Delta applies to expand Brazil service

Delta applies to expand Brazil service       Delta Air Lines submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday to expand its service between the United States and Brazil.
      Delta has received approval to begin twice-weekly service between Detroit and Sao Paulo Oct 21. The request is to expand the service to five days per week.
      Delta said its service would create a new gateway to Brazil in the Midwest, and continue Detroit’s expansion as an international hub. In recent months, Delta has added service from Detroit to Seoul-Incheon and Hong Kong, and expanded service to Shanghai. In January, Delta will begin nonstop service from Detroit to Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
      The flights will be operated with 216-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft.
      Delta said it would need to use an indirect approach to expand the service to Sao Paolo.
      In its application, Delta requested permission for three additional U.S./Brazil flight authorities, specifically for service between Atlanta and Rio de Janeiro. If approved, Delta would then shift three of its existing Rio de Janeiro authorities from Atlanta to Detroit for the expanded Sao Paulo service.
      Delta said its current Atlanta/Rio de Janeiro service would be unaffected, but said the shift of three flights from Atlanta to Detroit is necessary because the authorities Delta is using to operate its Atlanta/Rio de Janeiro service can be used between any cities in the U.S. and Brazil, while the new authorities cannot be used for service to Sao Paulo until that airport completes infrastructure improvements.