Delta Air Lines Sees New York As Key To Growth

Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL), the world's largest airline, announced on Tuesday that that New York city airports will play important roles in the company's growing corporate travel business, as the global economy recovers from the recession.

Together, New York's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports are the 3rd largest in terms of passenger traffic and represent an important market for an airline that has made the international and business travel sector a prime niche.

Atlanta based Delta Air Lines is expecting government approval by February to trade operating slots it holds at Reagan National airport for slots at LaGuardia that are currently held by US Airways Group, Inc. (NYSE: LCC).

If the deal is approved, it will enable Delta Air Lines to more than double its number of nonstop destinations and add more than a dozen new cities, potentially bringing in more than 2 million additional passengers annually, the airline said.

"With the diverse fleet we have as a result of the merger [with Northwest Airlines], we can fly the right planes in the right markets and strategically align our hubs," said Chief Executive Richard Anderson on a call with analysts. "We are playing to win in New York."