added in the last year, Delta is adding international flights at a faster rate than any other major U.S. airline and is a leader across the Atlantic with flights to 31 trans-Atlantic destinations.  To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 600 weekly flights to 58 destinations.  Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 15,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 456 worldwide destinations in 100 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.

Note to Broadcast Media Outlets
Live satellite uplink and webcast of emergence celebration, 11 a.m. EDT
Delta’s emergence celebration will be available via satellite uplink and webcast live at 11 a.m. EDT.  Footage will be updated periodically and available through 9 p.m. EDT.

DownLink: 11706.5 (V)
Satellite/TR: 01-Ch A9
Symbol Rate: 6.1113
FEC: 3/4
Digital Info: AMC 2 (KU) Digital

Web: http://arco.vo.llnwd.net/o2/arcostream/asx/delta.asx
Video on Demand: http://arco.vo.llnwd.net/o2/arcostream/asx/delta_vod.asx (available one hour after live event ends)

Trouble or questions on the April 30 call 1-800-906-4247; Conference ID DELTAAV/84412

Satellite uplink of event highlights, b-roll and executive sound bites, 3-4 p.m. EDT
Video package including event highlights, b-roll and executive sound bites also will be available from 3-4 p.m. EDT via satellite uplink.

DownLink: 11715.5  (V)
Satellite/TR: 01-Ch B9
Symbol Rate: 6.1113
FEC: 3/4
Digital Info: AMC 2 (KU) Digital

Image assets available at http://news.delta.com.
Fact sheets, maps available at http://news.delta.com > Research.