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Delta Air Lines

Company Description
Delta Air Lines, Inc. provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo in the United States and internationally. It operates from airport hubs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, and Tokyo-Narita. It also provides aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for other aviation and airline customers, as well as offers staffing services, professional security and training services, and aviation solutions; vacation packages; and aircraft charters. The company offers services to 357 destinations in 66 countries. As of February 9, 2011, it operated a mainline fleet of approximately 700 aircraft. The company was founded in 1924 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.

CEO: Richard H. Anderson; Revenues:  $31.75 billion (2010); Employees: 80,000+ (2010)

Climate Change Actions

  • Delta decreased its carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) 20 percent from 2005 levels by 2010.
  • Delta's CO2e per RTM (revenue-ton mile, i.e. one payload of passengers or cargo transported one mile) decreased by 15.6 percent since 2005 and 28.2 percent since 2000, exceeding Delta’s goal of a 10 percent improvement for 2000-2010.
  • Delta and its industry partners have called for a global sectoral approach to address aviation’s greenhouse gas emissions under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).  Delta and the industry have made the following commitments to reduce commercial aviation CO2 emissions over the next 40 years.  The major industry trade associations, IATA and ATA, have endorsed these reduction goals:
    • 1.5 percent annual fuel efficiency improvement through 2020
    • No increase in net CO2 emissions starting in 2020
    • A 50 percent reduction in net CO2 emissions by 2050, relative to 2005
  • During 2011, Delta plans to establish a 2015 greenhouse gas emissions goal, pursue independent verification of its inventory and register its inventory with a third-party organization.

Statements on Climate Change
"Reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions are priorities for Delta. [...] As a company we will continue our greenhouse gas reduction efforts, and in conjunction with the entire airline industry, continue to support the global sectoral approach." Richard H. Anderson, CEO

Relevant Links:
Delta Company Web Site, Delta Corporate Responsibility Report (CSR) Report, Delta Carbon Emissions Policy, Delta Carbon Offsets Program, IATA Global Sectoral Approach Fact Sheet Link, Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) web site link