8-K

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 2, 2016

DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	001-05424	58-0218548
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

P.O. Box 20706, Atlanta, Georgia 30320-6001

(Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (404) 715-2600

Registrant’s Web site address: www.delta.com

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[_]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[_]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[_]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[_]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (“Delta”) issued today a press release reporting February 2016 financial and operating results. The press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K.

In accordance with general instruction B.2 of Form 8−K, the information in this report (including the exhibit) that is being furnished pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8−K shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act, as amended, or otherwise subject to liabilities of that section, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as expressly set forth in such filing. This report will not be deemed an admission as to the materiality of any information in the report that is required to be disclosed solely by Regulation FD.

Statements in this Form 8-K and the attached exhibit that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the cost of aircraft fuel; the impact of rebalancing our hedge portfolio, recording mark-to-market adjustments or posting collateral in connection with our fuel hedge contracts; the availability of aircraft fuel; the effects of terrorist attacks or geopolitical conflict; the possible effects of accidents involving our aircraft; the restrictions that financial covenants in our financing agreements will have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub or gateway airports; disruptions or security breaches of our information technology infrastructure; our dependence on technology in our operations; the effects of weather, natural disasters and seasonality on our business; the effects of an extended disruption in services provided by third party regional carriers; failure or inability of insurance to cover a significant liability at Monroe’s Trainer refinery; the impact of environmental regulation on the Trainer refinery, including costs related to renewable fuel standard regulations; our ability to retain management and key employees; competitive conditions in the airline industry; the effects of extensive government regulation on our business; the sensitivity of the airline industry to prolonged periods of stagnant or weak economic conditions; and the effects of the rapid spread of contagious illnesses.  

Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2015.  Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which represent our views only as of Mar. 2, 2016, and which we have no current intention to update.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)  Exhibits.

Exhibit 99.1 Press Release dated March 2, 2016 titled “Delta Reports Financial and Operating Performance for February 2016”

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	DELTA AIR LINES, INC.
	By:  /s/ Paul A Jacobson
Date:  March 2, 2016	Paul A. Jacobson Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number		Description
	Exhibit 99.1	Press Release dated March 2, 2016 titled “Delta Reports Financial and Operating Performance for February 2016”

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

 

CONTACT:	Corporate Communications
	404-715-2554
	news archive at news.delta.com
	Investor Relations
	404-715-2170

Delta Reports Financial and Operating Performance for February 2016

ATLANTA, March 2, 2016 – Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today reported financial and operating performance for February 2016.

Consolidated passenger unit revenue (PRASM) for the month of February declined 5.5% year over year, including 1.5 points of pressure from foreign exchange. Across all entities, booking trends into the peak leisure season are strong and corporate demand remains solid as higher volumes continued to offset lower yields.

The company’s financial and operating performance is detailed below.

Preliminary Financial and Operating Results
February consolidated PRASM change year over year	(5.5)%
February mainline completion factor	99.6%
February on-time performance (preliminary DOT A14)	86.4%

Delta Air Lines serves nearly 180 million customers each year. Delta was named to FORTUNE magazine’s top 50 World’s Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the fourth time in five years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented five consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 327 destinations in 57 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs nearly 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry’s leading trans-Atlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, Facebook.com/delta and Delta’s blog takingoff.delta.com.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements.  These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the cost of aircraft fuel; the availability of aircraft fuel; the impact of rebalancing our hedge portfolio, recording mark-to-market adjustments or posting collateral in connection with our fuel hedge contracts; the possible effects of accidents involving our aircraft; the restrictions that financial covenants in our financing agreements will have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub or gateway airports; disruptions or security breaches of our information technology infrastructure; our dependence on technology in our operations; the effects of weather, natural disasters and seasonality on our business; the effects of an extended disruption in services provided by third party regional carriers; failure or inability of insurance to cover a significant liability at Monroe’s Trainer refinery; the impact of environmental regulation on the Trainer refinery, including costs related to renewable fuel standard regulations; our ability to retain management and key employees; competitive conditions in the airline industry; the effects of extensive government regulation on our business; the sensitivity of the airline industry to prolonged periods of stagnant or weak economic conditions; the effects of terrorist attacks or geopolitical conflict; and the effects of the rapid spread of contagious illnesses.

Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2015. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which represent our views only as of March 2, 2016, and which we have no current intention to update.

	Monthly Traffic Results (a)								Year to Date Traffic Results (a)
	Feb 2016		Feb 2015		Change				Feb 2016	Feb 2015	Change
RPMs (000):
Domestic		9,058,446		8,403,609		7.8%			18,355,185	17,139,276	7.1%
Delta Mainline		7,600,016		6,961,602		9.2%			15,405,806	14,161,426	8.8%
Regional		1,458,430		1,442,007		1.1%			2,949,379	2,977,850	(1.0%	)
International		5,325,229		5,256,958		1.3%			11,602,631	11,535,946	0.6%
Latin America		1,757,317		1,581,544		11.1%			3,703,745	3,426,017	8.1%
Delta Mainline		1,709,404		1,553,601		10.0%			3,601,055	3,366,232	7.0%
Regional		47,913		27,943		71.5%			102,690	59,785	71.8%
Atlantic		1,866,060		1,922,769		(2.9%	)		4,272,266	4,379,351	(2.4%	)
Pacific		1,701,851		1,752,645		(2.9%	)		3,626,620	3,730,578	(2.8%	)
Total System		14,383,675		13,660,567		5.3%			29,957,815	28,675,222	4.5%
ASMs (000):
Domestic		11,193,497		10,120,332		10.6%			22,662,494	21,183,137	7.0%
Delta Mainline		9,258,324		8,241,527		12.3%			18,692,118	17,158,319	8.9%
Regional		1,935,172		1,878,805		3.0%			3,970,376	4,024,818	(1.4%	)
International		6,849,471		6,895,644		(0.7%	)		14,533,172	14,781,598	(1.7%	)
Latin America		2,170,573		1,969,482		10.2%			4,495,434	4,212,480	6.7%
Delta Mainline		2,107,962		1,929,335		9.3%			4,364,319	4,128,401	5.7%
Regional		62,610		40,147		56.0%			131,115	84,079	55.9%
Atlantic		2,728,739		2,825,248		(3.4%	)		5,890,609	6,044,606	(2.5%	)
Pacific		1,950,159		2,100,914		(7.2%	)		4,147,129	4,524,512	(8.3%	)
Total System		18,042,968		17,015,976		6.0%			37,195,666	35,964,735	3.4%
Load Factor:
Domestic		80.9%		83.0%		(2.1	)	pts	81.0%	80.9%	0.1		pts
Delta Mainline		82.1%		84.5%		(2.4	)	pts	82.4%	82.5%	(0.1	)	pts
Regional		75.4%		76.8%		(1.4	)	pts	74.3%	74.0%	0.3		pts
International		77.7%		76.2%		1.5		pts	79.8%	78.0%	1.8		pts
Latin America		81.0%		80.3%		0.7		pts	82.4%	81.3%	1.1		pts
Delta Mainline		81.1%		80.5%		0.6		pts	82.5%	81.5%	1.0		pts
Regional		76.5%		69.6%		6.9		pts	78.3%	71.1%	7.2		pts
Atlantic		68.4%		68.1%		0.3		pts	72.5%	72.5%	0.0		pts
Pacific		87.3%		83.4%		3.9		pts	87.4%	82.5%	4.9		pts
Total System		79.7%		80.3%		(0.6	)	pts	80.5%	79.7%	0.8		pts
Mainline Completion Factor		99.6%		97.5%		2.1		pts
Passengers Boarded		12,843,887		11,992,747		7.1%			26,134,085	24,550,084	6.5%
Cargo Ton Miles (000):		155,119		177,399		(12.6%	)		311,888	349,506	(10.8%	)

^a Results include flights operated under contract carrier arrangements