Delta inaugurated its new service between New York’s JFK Airport and London’s Gatwick Airport this evening at 7:05PM. Delta is the first major U.S. carrier to enter the market since 1991, since United Airlines purchased the route rights from Pan Am. Delta purchased the route rights from United earlier this year. United had been serving London-Heathrow, but Delta does not have the authority to do that and thus must serve less-desirable Gatwick.
Indicating this flight’s importance to Delta, Delta has identified it as Delta Flight 1, returning as Delta Flight 2. It will add Flights 3 and 4 effective April 1. These flights will be operated using 767-300ER aircraft with recently remodeled interiors.
Delta now serves 21 destinations across the Atlantic nonstop from JFK, with the number increasing to 24 by the summer. To support this, Delta is remodeling its facilities in Terminal 2 and 3 at JFK.