Delta Air Lines has begun its seasonal nonstop service between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Rome on Wednesday. The Atlanta-based carrier celebrated the latest addition to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport's list of global destinations with preflight water arches and Italian fare. Delta is the dominant carrier at MSP, offering its customers the most long-haul destinations including Amsterdam, London, Paris and Tokyo-Narita.

Most Rome flights from the U.S. originate in New York but Delta's route from Minneapolis may grab some travelers in the Midwest, said William S. Swelbar, a research engineer at MIT's International Center for Air Transportation. "They see an opportunity to intercept some of the [Midwest feeder] traffic and to become an alternative" to the New York departure points, he said.

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Source: http://www.startribune.com/