Delta adds Boeing 717s for Los Angeles/San Francisco service

Delta Air Lines will introduce Boeing 717 aircraft on eight of the 15 daily flights between Los Angeles International (LAX) and San Francisco International airports in June, offering 40 percent more seats on its hourly nonstop Delta Shuttle.

"Our Delta Shuttle on the West Coast is designed to connect Silicon Beach to Silicon Valley," said Ranjan Goswami, Delta's vice president of Sales - West. "As we continue to grow in Los Angeles, upgrading to fuel-efficient 717s on a majority of our daily Shuttle flights is a logical next step in strengthening our position in this important market."

Delta launched its hourly nonstop Delta Shuttle product from Los Angeles to San Francisco in September 2013, adding a California perspective to its long relied-upon New York-based Shuttle. The mainline 717s seat 110 passengers. The remaining seven daily West Coast Shuttle flights will continue to be operated by Delta Connection partner Compass Airlines using 76-seat Embraer E175 aircraft. All shuttle flights offer access to First Class and Economy Comfort seating and feature Wi-Fi service, as does nearly every domestic Delta flight out of Los Angeles.

Last month, Delta announced plans to begin daily nonstop service to Shanghai in July. Pending foreign government approval, seasonal service from Los Angeles to Managua, Nicaragua, will also begin this summer. These new routes build on Delta's expansion in both international and domestic service from Los Angeles in recent months, including London-Heathrow in October; Dallas and Austin, Texas in November; and Vancouver, Canada in December.

From Los Angeles, Delta currently operates 154 peak-day departures to 48 destinations. At the airport, travelers passing through Los Angeles continue to enjoy the benefits of the $229 million expansion and enhancement of Terminal 5 at LAX, scheduled for completion in May 2015.