Delta Air Lines began deploying its Airbus A330neos on its New York JFK Airport
(JFK) to Accra
Kotoka International Airport (ACC) on October 1. These replaced the carrier’s Boeing 767s on the route and are a testament to the importance of Ghana within the carrier’s network.

Upgrades to Ghana

Delta Air Lines has reinforced its presence on flights to Ghana by upgrading the aircraft deployed on its JFK to ACC route. Previously operated by the Boeing 767-300ER, the carrier has switched the route to the Airbus A330-900. The daily A330neo flight will allow nearly 1000 more weekly seats to be added on the connection, increasing Delta’s total capacity between the two countries by around 30%.

The carrier’s A330-900s have 281 seats, compared to the 767s which have under 230, varying depending on the configuration. The A330neos feature the carrier’s four cabins, including Delta One Suites, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin. It says that this ensures it will remain “the largest operator in the US-Ghana market” through its daily JFK flight.

Delta Air Lines Airbus A330neo Taxiing In Tokyo

Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock

When it announced back in April that it was upgrading its route between JFK and ACC, it also announced similar changes to its 10-weekly flights connecting Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
(ATL) with Johannesburg Airport
(JNB) and Cape Town
(CPT) routes. It decided to deploy the A350-900 on these flights, increasing Delta One Suite capacity by 8 seats. The total Delta One configuration rose to 40. The A350 launched to JNB in mid-June, while passengers flying to CPT were able to take advantage of the modern widebody as of September 9. Joe Esposito, Delta’s Senior Vice President of Network Planning said:

“These enhancements reflect our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our customers. We’re expanding our options for customers to experience the premium service and elevated hospitality they expect from Delta.”

Delta Air Lines Airbus A350

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Delta in Africa

Delta has a noteworthy presence in Africa, especially compared to its American competitors. American Airlines does not offer any connection to the continent, while United Airlines does have several flights to countries including Morocco and South Africa.

In an interview with Simple Flying last year, Delta Director of Sales, Africa, Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent Jimmy Eichelgruen told us:

“The US is vitally important, but it’s a mature market, so one has to look at international destinations. So we’ve got a very mature market, and then you’ve got Europe, for example, which is mature, then you look at IATA figures, what looks like a growth area, Africa. So obviously, it’s in our interest to spotlight Africa, and we are committed to serving Africa.”

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Delta Air Lines has the second-largest presence in the US-Africa market compared to any other airline. Ethiopian Airlines takes the top spot, with various services from its Addis Ababa hub. However, Delta Air Lines is not far behind. It says that it carries in excess of 500,000 customers between the two continents each year across 34+ weekly flights.

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