Delta’s much-hyped joint venture with Santiago-based has received the green light from Chilean authorities but is yet to get the final tick of approval from US authorities – despite working on the deal since 2020. The two airlines need final approval to operate codeshare routes across their local networks, on their US-Chile routes, and also to third countries. As Delta continues to push to get the joint venture over the regulatory line, Georgia’s business community is getting behind the Atlanta-based airline.
Delta’s Director of Regulatory and International Affairs, Christopher Walker, has recently submitted six letters of support to the Department of Transportation regarding the joint venture. The letters come from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Latin American Association, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Not unsurprising aviation news, all fully back the proposed joint venture.
“I am writing to express my full support for the proposed Delta-LATAM joint venture,” says Balram Bheodari, General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, in a letter personally addressed to the US Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg. “We firmly believe the joint venture will incentivize Delta and LATAM to jointly offer consumers more flights, lower prices, more convenient travel options, and more competition for air travel to South America.
“The joint venture is expected to generate up to US$460 million in annual consumer benefits through improved networks, enhanced customer experience, and frequent flyer program improvements.”
Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is Delta’s home airport. Photo: Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
Six letters pushing for joint venture approval
Each of the six letters begins with the same opening sentence as Mr…