Quick Take:
Why Indiana? Why not!
Big boost for another Transatlantic gateway, helping passengers skip the major hubs in the USA. And the “Delta Hub” in Paris offers plenty of Air France connecting flow, well timed for this flight schedule.
For an industry constantly complaining about lower yields in the Transatlantic market, however, this is another route that flies in the face of logic.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), in cooperation with joint venture partner Air France KLM, will bring nonstop trans-Atlantic service from Indianapolis to its European hub at Paris-Charles de Gaulle beginning May 24, 2018.
“Indiana and the Indianapolis metropolitan area has long been an important part of our route network and we are honored that Delta will be the first U.S. carrier to take Indiana nonstop to Europe,” said Bob Cortelyou, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Network Planning.
Delta is Indianapolis’ leading global airline with service to 13 destinations and 37 peak-day departures and the only airline to offer a premium lounge, the Delta Sky Club. With the new service to Paris, customers from across the Hoosier State will have convenient, one-stop connections at Paris-Charles de Gaulle to more than one hundred destinations in Europe, Africa, Middle East and India.
“This new service is a great example of the strength of our trans-Atlantic joint venture and we look forward to providing a new economic link between the state of Indiana and Europe,” said Dwight James, Delta’s Senior Vice President – Trans-Atlantic.
“Indiana’s pro-business reputation continues to grow and spread around the globe, and that’s why securing a direct trans-Atlantic flight is so important,” Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “This flight is a big win for our state’s business community and for Hoosier travelers. I cannot wait to see that first Delta flight take off for Europe in just a few short months.”
Delta’s onboard experience between Indianapolis and Paris will be on Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, equipped with 25 fully lie-flat seats in Delta One, 29 seats Delta Comfort+ and 171 seats in the Main Cabin. Every seat has access to Wi-Fi, free personal in-flight seatback entertainment screens as well as power ports. Complimentary meals and beverages will also be provided in all cabins of service.
Delta’s Indianapolis–Paris service will be available for sale beginning Sept. 23 and is scheduled to operate as follows:
|
Flight Number |
Departs |
Arrives |
|
DL500 |
Indianapolis (IND) at 6:20 p.m. |
Paris (CDG) at 8:45 a.m. (next day) |
|
DL501 |
Paris (CDG) at 1:15 p.m. |
Indianapolis (IND) at 4:35 p.m. |
Delta’s history in Indianapolis goes back more than five decades. Today, Delta carries thousands of Hoosiers every day on frequent service across its global network via its hubs in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York City, and Salt Lake City in addition to nonstop flights to Orlando, Raleigh/Durham and Cancun.
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not overly surprisingly considering PMNW had a strong focus city (forgot was it officially listed or not) at IND. This flight is probably the ONLY TATL service that IND has, and CDG is a very safe choice.
On the other hand, if you think about it, the massive (and sudden) expansion of WOW at STL, CLE, CVG, and DTW, this might be a knee-jerk reaction to keep WW at bay for the time being.
Best of my knowledge it is the only TATL on offer at IND. Great airport, but (and I mean I’m a native son so I don’t mean this in a rude way) the “international” has long been laugable. I assume they’ve ~always had some Mexico service for vacation seasons, and YYZ / YVR as a matter of course. But it always did feel like customs officers moreso ate donuts than looked at passports.
It’s an absolutely wonderful airport for its size though! Would be a welcome welcome as compared to, say, ATL in the AM when the customs hall is slammed.
Yup…this is the first intercontinental flight for the airport.
And I’ve heard great things about the new airport, though I’m not even sure it qualifies as truly “new” anymore. I need to drop by and visit one of these days.
You should, Seth! It’s small but world class at this point.
Interesting ….
Cargo maybe? Does a B757 have the legs for IND-CDG and CDG-IND?
This route is operated by a 763.
Right. I was curious if the B757 was an option or not due to range issues.
Oopsie. 😮
I do not believe it is. CDG-IND comes in ~280 miles longer than PIT-CDG. The UA 752 routes of TXL/BCN-EWR were even shorter and had winter troubles. Maybe IND could work in the summer but almost certainly not without a heavy payload penalty in the winter. And maybe in the summer, too.
http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=cdg-ind;cdg-pit;ewr-bcn/txl
What’s next, united offering service from PIT-FRA?
You joke, but I’m honestly a little surprised the A++ JV from Star Alliance hasn’t managed to build up secondary city routes the way the SKYTEAM venture has. I think it is mostly a lack of smaller planes to serve the routes. UA is limited in spare 752s/763s while DL seems to be able to flex its schedule/ops more.
That would compete with PIT-FRA on Concord. Delta already has their destination dartboard from PIT-CDG.
Condor. 😉
I think that there is something to be said for secondary markets getting more service. I just wonder about the ability for airlines to drive the yields needed to sustain such long term.
Seth Miller I don’t know who subsidizes the PIT service but I suspect it is Bayer. Tons of Pittsburghers love then nonstop though. Would be curious about load factors following Wow and Condor entering the market June 2017.
Also, I’d bet DL is getting subsidies to fly this.
Indeed, it is.
This would be very useful for international asian students studying at IUP and IUB since they would not have to go to Chicago and can do a one stop flight to their destination.
Yeah, there are numerous and inexpensive ($25 at most) shuttles from Lafayette (Purdue) and Bloomington (Indiana U) to IND. If you needed to get really anywhere in Europe that would be *way* easier than coordinating something from ORD.
Europe or actually now that you mention it, very possibly Asia too 🙂
There’s a rumor in the AA forum on Flyertalk that AA is also considering service from IND, CVG, PIT, or CMH to Europe
Pharmaceutical Express
I know RDU has that. I didn’t realize IND does as well.
Eli Lilly & Co GHQ is in Indy
it’s not a bad city
Which one?? 😉
I’m not doubting the city, but I’m intrigued at the apparent latent demand, particularly year-round. The government subsidies help offset that, of course.
Seth Miller isn’t VP Pence from Indiana?
*eye roll*
All these towns getting non-stop service to Europe while growing & popular towns like Austin get crumbs
Yeah…only 2 flights already, more than most non-hub cities of a similar size. 😉
Didn’t Condor increase service already?
Delta Dart Board back in action?
Eli Lilly and Company is headquartered in Indy, but we also have Cummins in Columbus, Roache Diagnostics, Allison Transmission, Salesforce has a big presence too.
And we have a DL Club! I’m
Happy to to have to schlep to ORD, IAD, ATL or EWR.
More like UA’s chairman’s flight. Mike pence is from Indiana