Delta unveils historic route flying to new country for the first time
The inaugural flight departed Salt Lake City International Airport on June 12
It was met with fanfare at gate A25 — including live music, food, and remarks from Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a popular tourist destination known for its vibrant culinary scene and being the host of the 1998 summer Olympics.
'This is a monumental step forward... my invitation to Salt Lakers is to start looking out for more visitors from Asia and welcome them with open arms here in the state of Utah,' Mendenhall said.
The aircraft was designed to celebrate the Delta's 100th anniversary and included lie-flat seating, bedding, and four-course meals.
It is an Airbus A350-900, which can seat up to 306 passengers not including flight staff.
Direct trips to Seoul-Incheon International Airport take nearly 13 hours to complete, and over 11 hours to return to Utah.
Delta announced its plans to create the nonstop route last year while its wealthiest fliers were beginning to switch airlines.
'As Salt Lake City continues to grow as a vital Delta hub, our strong joint venture with Korean Air allows us to offer unmatched connectivity between the U.S. and Asia, leveraging strong hubs on both sides,' said Delta's senior vice president of network planning Joe Esposito.
'This ensures that customers, including those in the interior U.S., have access not just to Seoul but to key destinations across Asia.'
Each flight to Korea from Salt Lake City features Korean snacks and flight attendants and is expected to have free Wi-Fi available by 2026.
'With the service we already have, and the addition of this flight, 80% of the world's population is now within one stop of Salt Lake City, Utah. It's a pretty amazing thing to just absorb what that means,' said SLC's executive director Bill Wyatt.
Other officials also believe this is more than just a historic route and is also a way to better the relationships of these countries with Delta.
'It's a bridge between two places with natural beauty, innovation and growing friendship,' said counsel general of the Republic of Korea Jung-taek Lim.
'[The] Korean Consulate is fully committed to supporting this journey, whether it's helping travelers enjoy a safe and enriching state or promoting lasting partnership between Korea and Utah.'
The party was held at gate A25, and included food, music, and an appearance from Delta's mascot
Besides the iconic flight route, Delta has been busy working on modernizing its aircrafts.
The Atlanta-based carrier was met with backlash last year after giving a preview of its new cabin design.
The design plan went off without a hitch, and the first revamped aircraft took off on February 1.
Delta also made headlines when it released photos of an upcoming futuristic and environmentally friendly aircraft.
The new carrier is part of Delta's multi-prolonged approach to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
If all goes according to plan, the first futuristic aircraft is expected to launch in 2027.
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