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Delta Starts First Non-Stop Service to China from Atlanta Hub

A Delta 777-200 departing from LAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)

Delta launched services between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and its hub in Atlanta on July 20, 2018, the airline’s busiest day of the summer. Delta Flight 185, operated by one of Delta’s Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, departed Atlanta at 3:20 pm with hundreds of Shanghai-bound customers onboard.

Shanghai is Delta’s first Chinese destination from Atlanta and its third Asian destination, which includes Tokyo and Seoul, also big business centers in Asia Pacific. Atlanta is also now Delta’s fourth U.S. gateway to Shanghai, in addition to Detroit, Seattle, and Los Angeles.

To kick things off before the inaugural flight to Shanghai, Delta celebrated with an inaugural reception for important members, including Delta CEO, Ed Bastian, at the Delta Air Lines Museum. Delta also set up a customary gate party for customers of flight 185 before its takeoff.

The Shanghai service operates nonstop once every day with a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft. The flight to Shanghai leaves in the mid-afternoon from Atlanta, arriving at Shanghai in the evening the next day. The flight back leaves Shanghai in the afternoon, arriving back in Atlanta the same day.

Delta has invested significantly in its product to and from China. In addition to its strong partnership with China Eastern Airlines to give customers further access to China from Pudong Airport, Delta also puts onboard Chinese-speaking flight attendants on all services to and from China. Onboard, the airline has invested in chef-inspired Chinese meals for all cabins and now includes several Chinese movies and Chinese-subtitled movies through the airline’s in-flight entertainment system.

Albert Kuan

Author

  • Albert Kuan

    Most people hate long flights or overnight layovers, but Albert loves them. The airport and flying parts of traveling are the biggest highlights of any trip for him – as this avgeek always gets a thrill from sampling different airline cabin products and checking out regional developments happening at local U.S. airports. He’s flown on almost every major carrier in the U.S. and Asia Pacific, and he hopes to try out the new A350s soon. Albert recently completed his undergraduate studies in Business Accounting at USC in Los Angeles and he is currently recruiting for a corporate analyst position at one of the U.S. legacy carriers. During his college years, he interned at LAX for Los Angeles World Airports working behind-the-scenes (and on the ramp) in public relations and accounting. Outside of writing for AirlineGeeks, he enjoys trekking the Hollywood hills, visiting new hotspots throughout SoCal, and doing the occasional weekender on Spirit Airlines.

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