Last week, Delta announced several new routes to much fanfare, including the resumption of Atlanta-Tel Aviv flights for the first time since 2011.
Everyone assumed that Delta was going in for the kill with their flagship A350-900, of which they have 17. Currently, no US carrier flies to Israel with their flagship aircraft.
Alas, that is not the case. Delta is designating the route as decidedly non-premium as they are assigning it to their “new” inferior A350s which were recently purchased from LATAM. Delta currently has 3 of these planes in operation, though this sub-fleet will grow to 9.
You can tell if your flight will be operated by an ex-LATAM A350 by the seat map, as those have a 2-2-2 business class configuration instead of 1-2-1 in the regular Delta A350.
Additionally, the ex-LATAM A350 isn’t configured with a premium economy cabin, and indeed Delta is not selling that cabin on this route:
Delta is advertising these as Delta One suites, however these ex-LATAM planes have wide open business class seats that have little privacy and don’t all have direct aisle access.
I reached out to Delta for more information and they confirmed that, “At this time, the route will not operate with Delta Premium Select or Delta One suites. There are no updates to share at this point about changes to the aircraft type that will be used.”
Some people do prefer the old style business class seats as the seats are slightly wider and don’t feel as claustrophobic, though if you’re not sitting in the middle you’ll either have to climb over someone or be climbed over to access the aisle when your seat is in lie-flat bed mode. It’s a big downgrade for solo flyers as well.
On the plus side, as there is no premium economy cabin, Delta Diamond elite members will be able to use their upgrades to business class, based on availability.
Delta’s regular A350s have 32 Delta One Suites, 48 premium economy seats, 36 Comfort+ seats, and 190 coach seats, for a total of 306 seats.
The ex-LATAM A350s have 30 business class seats, 63 Comfort+ seats, and 246 coach seats, for a total of a whopping 339 seats in that denser configuration.
Delta does expect to eventually upgrade the ex-LATAM A350s to match their own seats, though there is no official timeline for that.
Delta operates their Boston-Tel Aviv and JFK-Tel Aviv routes on the A330-900neo with Delta One suites in business class and a premium economy cabin.
Which Delta route will you prefer to take to Israel?
HT: Osher B.
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25 Comments On "Delta Will Fly New Atlanta-Tel Aviv Route With Inferior Ex-LATAM A350s"
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4K in economy 18K in delta one…these planes will fly emty
Mia-tlv quantas points ElAl
I would not prefer to fly with Delta. Because the aircraft, A330-900neo, they are currently using flies slower than the Dreamliner, that Elal and United are using. And even slower than the Boeing 777, AA is using. Their flights takes an additional hour, or more, each way…
Aircraft follow assigned routes with a set speed. there is no passing lane. In practical terms your statement has no bearing in reality. Schedule differences are just decisions of how much delay to expect or how much fudge time before it is considered late.
Well, the airlines actually do decide at what speed the pilots should fly. They intentionally make the decision based on the aircrafts capability and fuel usage… You can check the flight history of the daily Delta and Elal flights at Flightaware.com and you’ll see that the average daily Delta flight took about an hour longer then Elal…
@Dan – I honestly don’t understand Delta’s strategy here. They are way behind all the other carriers who fly from the US to EY as far as their business class is concerned. AA, United, and even ElAl have a better business class product than Delta has – even on their A330 wide body. Launching this new route with this aircraft doesn’t help them. It just doesn’t seem to me that they are able to pull ahead, so why do they continue trying and investing in the US-EY route?
What’s EY ?
In this context, Israel.
Moish, you have a problem with writing the word Israel. You don’t recognize the State of Israel. You aren’t very different from Islamic Jihad, Hamas, Iran et al. that refer to Israel as the Zionist Entity. You even denigrate El Al which is owned by Chareidi Jews like you by saying “and even ElAl have a better business class product than Delta has”. Sorry, Moish. Fly to EF(France) or EH (Eretz Hungary). Stay out of Israel. Tzahal doesn’t need to put their lives on the line for Jews like you. Stay in Fakewood or Mosney or whatever black hole you live in that won’t make a MiSheberach for Tzahal.
It really infuriates me when Jews can’t utter the word Israel.
What’s your problem. He refers to Israel as Eretz Yisroel(EY stands for Eretz Yisroel). That makes him equivalent to Hamas ? Israelis don’t refer to their country as Israel. They call it Eretz Yisroel. I never heard a Hebrew speaking Israeli say that he lives in Israel. He says ‘Ani dor beretz yisroel’. As far as El Al’s business class, Dan has been writing for years that ElAl has a poor business class product. It’s only recently that he has lauded their improved product. The rest of your statements reveal your hate towards Haredi Jews. You’re an M.D. ? I wouldn’t go to you for an aspirin.
Dear Eli,
BH.
No he is not equivalent to Hamas. He just has one thing in common with them. He won’t utter the world Israel.
Fact: If you walk up to an Israeli in NYC and ask where are you from, he will answer, “Israel”. He will never refer to Israel as EY. I have 2 grandsons in the IDF. Do you?
I don’t hate Chareidim, even though it is more important for them to wear a Borsalino hat than to recognize the State of Israel. What I don’t like is dishonesty. Don’t say Leshana Haba B’Yerushalayim if you don’t mean it. Don’t say U’vnei Yerushalayim if you don’t mean it. I’ll let you in on something you already aware of. Jerusalem is building like never before. And Jews can finally move to Israel.
Don’t have your Gedolim say to the Choson VeKala at a Chasuna “Ich vinsht aich az du zolst boyin ah bayis ne’emun B’Lakewood!”
As far as becoming a patient, no problem since I don’t take any new patients and I don’t accept any insurance. Actually, I don’t accept any payments in any from from any patients. I only give. I don’t take. I only help. I don’t ask for anyone’s help. And I don’t give out aspirin. Have a meaningful fast and on this Tisha B’Av be aware that this Yid you are trying to insult is one who has been told by several Gedolim and many patients over the years that I have a front row seat in Gan Eden. I am Moichol you, Eli.
Dan, do you really have a problem with ElAl business class? Would you really prefer to fly on an airline where they are serving treif to the passenger next to you and they don’t carry kosher wines?
You are seriously out of your freaking mind. This is an aviation site (among other things) where we talk about flying, deals etc. Nobody is making any political comments or even religious ones. You know what infuriates me? When people like you have to read into every comment and translate it through your stupid political lenses. Find another blog to spew your nonsense and rage and leave us alone.
I was trying to be polite. But you are right. He really needs to have his head examined; preferably by a real doctor – one who specializes in psychiatry.
Thank you Rav Eli. You are absolutely right.
United used the 777-300ER to TLV. Otherwise, what do you think their flagship is?
“Currently”
Is it possible that delta knows that all of the business class / Delta One suites will go to frequent flyers and won’t be sold for cash and is therefore not “wasting” those seats?
If ATL succeeds I wonder which hub will fly to TLV next? Detroit? Minneapolis?
This is definitely news worthy. Cuz most of us commoners regularly fly business. Out of Atlanta. (◔_◔)
this is awesome for diamonds using GUC!! but, im sure they will re-fit the plane before or near starting service….oh well
How do the economy seats compare?
I give them 3 months before they shut it down
There is virtually no significant jewish community or major business hub in atlanta
this just makes no sense even their sad 3x weekly bos-tlv flights are stopping for winter
are they just shooting in all directions to try offset united?
Tom, let’s “check the facts”. According to the ‘Jewish Virutal Library’ from 2020, Atlanta is #9 for Jewish community volume in the US, at 120,000. There are a multitude of shuls, chabads, yeshivos from Toco Hills to Buckhead to Sandy Springs. No major business hub? Well, according to the US Census of 2020, Atlanta is #8 nationally, 6,144,050 people reside in the metro area. #10 of US cities on the GDP list. Is it New York? No. But is it factual when you say there is no significant Jewish community or business hub, that’s incorrect.
ATL is Delta’s home, feeders will bring in the chunk of the load from their vast network. (Not that I agree with your assessment of Atlanta)