Customers benefit through increased trans-Pacific destinations, frequent flier
and lounge reciprocity agreements
ATLANTA and BRISBANE, Australia, Dec. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Delta Air
Lines (NYSE: DAL) and the Virgin Blue Airlines Group (ASX: VBA) today
announced they will implement their first codeshare flights beginning in
January 2010.  The flights mark the beginning of a previously announced
marketing alliance between Delta and Virgin Blue's long-haul airline - V
Australia - to offer customers access to more destinations across the Pacific
as well as reciprocal airport lounge and frequent flier benefits.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090202/DELTALOGO )

Six routes are available for codeshare booking by Delta and V Australia
customers for connecting travel. Virgin Blue customers may now book tickets
for travel beginning Jan. 18 on Delta-operated flights between Los Angeles and
Cincinnati, New York-JFK, Orlando and Salt Lake City.  Delta customers may now
book tickets for travel beginning Feb. 15 on Virgin Blue-operated flights
between Sydney and Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia. 

In addition to codeshare access, Delta SkyMiles members are now eligible to
earn SkyMiles on V Australia and Virgin Blue's domestic airline flights.
Delta's BusinessElite customers, Platinum, Gold and Diamond Medallion members
and Sky Club members also gain complimentary access to Virgin Blue lounges at
airports throughout Australia.  Virgin Blue's Velocity members are eligible to
earn frequent flier miles for travel on Delta and gain complimentary access to
50 Sky Club locations around the world.

"Delta and Virgin Blue make exciting alliance partners for travel between the
United States and Australia, and we look forward to welcoming Virgin Blue
customers onboard our flights to and from L.A.," said Glen Hauenstein, Delta's
executive vice president - Network and Revenue Management. "The launch of
codesharing between our two airlines is the first step in our collective
efforts to make it easier for Delta customers to travel throughout Australia
and the South Pacific."

Added Brett Godfrey, Virgin Blue's CEO, and co-founder: "Our aim is to make
trans-Pacific travel as affordable and hassle free as possible, delivering
seamless domestic and international connections between V Australia and Delta.
Our guests can now book their V Australia and Delta flights at the same time
through their travel agent, or via one of our Guest Contact Centres, from
their origin point in either the USA or Australia all on one ticket."

In July, Delta and the Virgin Blue Airlines Group announced plans to seek
regulatory approval to form a joint venture to expand the carriers' reach
between the U.S. and Australia.  Last week, the Australian Competition and
Consumer Commission issued a final determination granting authorization to the
airlines' joint venture, recognizing that the alliance will enhance
competition on trans-Pacific routes. 

Separately, the U.S. Department of Transportation has approved codesharing
between the airlines and is currently reviewing the carriers' antitrust
immunity applications.  Given the nature of the agreement, which fosters
competition, the airlines anticipate a favorable ruling soon.

Delta began daily nonstop service between Los Angeles and Sydney on July 1,
2009 using Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.  The new service positioned Delta as the
only U.S. airline to operate service to six continents.  V Australia operates
daily nonstop Boeing 777-300 service between Los Angeles and Sydney, and
service three times weekly between Los Angeles and Brisbane and two times
weekly between Los Angeles and Melbourne.  The two airlines have significantly
increased competition in the U.S.-to-Australia market which for years was
dominated by two carriers.

About Virgin Blue

Virgin Blue Airlines Group, headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, includes the
nation's second largest carrier, multi-award winning Virgin Blue;
international subsidiary airline Pacific Blue; Polynesian Blue, a joint
venture airline with the Government of Samoa; V Australia, Australia's newest
international airline; plus its holiday operation, Blue Holidays, and loyalty
programme, Velocity. Together, Virgin Blue, V Australia, Pacific Blue and
Polynesian Blue provide Australian domestic and international services to 45
destinations across New Zealand, the Pacific and also to and from North
America, South East Asia and South Africa.

About Delta

Delta Air Lines, the world's No. 1 airline, serves more than 170 million
passengers each year. With its unsurpassed global network, Delta, its
Northwest subsidiary and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 368
destinations in 66 countries on six continents. Delta employs more than 70,000
employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of nearly 800 aircraft. A
founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance, Delta participates in the
industry's leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France KLM. Including
its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 16,000 daily
flights, with hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis,
Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City
and Tokyo-Narita. The airline's service includes the SkyMiles frequent flier
program, the world's largest airline loyalty program; the award-winning
BusinessElite service; and more than 50 Delta Sky Clubs in airports worldwide.
Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes, check bags and
flight status at delta.com.

A portion of travel on some itineraries may be operated by Delta Connection
carrier SkyWest Airlines.

All SkyMiles program rules apply to SkyMiles program membership, miles,
offers, mile accrual, mile redemption and travel benefits.  To review the
rules, please visit delta.com/memberguide. Taxes and fees for award travel are
the responsibility of the passenger and must be paid at the time the ticket is
booked. Award travel seats are limited and may not be available on all flights
or in all markets. All Delta Sky Club rules apply to Delta Sky Club use and
membership. To review the rules, please visit delta.com/skyclub. Alliance
partner airline benefits subject to change and subject to the terms and
conditions of each partner. Offers and benefits subject to change without
notice.

SOURCE Delta Air Lines; Virgin Blue


Delta Corporate Communications, +1-404-715-2554 (U.S.),  81-3-5400-7230
(Japan, Asia, Australia), http://news.delta.com; or Virgin Blue Airlines Group
Media Relations, 61-7-3295-5898, Heather.jeffery@virginblue.com.au