Delta Air Lines’ ability to endure in the post-deregulation era, reflected in its $103-million earnings win 1979 while earnings plunged for most other major trunks, will be put to new marketplace tests this summer.

Delta will extend its route network to Salt Lake City Apr. 28 and to Seattle and Portland June 1. It will compete head-to-head with Eastern Airlines from Atlanta to Pacific Northwest points, both carriers flying Lockheed L-1011s. It also will serve the Northwest from Dallas/Ft. Worth against Braniff International with Boeing 727-200s.

While competition is heating up in the western U.S., Delta will be bracing against competition on its now exclusive transatlantic routes. Delta will continue flying L-1011s as British Caledonian enters the Atlanta-London route with McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30s and Lufthansa begins 747 service between Atlanta and Frankfurt.

In another international move, Delta will begin daily Atlanta-Nassau service against Bahamasair Apr. 27 is the Bahamian government approves as expected. 

Extract from Aviation Week & Space Technology, March 24, 1980 - Read the full article here