Delta begins new, increased service today

Starting today, Salt Lake air passengers will become acquainted with a new airline.

Atlantic Southeast Airlines will be greatly enlarging its previously miniscule service to help Delta Air Lines expand service in Utah's capital.

The lion's share of that new service begins today when Delta and its carriers — SkyWest, ComAir and now ASA — initiate new direct service to several cities previously not serviced through Salt Lake City. Service will also be increased to other cities to which Delta and its carriers already fly.

The entry of ASA is a coup for Salt Lake City, since the carrier's arrival will bring 346 new employees (44 maintenance, 150 flight attendants, 150 pilots and two airport operations employees) to the area. Those employees will be buying homes, shopping in malls and buying groceries, Salt Lake City Department of Airports spokeswoman Barbara Gann said.

"The secondary benefits and the impact to the local economy is great," Gann said.

And that's not to mention the new flights that travelers will enjoy.

"It increases the local customer's ability to travel," she said. "The new service is a great benefit to Salt Lake City and even more so to the communities where it is opening up their service. Some of these small communities have had little or no service, and now they will be able to come through this hub. It literally opens up their whole network system for them."

Salt Lake City is not alone. Delta also is expanding service at its hubs in Atlanta and Cincinnati in what the airline calls "the largest single-day schedule redesign in aviation history."

Delta hopes the ambitious plan — Operation Clockwork — will generate up to $100 million in savings or new revenue within a year by adding flights and reducing chronic delays at its biggest hub in Atlanta.

Delta hopes to net another $100 million or so annually by shutting down its money-losing Dallas hub and shifting the aircraft to more lucrative markets, such as Salt Lake City.

The moves were announced last fall.

In Salt Lake City, travelers can explore more than a dozen new destinations via direct flights. Previously many of those same destinations were accessible from Salt Lake City only by taking numerous connections.

Included in the direct-flight service is a straight shot to Maui (beginning May 1). Mardi Gras revelers can now enjoy one of two daily flights to New Orleans, while spring breakers can take direct flights to Fort Lauderdale and Cabo San Lucas.

Other new nonstop destinations include: Austin, El Paso and San Antonio, Texas; Little Rock and Fayetteville, Ark.; Burbank, Calif.; Tampa, Fla.; Wichita, Kan.; and Lewiston, Idaho.