Originally Posted by
pokeable
"Delta shares parts with other airlines whenever possible through an industry agreement and doesn’t withhold them from any particular carrier, Delta spokesman Michael Thomas said. The item in question was the last spare of its kind in Delta’s Seattle inventory, and company policy requires that it keep the last one on hand in case Delta needs it, Thomas said."
Honestly, really don't blame Delta, given the friction between ME3 and the US legacy carriers.
Well, it's now a question of he said, she said - EK say the part was installed but then DL refused to take their credit card and ordered it removed, DL says it was the last one and so couldn't have installed it in the first place and that was a mistake.
Given the lack of trust on both sides I think it's an element of mistakes being spun in the media.