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Boeing Loses Massive $6.2B Delta Order to Airbus

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Airbus’ ability to deliver new planes quickly helped the aircraft manufacturer win a large order from Delta over U.S. rival Boeing.

Delta Air Lines has confirmed a new order of 50 wide-body aircraft from Airbus, valued at $6.2 billion after discounts, will replace the aging long-haul Boeing aircraft in its fleet. Delta, the second-largest airline in the world, said it will buy 25 new Airbus A350-900 to replace Boeing 747-400 on transpacific routes. Delta CEO Richard Anderson told investors during the airline’s quarterly earnings report in October the airline will completely phase out its Boeing 747 service by 2017.

Delta has also ordered 25 Airbus A330-900neo aircraft. The company says the A330-900neo will be used primarily on transatlantic routes, replacing the older Boeing 767-300 in service currently.

Delta’s decision ends months of heated competition for the order between rival manufacturers. “This was a long and highly competitive campaign,” Boeing spokesman Doug Alder told The New York Times. “Boeing competed for the order with the 787-9, but we did not have enough 787 positions available in the time frame that met Delta’s requirement.”

Aviation analyst Michel Merluzeau told Bloomberg that Airbus may have benefited from Emirates’ recent cancellation of a 70-aircraft order earlier this year. The cancelation left the manufacturer with delivery slots available as early as 2017. Delta’s existing order for Boeing 787 aircraft will not be delivered until 2020 at the earliest.

[Photo: Airbus]

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6 Comments
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craz November 25, 2014

wjnelson04, I guess what you are saying is that no European Carrier should ever buy a Boeing over Airbus, if DL or any US carrier shouldnt buy an Airbus. Then again isnt Airbus setting up shop here in the US as well I believe for their 320-neo. I dont believe Boeing is gonna be building anything Overseas What it comes down to is Dollars and Cents, and when the planes can be delivered, it would dumb on DLs part to buy only Boeing and have to wait many extra yrs till the planes can arrive, and be sidetracked with MX problems or even losing customers due to ageing aircraft and not be able to open up new destinations as well

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vtmaa November 25, 2014

Good going Delta! I don't agree with the first posters argument. If every country thinks like that, there would be no trade and no money. I thought Airbus was building a A330 line in the US? is this not the case anymore after the tanker deal failure?

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Aussie66 November 25, 2014

I believe it doesnt make a great deal of difference for the US economy. Large portions of the 787 are built abroad and substantial parts of Airbus are bought from US manufacturers. The manufacturers would like you to think US versus European but it is certainly not 100% US versus 100% European. Even thier respective market shares are probably very similar.

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IanFromHKG November 25, 2014

Don't care about the FF? Would you rather they continued to ferry them around in ancient aircraft that were originally designed by be freighters (747)? (hahahaha)

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orbitmic November 24, 2014

I think DL is making a good choice. Those are conceivably the best aircraft types for its business. The "economic patriotism" argument makes no sense to me. Air France happily orders Boeing planes when it makes the planes that most suits its particular needs on specific routes, AA, DL, and UA would be crazy not to do the same as in effect, the competing planes have different specs, capacities, and ranges. Well done DL.