Delta goes all out in hugely competitive market

Delta Air Lines has declared what promises to be an expensive and very uncivil war in the Big Apple.

The Atlanta-based carrier, which emerged from bankruptcy last spring, has decided to bet a huge chunk of its future on one of the most hotly contested markets in the world — a landscape dominated by well-heeled fliers, aging terminals, crowded airspace and fierce rivals who aren't shy about calling you out by name.
The Delta Air Lines Business Elite check-in area at JFK International Airport, where the carrier has made numerous improvements to upgrade service.


This is a battleground for us," Delta President Ed Bastian said during a recent interview as he made his way through the frenetic lunch crowds in Midtown Manhattan.

Just a few blocks away, Delta competitor Continental Airlines had hoisted huge billboards near the intersection of Seventh Avenue and West 49th Street. One read: "Who flies to the most destinations in France? (Hint: It ain't Delta.)"