Aviation Week is about as reliable a source as it comes to these sorts of things, but some of RA's comments are head-scratchers, I really question if some of the quotes are used out of context, I'd love to see the full transcript of this interview.
Originally Posted by
mmichael453
Is Delta already on course for more or less all Domestic routes being serviced by narrowbodies? That is except JFK<->the west coast?
Yes, as RA said "aircraft that underfly their range are uneconomical." Any widebody is going to be significantly undreflying its range on a domestic route. Although gas prices spiked in the past, what we've seen
over the past three years is an unprecedented level of
sustained fuel prices that make operating widebodies on domestic routes unaffordable. Even the Business Elite routes will likely follow the lead set by AA and their new A321's by using a dedicated fleet of narrowbodies at some point.