Bros were topping the charts, and just as Coming to America was hitting the cinemas, Delta was coming from America to Dublin. But while, Bros may no longer be at number one and shoulder pads are out of fashion, 30 years on from its maiden flight to the capital, Delta is stronger than ever in Ireland.
In June 1988, Delta flew to Dublin from Atlanta via Shannon using a Lockheed L-1011-500 TriStar aircraft five times a week. Fast-forward to 2018, and Delta operates nonstop flights to three cities in the United States from Dublin – Atlanta, Boston and New York-JFK flies its popular A330 as well as Boeing 767 and 757 aircraft all with upgraded interiors. The airline also has a summer service from Shannon to New York-JFK. But what’s really striking is the on-board experience. Who could have predicted that Wi-Fi would now be standard and that customers could keep in touch with friends and family on the ground – for free – using Delta’s in-flight messaging service?
“We’ve more than quadrupled our capacity from Dublin since our first flight 30 years ago, offering three daily flights this summer and nearly 5,000 seats each week from the capital,” said Nadia Clinton, Delta’s Country Manager for the U.K. and Ireland. “We’ve also invested heavily in our customer experience new menus, movies and messaging to ensure a more comfortable and enjoyable flight across the Pond.”
To celebrate the milestone, Delta is offering upgrades and lounge access to the 30th person to check in for its flights at Dublin Airport.
Congratulating Delta on its significant milestone, Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison said: “Dublin Airport welcomed over 4.8 million passengers in 1988 and this year it will surpass the 30 million passenger milestone. Delta Air Lines is Dublin Airport’s longest serving North American carrier, it has played an important part in Dublin’s trans-Atlantic growth over the past three decades and I want to thank the airline for its commitment to Dublin and Ireland.
“We have worked closely with our friends in Delta fostering strong relationships since it started its Dublin-Atlanta service and we were delighted to see the airline’s route network go from strength to strength with its year-round New York-JFK service and seasonal route to Boston. Delta has carried almost five million passengers – the equivalent of the population of Ireland – on its three routes from Dublin Airport during those 30 years. We will continue to work closely with Delta Air Lines to grow its passenger numbers further and wish the airline continued success with its route network from Dublin Airport.”
