HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 1998--Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today opens its first satellite reservations call center in a new facility located at Technology Place in Cummings Research Park in Huntsville, Alabama.

Attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Lee Macenczak, Delta's vice president - reservations sales and distribution planning, said, "Delta is committed to providing a world class call center." This satellite call center allows Delta to meet that goal and ensures that the Delta Reservation Sales staff responds to Delta customers with prompt service by knowledgeable sales representatives," he added.

The 125-position call center will employ 200 sales representatives and 20 management and administrative personnel. The center will be at full capacity to take calls effective mid November.

"We are delighted with the opportunity to work with the Huntsville community," said Macenczak. "We selected Huntsville because of several factors including the availability of qualified applicants, economic viability and assistance from state and municipal governments. A team of local, state and private sector officials worked closely with Delta throughout the entire process."

This call center is the first remote reservation center, a concept that builds on Delta's Automatic Call Distributor technology to enable construction of satellite office within a 200-mile radius of an existing reservations center at half the cost of building a separate call center. Delta will open two additional centers in the next six months.

"The Alabama State Employment Service was very helpful in assisting us with screening potential candidates," said Susan Shorter, Delta's manager of the new call center. "Hiring is complete and training will conclude in mid-November. The majority of the new sales associates are local residents."

Delta, which has eight daily non-stop flights from Huntsville International Airport to Atlanta with connecting service to 143 destinations, carried more passengers worldwide last year than any other airline. Delta, Delta Express, the Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and Delta's Worldwide Partners operate 5,132 flights each day to 354 cities in 61 countries.