Coastweek.com -- Delta airline's maiden flight is using
a Boeing 757-300ER, with a 221 seats capacity.
DELTA AIRLINES WILL EVENTUALLY FLY OVER 800
TRAVELLERS A WEEK FROM ATLANTA TO NAIROBI

Coastweek -- Kenya 's tourism industry will celebrate the inaugural Delta Airlines Nairobi-Atlanta flight, which is scheduled to arrive at Nairobi 's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport around 4.30 p.m., next Wednesday, June 03, 2009.

Delta airline's maiden flight is using a Boeing 757-300ER, with a 221 seats capacity, and will eventually be flying over 800 travellers per week from Atlanta to Nairobi.

There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at the airport to officially launch direct flights from Nairobi to Atlanta .

The ceremony will be graced by Prime Minister Hon. Raila Odinga, Tourism Minister Hon. Najib Balala, United States of America Ambassador to Kenya H.E Michael Rannenberger, and Delta Air Lines Europe, Middle East and Africa Vice President Frank Jahangir.

In addition, Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere, Kenya 's Ambassador to the U.S Peter Ogego and former Atlanta Mayor Ambassador Andrew Young will be on board the flight.

American travellers to Kenya will now fly to Nairobi without the hassle of going through the European capitals where it takes over 30 hours and has remained a major deterrent for tourism from the US.

With the direct flight from Atlanta , this will be reduced to only 12 hours.

Earlier this year Minister Balala and the management of Delta Airlines, one of the biggest airlines in USA , reached a partnership to promote Kenya tourism in America ahead of the inaugural flight.

According to the Senior Marketing and Communication Manager of the airline Ms. Jeanne Wilson who met with the Minister at the airline's headquarters in Atlanta , Delta has the largest frequent flier database in the world that could be reached through its well-established marketing channels.

The Minister observed that the Delta Airline flights will be a big boost to the tourism sector in Kenya which is yet to attain full recovery from the effect of last years post election crisis.

"The direct air connection between the US and Nairobi and the election of President Barrack Obama is the best opportunity we have ever had to reach the huge potential of the American tourism market", said the Minister.

During his Atlanta visit the Minister also discussed with the president of Legacy Entertainment in Hollywood , Los Angeles Mr. Steven Moore plans to organize trips for US celebrities to come to Kenya for photo shoots.

Further Director of External Affairs and Community Relations, Ms. Scarlet Pressley-Brown said she will organize the travel of Ron Clark Academy students to Nairobi aboard the inaugural flight.

These are students who made performances during the Obama campaign and will provide mileage in promotion of the Delta Airlines flight as well as Kenya as a destination.

The Minister also met with the Kenya Diaspora in Atlanta , who welcomed the move by the Delta Airlines to introduce a direct flight to Nairobi as this will reduce the cost and time of travel to home.

The United States is now the second largest source market for tourist arrivals into Kenya registering 100,516 arrivals in 2007 after UK which recorded 203,494 visitors.