Delta Air Lines plans to make an announcement in January for service to Europe from Salt Lake International Airport, a Utah Air Travel Commission member said Wednesday.

Keith Christensen, chairman of the commission's International Air Route Committee, told the commission that Delta will offer "something different" beginning April 1.

Christensen offered few details other than to say the service would include one stop on the way to a European destination different from the one already offered by Delta, which started service from Salt Lake to Stockholm, Sweden, Dec. 1.

"They (Delta) will make an announcement when they are ready, but you'll like it," Christensen told the commissioners during their monthly meeting.

An ad hoc committee has been studying international routes to determine how the Salt Lake-area business community can support them, and Christensen said they will continue to seek commitments from corporations and officials in the tourism industry to present to Delta.

"They (committee members) have put in a lot of work on collecting numbers that provide as accurate a portrayal as possible while also being attractive to an air carrier," commission chairman Scott R. Slaymaker said.

Delta's flight to Stockholm stops at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport before continuing on to Sweden, but that new service represents Delta's first direct service to Europe from Salt Lake City.

Commissioners noted that providing service between Salt Lake and Europe is no easy task because of equipment, scheduling and pilot contract issues, among others.

Commissioners applauded Delta for its added services in Salt Lake City.

"Stockholm clearly was not our first choice for travel out of Salt Lake City, but it's something we're very pleased to have because we didn't have it before the first week of December," Christensen said.

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"Some people have said, 'Stockholm? Why not another route?' But with Delta, it's a matter of timing and what Delta can do. They'd like to do those other routes, but it's a matter of timing and other issues."

Slaymaker noted that the commission would like to see nonstop flights from Salt Lake City to several European and Far East destinations, but noted that commissioners should be mindful that Delta is a hub carrier in Utah.

"Delta is really reaffirming a commitment to Salt Lake," he said.


E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com

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