NEW YORK, May 16, 2007 – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), in partnership with HMSHost, is transforming Terminal 2 at its John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) hub in New York with an array of new upscale dining choices that include a table-service restaurant from one of America’s hottest celebrity chefs, a venerable New York gourmet emporium, an organic bakery and the world’s most popular coffee brand. These new dining options are part of Delta’s multi-million dollar effort to enhance the global customer experience at the airline’s two terminals at JFK with upgraded offerings, more attractive surroundings and a smoother travel experience.

At JFK Terminal 2, domestic and international customers will have a bevy of new food and beverage options:
 

• Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market: Balducci’s, one of the top specialty food companies in the country, has opened its first airport outpost. The 800-square foot market will serve food-to-go, including gourmet salads, soups, sandwiches, tempting desserts and fresh-baked pastries. Globe-trotting travelers also may customize their selections at the made-to-order station or choose from Balducci’s most popular pre-made sandwiches.
• Todd English’s Bonfire Steakhouse: On June 6, celebrated executive chef and restaurateur Todd English will open Bonfire Steakhouse, a brand new 84-seat, 2,033-square foot restaurant that upgrades the tone for Terminal 2 with an exciting menu of globally inspired cuisine and a cutting edge design. The upscale menu will feature English's famous Steak Frites, crab-meat Nachos, Roasted Swordfish, Kobe Beef Burger and full taqueria created especially for Delta customers, including five Mexican-influenced offerings – Baja Style Fish, Skirt Steak, Ancho Chicken, Lobster Taco and Tuna Tartar. Bonfire Steakhouse in the Delta terminal will be the first of several airport outposts slated for this English establishment.
• Todd English’s Bonfire Bar: Opening in spring 2007, Bonfire Bar will be the perfect destination for travelers looking for a stylish venue close to their gate, where they can enjoy English signature cuisine and creative house cocktails.
• The French Meadow Bakery & Café: The French Meadow Bakery & Café offers a wide range of natural and organic fare, including muffins and scones – baked fresh daily on the premises – along with an assortment of sandwiches and pre-packaged breads.
• Starbucks Coffee: Starbucks, the world’s most popular coffee brand, will open on the arrivals level in late June, offering their famous coffee, a variety of pastries, fresh salads, and sandwiches.
• Legends Sports Bar: Legends Sports Bar opens this summer and will offer continuous broadcast coverage of games and interviews with New York’s most popular athletes.

By leveraging HMSHost’s airport concession development expertise and consumer research in the New York market, Delta has selected brands that enhance the travel experience at JFK and, subsequently, Delta’s overall customer experience both on the ground and in the air.

“The exciting new restaurants, cafe and bars that HMSHost has secured for us at JFK’s Terminal 2 were chosen to provide our global customers with a variety of upscale dining choices to suit the tastes of every traveler,” said Joan Vincenz, Delta’s managing director of Product Marketing. “In addition to the hundreds of square footage of new retail space we’ve recently opened, our new food and beverage partners are a perfect fit for Delta, as we continually work to enhance the customer experience both on our aircraft and in our airports. The new options at JFK include popular menu items that travelers recognize as well as special items created just for Delta customers.”

Added Joe Waller, vice president of Business development for HMSHost: “Travelers want their favorite brands available at JFK, but with the speed and convenience they have come to expect from airport dining. We introduced Balducci's to Delta because both the airline and the gourmet food market understand the value of bringing brands New Yorkers love to the airport that serves them."

In addition to new dining options at Terminal 2, Delta also is offering customers an enhanced shopping experience with five new retail choices. Last month, Delta opened Hudson News, Discovery Channel Store, Life is Good, Kidsworks and CNN Newsstand.

New York’s JFK airport is one of Delta’s leading international gateways with 183 peak-daily flights to 75 worldwide destinations, including nonstop service to 31 international destinations in Africa, Europe, India, the Caribbean and Latin America. In addition to new restaurants and shops, other recent customer upgrades at JFK have included:

• relocating international BusinessElite^® and premium customer check-in from Terminal 3 to a dedicated location at Terminal 2 where Delta’s elites – international BusinessElite^®, domestic First Class, Medallion-level SkyMiles^® and SkyTeam^® Elite and SkyTeam Elite Plus customers – now enjoy a dedicated check in area in Terminal 2. Customers using this facility can check in seamlessly through either convenient self-service kiosks or with a helpful Delta representative and proceed directly to the security checkpoints. Once through security, BusinessElite and Crown Room Club® customers have immediate access to the BusinessElite lounge.
• installing new signage, flooring, lighting and other cosmetic upgrades throughout Terminals 2 and 3;
• and announcing a new exclusive partnership with U.S. Helicopter to provide an eight-minute airport shuttle for customers commuting between Manhattan and JFK.
  Later this spring, Delta also will introduce new nonstop flights between JFK and Pisa/Florence, Italy; and Bucharest, Romania – the first such flight offerings from any airline.

About Delta
Delta Air Lines offers customers service to more destinations than any global airline with Delta and Delta Connection carrier service to 311 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 32 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 462 worldwide destinations in 98 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com.

About HMSHost
HMSHost is world-renowned for creating customized shopping and dining spaces in travel venues. The innovative company operates in more than 100 airport locations around the globe, including 19 of the 20 busiest airports in North America. HMSHost has annual sales in excess of $2 billion and employs more than 26,000 associates worldwide. A wholly owned subsidiary of Autogrill S.p.A, HMSHost and the Autogrill Group are recognized leaders in travel amenities. With sales exceeding $4.0 billion, Autogrill is present in 30 countries with over 4,500 points of sale in 979 locations (including 138 airports and 645 motorways) where 51,000 employees serve over 800 million customers every year. Visit www.HMSHost.com for more information.

News media note: images available at http://news.delta.com > Photos.