Delta Air Lines and Riyadh Air, which launches next year, have signed a partnership agreement “to expand connectivity and premium travel options across North America, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond.” This will enable Delta to launch service to Riyadh (!).
The two carriers plan for their partnership to include:
- interline and codeshare connectivity
- frequent flyer reciprocity, “customer experience, digital transformation”
- maintenance, repair and overhaul services, ground handling and training
Riyadh Air and Delta even “intend to explore an [anti-trust] immunized joint venture” which would coordinate schedule planning and growth. That’s the sort of relationship that Delta has with Air France KLM, Virgin Atlantic, and Korean Air and is fighting to keep with Aeromexico – although in those cases there’s reciprocal ownership interests as well.
Huge Coup For Startup Riyadh Air
When Riyadh Air was first announced, I was very skeptical of a brand new airline in the Gulf. I expected that it would compete for low yield connecting traffic with Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad. And the Saudi Arabian government already had a global airline with a hub in Riyadh – and Jeddah – in Saudia. Why compete against themselves?
They went out and hired Tony Douglas from Etihad as CEO. Douglas of all people has the experience to know what they’re getting into. Etihad brought him in to stop the bleeding that came from competing as a global airline with a hub 75 minutes from Emirates in Dubai.
However, Riyadh Air is positioning itself as a premium carrier and brand ambassador for Saudi Arabia. They’re going big – and should be seen more as a play for the country’s global ambitions than merely as a new airline in a crowded market.
So far they’ve ordered 39 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with options for 33 more. They’ve placed a narrowbody order and are planning another order of widebodies by next year. By the end of 2025 they expect to have 10 international destinations, and then add about two per month for the next five years (which would give them over destinations by 2030, operating a fleet of 200 aircraft).
This is an airline that doesn’t fly yet, and they already have plans for a joint venture with the U.S. airline which markets itself as being most premium. Their goal in this partnership is to bring people from the U.S. to Saudi Arabia, and Delta will help them do this – both potentially on their own metal and by feeding connecting traffic to Riyadh Air U.S. destinations. Delta drives a hard bargain, but Riyadh Air has the financing to make this worth Delta’s while and it’s the partner they would have wanted.
Meanwhile, Saudia remains the carrier for low yield religious pilgrimage traffic and that likely continues to adhere to more conservative principles. It’s been speculated that Riyadh Air could even serve alcohol on board.
We are delighted to unveil the first of two #RiyadhAir livery designs, a perfect blend of cutting-edge technology and timeless elegance.
The #FutureTakesFlight#aPIFCompany pic.twitter.com/CxLeV45IJD
— Riyadh Air (@RiyadhAir) June 4, 2023
What Does This Mean For Delta Partner Saudia?
The media release says that this is an exclusive partnership with Delta “Riyadh Air’s exclusive partner in North America” and that Riyadh Air “will be Delta’s exclusive partner in Riyadh and beyond.”
That struck me because Delta currently partners with Saudia through SkyTeam, so I asked about changes to that relationship? We know that Saudia will shift its focus to Jeddah rather than operating dual hubs, while Riyadh Air will hub in Riyadh. Presumably, however, Saudia will still fly to Riyadh (at least in domestic service from Jeddah).
The claim about Riyadh Air being Delta’s exclusive partner in Riyadh, though, doesn’t mean more than what we already know according to the airline. I’m told by Riyadh Air that,
They still have a relationship with Saudia, but over time Saudia will focus more on Jeddah and we’ll be the partners for Riyadh.
Hypocrisy Thy Name Is Delta
Delta Air Lines spent 2015 through 2019 lobbying the U.S. federal government to block flying by major Gulf airlines on the basis that they were backed by their governments and therefore it was ‘unfair’ to have to compete against them. Delta is the most profitable airline in the world, the U.S. has treaty obligations to allow these airlines to fly, and they bring options and lower prices to U.S. consumers. However the goal was protectionism for Delta shareholders.
CEO Ed Bastian managed to corral United Airlines and American to go along with these efforts. American even dropped partnership efforts with Etihad and Qatar Airways.
After going nowhere during the Obama administration, Delta’s campaign culminated in an Oval Office meeting with President Trump where Trump chastised then-American CEO Doug Parker for his airline’s flailing stock price. (Bastian skipped the meeting.)
This was a self-interested effort that failed, and since then United Airlines has gone on to partner with Emirates and American has worked more closely with Qatar Airways. Now Delta is talking about forming a joint venture with the biggest state-backed launch of a new airline in history.
Delta is against subsidies when it benefits them, and for subsidies when it benefits them, the key determinant of whether or not a policy is good is whether it benefits Delta.
Need I mention the nearly $10 billion in direct taxpayer cash that Delta took during the pandemic, ostensibly to keep people employed that they publicly stated they weren’t going to lay off, all the while shedding workforce that damaged their reliability throughout 2021 and 2022?
Watching Riyadh Air Launch Is A Window Into Significant World Events
Emirates helped put Dubai on the map, but Riyadh Air could be a piece of something much more substantial, not merely marketing the destination but helping to drive Saudi Arabia forward.
As a non-expert outsider I’m absolutely fascinated by the transition in that country, which retains many governance elements that those in the West will be uncomfortable with while at the same time liberalizing much of it society and working to grow and diversify its economy.
For the country, Riyadh Air is part of a gamble that openness and modernity can bring benefits to Saudi Arabia, pairing secular society and a growing class of entrepreneurs and artists with single-family rule rather than political pluralism.
I don’t know enough to predict how this will turn out. I have never even visited Saudi Arabia. But it’s one of the more interesting transformations playing out in the world.
Delta‘s complaint did not involve Saudia.
This partnership will provide incredible leverage to Delta to grow with a premium carrier and offer far more than American or United from their Middle East partnerships
@ Gary — Will bone saws be allowed in carryons?
I’m sure this will be a great new opportunity for Delta to confiscate its long-term loyal customers’ mileage balances through serial devaluations.
@ Tim — You can be sure Delta will never be able to compete with QR or EK.
@Tim Dunn – “Delta‘s complaint did not involve Saudia.”
1. that made it worse, not better. delta wants its own partnerships, and to ban competitors
2. riyadh air isn’t saudia, it’s a plan for a massive state-backed growth-engine
I agree with you that this will be valuable to Delta, and potentially that it’ll be higher value than UA-EK and AA-QR but largely because UA will underexploit its Emirates partnership and because Delta likely got better terms.
@Gary, any word if the alphabet rainbow pins will be allowed to be worn by non revs with their free Palestine pins?
@ Lord Timothy Dunn — And don’t forget USA pins since I’m sure they will be assisting with destroying the USA via Project2025.
The low-yield religious pilgrimage traffic to Saudi Arabia mainly flies charter flights to Saudi Arabia.
The pilgrim traffic on Saudia and other scheduled common carriers is relatively high-yield for the routes since it is overwhelmingly seasonal traffic with peak being very peak and off-peak periods needing whatever traffic it can get.
@Gene
The people negativity effected by project 2025 deserve what they get.
Riyadh Air will either eventually fizzle out as a proverbial white elephant or combine with Saudia in some way.
That sleaze-ball Saudi ruler in all but name MBS is a “look at me with all my toys” braggart with more money than brains thanks to the fossil fuels market that risks making more of the world to be made in Saudi Arabia’s image. This Riyadh Air thing is part of that.
@ AndyS — Same thing Hitler said in 1930s/1940s Germany. I guess everyone in Germany got what they deserved when it was bombed to ruins.
Can you explain to me what exactly gay or brown or female people have done to deserve your hatred? How have they negatively affected you exactly?
@ AndyS — Affected not effected. That was taught in 3rd grade English, but I guess you weren’t paying attention to that or in your history class when they taught about the Holocaust.
I’m reminded of what you have said countlessly, Gary: In a 50-50 deal with Delta, Delta takes the hyphen.
yes, professor. Gary knows and admits that Delta is not just a shrewd negotiator but probably THE SHREWDEST.
AA and UA hooked up w/ fully grown ME airlines to the US and DL waited and had a choice of EY or RX and chose RX so it has an opportunity to be a part from the ground up.
And, Gary, either DL included Saudia in its complaint against the ME 3 or it didn’t. It doesn’t make it worse that they didn’t complain about Saudia which has long had a pretty small US route system and it isn’t hypocritical that DL is now developing a partnership with an airline from a country that it never complained about.
If DL had partnered with EY, your point would be valid. But DL chose RX and vice versa
Let’s not forget lacking a moral compass.
@Tim
Yup, unlike AA that has partnerships with airlines like Qatar and Etihad that people actually like (and love) to fly, Delta has struck up a partnership with an airline that very few people would want to fly.
Then again, you were hailing Delta’s 495K biz class redemptions on Saudia as excellent value for passengers
Gary
I’m curious what use United is really making of its alliance with Emirates. The only flights I really see are flights to India, where United flies to Dubai on its own metal and then hands off to Emirates for the 2 hr hop to an Indian airport.
Mileage redemption rates for these flights are ridiculous, nearly Delta level.
I miss the days when Alaska would offer decent biz class flights on Emirates.
I wonder what all the woke flight attendants with gay pride pins will do? Or the small number of trans flight attendants? Or a Jewish passenger? It isn’t even legal to have a Bible in your checked luggage or to wear a crucifix. I suspect this is more a case of this airline basically buying Delta’s expertise so they can launch a competent airline. Unless and until we see the KSA ease restrictions, I don’t believe this will ever happen.
jon,
AA doesn’t even fly to AUH and flies precisely ONE flight to DOH.
UA flies one flight to DXB and will add another.
To call either of those alliances is more than a stretch.
It is laughable that people forget that most of the Middle East was very intolerant to outsiders for years but changed in order to attract outside investment. Saudi Arabia is doing it now – but at a time when Delta is in a position to jump in and shape the future of Riyadh, smoething AA and UA will never be able to do with QR or EK
Tim
You’re funny
are you really suggesting delta is in a position to influence social policy in Saudi Arabia due to a nonexistent airline and JV? Lmao
Go back to your basement
You don’t even know how the world works if you think a non existent delta flight full of rainbow-wearing delta FAs is ever going to land in Riyadh much less exact social change in a positive manner for those said FAs
Not that you care about them…
This is a marketing gimmick by Riyadh air that delta has happily sold its soul to a brutal regime for a couple million bucks to make people forget they can’t even get a glass of wine there much less social justice.
You should be asking how much money delta would sell its soul for because it appears to be VERY LITTLE
That’s it
@Tim
What is laughable is the notion that people will want to fly Riyadh Air. over Qatar or EY. Then again, since you think that Delta’s 450K+ redemptions on Saudia were great bargains, it’s not surprising that you believe people will want to fly Riyadh.
Qatar is part of OneWorld, and AA has had an alliance with EY for years.
Most sensible people would hardly consider striking a deal with a new airline anywhere in the same league as deals with large, well established carriers. Then again. sensible people wouldn’t consider 450K rates for awards on Aeroflot or Viet Air to be bargains either.
I will happily fly Riyadh, and hope they get their planes delivered so that I can do that. I suspect it won’t happen next year though.
It’s unfortunate that so many here are still laboring under a misunderstanding of Saudi Arabia that has now been completely changed. MBS has overseen perhaps the greatest increase in human freedom and flourishing since Deng Xiao Ping freed China from the Gang of Four. He deserves all of our admiration and support for his progressive and modern vision.
The only thing that is laughable is that anyone thinks that
1. AA or UA have any advantage when they have no joint venture and neither EK or QR has much incentive to share anything with a carrier that has such a small percentage of capacity or
2. that Saudi Arabia can’t make and isn’t already making the same social changes that the UAE, Qatar and other Middle East countries made WITH TRANSPORTATION years ago. And Qatar might still be less tolerant socially than Saudi Arabia.
Delta isn’t influencing Saudi social policy and I never said they would.
Saudi Arabia was on the verge of signing a peace deal with Israel before the Oct 2023 Hamas attack.
Delta already has a partnership with El Al that could very well become a joint venture and now they add Riyadh Air that will be as good if not better than EK or QR.
Of course, once again, the AA and UA loyalists discredit Delta’s strategies just as they did with NYC, LAX and Korean – and yet DL is the largest airline in NYC and LAX and has a larger JV with KE than AA or UA have with any Asian airline. and we won’t talk about how much larger Latam is than any partner AA or UA could possibly have to Latin America.
And Delta has more highly fuel efficient widebody capacity coming online in the next 5 years than AA or UA – and if anyone dares try to talk about UA’s 787-9s, just wait til DL starts routes from JFK to Asia that UA can’t fly with the 787-9
And the A350 is STILL a much more fuel efficient and capable aircraft.
But the AA and UA nimwits will do all they can to denigrate DL’s strategies because they are deathly afraid that DL will do in the Middle East what they have done in NYC and LAX and are on the verge of doing across the Pacific.
AA sat on the sidelines and is clueless how to build its Pacific. DL sits back, waits for UA to binge on growth, and then DL strikes and surpasses UA’s strategies – and that will happen with the Middle East.
Which route will Delta fly? BOS-RUH or ATL-RUH?
Newsflash.
The 2019s are over. All airlines received shovelful of taxpayer money in 2020. No need to keep bringing those events up.
MBS and “progressive vision”? What a crock.
He’s a brutal authoritarian, and no amount of lipstick is going to make him any less of a pig.
@Tim
I’m not the one claiming Delta’s striking a deal with a brand new carrier is some sort of masterstroke that will make them take over the ME from Emirates and Qatar
Then again, I’m not the innumerate claiming that 500K biz class awards from Delta are major bargains.
Also, I was in Abu Dhabi last week. Brand new Terminal. Etihad is in expansion mode again.
I have flown Emirates, Qatar and Etihad in the last 6 months. And in past years, Saudia (yuck) and Kuwait (double yuck). No reason to assume Riyadh will be much of an improvement over Saudia.
Unlike Tim, I do venture out of my parent’s basement, so I do realize that Riyadh isn’t catching up to Qatar or Emirates anytime soon, if ever. And I do realize that 500K redemptions on Saudia and Viet Air are not a bargain
@mak
‘MBS has overseen perhaps the greatest increase in human freedom and flourishing since Deng Xiao Ping freed China from the Gang of Four.’
Deng as an avatar of freedom, just like MBS now. have you ever heard of Tiananmen Square?
I wouldn’t even get into how many countries much larger than Saudi Arabia have seen increases in human freedom since the late 70s.
jon,
feel free to let us know who claimed that DL would take over the ME with its partnership with RX.
I also have never pushed DL or any other carrier’s FF redemption rates.
Your 2nd comment below reveals your bias.
RX hasn’t even flown but it has been well covered as a high end carrier that is part of Saudi Arabia’s transformation of its economy – which has been well-covered through other media sources.
Somehow you and other ignorant people don’t realize that Qatar and the UAE have a long history of intolerance to the west but only changed in the past few decades.
Saudi Arabia only recently committed to modernization but you somehow think that you somehow think that Saudi Arabia can’t modernize for the purpose of growing its economy just like Qatar and the UAE did. And this is a good place to note that Saudi Arabia’s economy is already larger than Qatar and the UAE’s COMBINED.
and then you factor in that RX already said they are entering into a partnership with Delta not just because of commercial – codesharing and a potential joint venture – but also so that DL can help RX build itself as a company including developing in-house maintenance services. Given that DL has engine overhaul contracts on every new generation aircraft it flies and has on order, it only makes sense for RX to reach out to DL over AA or UA or any other US carrier.
Given that DL is the most profitable US airline, it only makes sense for RX to look to DL to help establish itself.
And, finally, Israel and Saudi Arabia were widely reported to be on the verge of a peace deal at the time of the Hamas attacks – and they still may move forward with that agreement.
DL already has a partnership with El Al which could lead to a joint venture and an agreement with Riyadh could be ground breaking in terms of having a US carrier deeply involved with airlines from both countries.
It is clear that there are some simpletons at AA and UA that are incapable of recognizing these realities but DL has proven over and over again that it sits back, lets its competitors make their moves, and then DL makes its moves and does so to position itself even stronger than its competitors. We need only look at NYC, LAX, BOS and Latin America and what is on the verge of happening in E. Asia to see that – but I wouldn’t expect you to be able to capable of understanding.
And unless and until MBS allows the consumption of alcohol by non-Muslims and implements other social tolerance reforms in the KSA, who is going between KSA and Detroit (the most likely base for a flight to Riyadh) without alcohol? Right now, you would get denied entry to KSA if you wore a crucifix. Having a Bible — Christian, but especially Jewish — could result in you getting arrested. If you thought the firestorm over Americans being arrested and jailed in the Turks and Caicos for some random ammunition in their bags was bad, wait until a Christian is locked up in Riyadh and sentenced to death for proselytizing.
@ Gary — The more I have thought about this alliance, the more I have realized what a joke it will be on Delta. Who in the US wants to go to Saudia Arabia? Very few. This entire airline will prove to be a gigantic waste of money. The Kingdon is no UAE, nor will it be.
the ignorance and bias here is stunning.
Most of the Middle East was hostile to the outside world and the UAE and Qatar only gave the right to vote to women in the past 25 years – not much different from Saudi Arabia.
Qatar heavily limited the right to drink alcohol during the World Cup.
Saudi Arabia is rapidly modernizing, is already a much larger economy and country than the UAE and Qatar combined, and all of the fears about what SA is were legitimate fears about other countries in the Middle East not that long ago.
The notion that Qatar and the UAE are some forward-thinking progressive countries and Saudi Arabia is some perpetual backwater is peddled by those that are scared to death that Delta might really have come w/ a strategy that will far surpass American and United – whose partners have no incentive to allow them into a joint venture – while DL has strong potential not just for a JV with RX but also with El Al.
The fear from the AA and UA apologists is palpable
July 10, 2014: Tim Dunn finally admits he is ignorant and biased.
Oops, 2024. We can only dream that this occurred 10 years ago…
“The notion that Qatar and the UAE are some forward-thinking progressive countries and Saudi Arabia is some perpetual backwater is peddled by those that are scared to death that Delta might really have come w/ a strategy that will far surpass American and United ”
It’s so strange that Qatar and the UAE have tourism industries that don’t involve the Hajj while Saudi Arabia largely does not. It’s almost like Tim doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Tim, this may end up being a great deal for Delta. It may not. But your dogmatic characterization is just absurd. Riyadh Air has largely said this will be a Riyadh-based O&D with some connections which is very different how QR and EK work and how UA and AA use those partner airlines. If delta wants to serve Riyadh today, they can with no issues but they don’t.
Delta is obviously get paid to do this marketing gimmick with Riyadh Air. I’ll believe a Delta plane landing in riyadh when it lands there. Until then, Delta is just getting paid for Riyadh Air to gain some legitimacy and Delta was their only pick since AA and UA already have good partners in the region (that serve alcohol too).
This could be a great thing for DL, but it’s just a marketing gimmick right now.
you want to believe it is a marketing gimmick because you don’t want to admit that Delta may very well have pulled off a brilliant stroke in the Middle East that goes well beyond a couple flights to the Middle East regardless of the US airline.
Riyadh specifically listed a series of activities on which Delta will serve as a consultant/model to help RX get started so this is about far beyond just codesharing.
RX is starting up so they aren’t trying to market 100 destinations but they say they intend to fly to that many places.
The chances of them being larger than Etihad in a few years is pretty high.
Saudi Arabia is a large country that is in transition and is willing to do some bold things including partnering w/ Israel that no other US country can do.
Delta is the aviation glue that holds these two countries together.
It doesn’t really matter whether you see it or not.
This has the potential to be a far bigger deal for the entire Middle East than anything AA or UA could pull off.
There are lots of 100% fair criticisms of Saudi Arabia, it’s a country in transition not a finished product, and I don’t claim to know where it leads. For now it seems to be aiming towards openness and reform AND control at the same time. But this Nike commercial is why I’m relatively bullish for the future there, and certainly compared to the past https://x.com/NiohBerg/status/1810790140341575785
very well said, Gary.
and the real issue is that some people think “they” have arrived whether “they” is an airline or their own country.
Saudi Arabia is a little later than other Middle East countries in turning the corner but that simply means that there is greater opportunity to avoid the mistakes of others and also to grow much stronger and much quicker.
And specific to Delta and Riyadh, it means they could very well have an advantage over AA/QR and UA/EK which are very unlikely to become joint ventures and if they do, on much less terms than DL and RX are proposing.
DL is getting in on the ground floor not just of a brand new premium focused carrier that will be aggressively growing but also will be part of a reshaping of Arab-Jewish relations – and DL will be the aviation link between Israel/El Al and Saudi Arabia/RX.
@Tim
‘Saudi Arabia is a large country that is in transition and is willing to do some bold things including partnering w/ Israel that no other US country can do.’
‘US country’? But again, you should probably venture outside your parent’s basement. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have direct flights to Tel Aviv. Etihad flies to Tel Aviv out of Abu Dhabi. . And perhaps you should actually fly Etihad, Emirates, Qatar and spend some time in Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai before commenting on those airline’s services and airport facilities. Understand, I’m not talking about politics, just about airline reputation and market. Abu Dhabi has a brand new terminal.
But of course, Delta’s ‘alliance’ with a brand new airline is going to remake the middle east into a place where people disdain Emirates, Etihad and Doha in favor of Riyadh. I think the people who believe that are also innumerate enough to believe that Delta’s 500 K biz class redemptions on Saudia and Viet Air are great deals.
And FWIW, while Dubai is hardly a Western style secular democracy, it has had huge expat workforces for decades who have been given freedom to worship (large temples in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai). People actually visit Dubai and even Abu Dhabi for entertainment and tourism. It’s a nice place to visit, and Abu Dhabi is catching up. But certainly all the tourist (excluding religious tourist) traffic from other ME countries, India and elsewhere will make a beeline for Riyadh, tempted by Delta’s 500K biz class redemptions!
jon,
again, your arrogance is astounding.
It was really not that long ago that the UAE was no different than any other Mideast country. But they recognized that the way to build their country was to venture away from oil and build a global economy. Great for them; they led the way in the Middle East.
Your arrogance is thinking that they have arrived with some level of social achievement that surpasses other countries, that other countries, INCLUDING THE US, are free from condemnation for their own social ills, AND THAT Saudi Arabia is incapable of doing exactly what these other countries did just a few years ago.
a few flights to Israel doesn’t change the fact that Saudi Arabia is on the verge of the most significant breakthrough in Arab relations with Israel.
As for Delta, I don’t expect nor do I care if you understand it.
The evidence is overwhelming that on one issue after another AA and UA make their moves, DL sits back and waits and watches, and then surpasses both strategically.
It doesn’t matter if you want to argue but the evidence is overwhelming that Delta’s move in the Middle East with Riyadh is going to go well beyond what AA and UA can possibly do in the Middle East.
I have more intelligence and insight from the basement that doesn’t even exist than you have on the top floor of a skyscraper.
@Tim
I’ve been flying to and through the UAE for decades now, so I have more knowledge about the UAE than someone who seems to rarely venture outside a basement, is unaware that the UAE has flights to/from Israel, and moreover thinks that Delta’s 500K redemptions on Saudia are a bargain.
FWIW, I don’t particularly care to debate Saudi Arabia or the UAE;’s social issues. I simply care that Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi are great places to visit and transit through, which Riyadh (and Kuwait for that matter) emphatically are not.
but sure, Delta’s partnership with a new airline is going to topple Emirates, Etihad and Qatar in passenger share, lead to revolutionary change when ME, Indian and Western tourists flock to Ryadh, and possibly even a future where a non zero number of people agree with you that 500K redemptions on biz class from Delta on Saudia are great bargains.
I wasn’t commenting on UAE’s social achievements so much as the fact that it’s a great place to visit (modulo the heat).
I am not the one claiming that Delta’s 500K biz class rede,pt
nobody said anything about toppling anything. Nobody.
You are not only arrogant but you can’t read.
Nobody has debated what the UAE has accomplished – in fact, I supported what they have done.
Nobody cares about your travel experience. All that it proves by you belching it is so you can demean anyone that dares threaten the status quo.
You simply cannot stand to admit that Saudi Arabia is capable of doing the same thing as the UAE has done and you also can’t stand that Delta might well have come up with a deal that will top what AA and UA have.
AA and UA are small gnats on the back of QR and EK.
DL is going to help RX establish itself and is sharing expertise that RX says they recognize DL is capable of offering because of DL’s capabilities and industry leadership. AA and UA are not being asked to do any of that.
Saudi Arabia is on the verge of accomplishing far more than what the UAE did solely because SA is larger and richer already.
It doesn’t matter how much you look down at anything. You solely look like the ignoramus you are by denigrating everything that walks in front of you.
If I were the Delta airline company, I would be very careful with making marketing deals with Saudi Arabia because you wouldn’t exactly want to insult them in any way because there punishments are quite severe. But,it’s surely up to Delta to choose whom they wanna do business with