Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
I was on a 737-900 very early, and the pilot explained that it was essentially a flight to try it out. Indeed, it had that new aircraft smell. It appeared on only one day of the schedule for some improbably shortish route in the midwest (to/from MSP, maybe IND, STL, or MCI). I noticed it when I was booking a business trip and pounced, especially since it looked very good for a FC upgrade (which happened at the window).
IIRC when the 777 was first delivered, it was used at least a few times on some domestic routes (maybe DTW-ATL and vv) before being sent to a TPAC destination. This sounds like something that would primarily make sense with the same FAs that would then work the longer routes. [I'm guessing DTW because IIRC the 777 was first employed on some of the DTW-Asia routes, perhaps PVG; I know it didn't appear at MSP until a bit later.]
errr. Delta got its first in 1999. They didn't start any 777 DTW-Asia flights till well after the merger with Northwest which was in 2008.
The 777s roll when they first got to Delta was ATL-NRT, a lot of Europe flying (LGW/CDG) and then Florida flying, mostly MCO. Bankruptcy had them stretching their legs to Asia (NRT/ICN from Atlanta) India (BOM from JFK) and TLV from ATL. Once the LR came into the fleet they did a lot of the same plus things like ATL-JFK-BOM and ATL-DKR-JNB going non-stop. Also ATL-PVG and LAX-SYD.
then with the merger things were moved around, and some routes (BOM) where cut during the great recession.