n7371f

Delta management, including Richard himself, recently addressed the (south) pilot group with the goings on with the airline. Included in the meeting were several changes planned for the combined fleet (with thanks to my source at DL)...

>All mainline aircraft get IFE at every seat with exception of M88/D95 fleet. Not mentioned but learned a few months earlier - DL plans to place portable IFE, ala digEplayer, on 744's. There is a proposal out there for companies.

>All aircraft 737 and larger will get winglets - 737,757,767.

>MD-88's will have their back galleys removed to bring capacity to 150. No confirmation but word is 'F' seating on M88 goes to 16.

>MD-90's go to 160 seats with new slimline seats. No word if it includes increase in 'F' class from 12 to 16. 3 MD90's parked at Victorville first to get 160; first of 3 leaves VCV this week for overhaul in Greensboro.

>A319's are under capacity - will see 8 seats added (assume in Y).

>NW 757-200's (likely not the 5500 series but speculation) will have 8 seats added (could include 2 'F' seats if large coat closet in front of 2CD is removed to equal DL's 24 'F" domestic configuration but that's speculation).

>NW 747-400's stay. 744 is in permanent fleet plan. 11 flying in scheduled with remaining to military charters or mods.

>All red tails and wavy gravy mainline planes will be repainted by end 2010.

>Airbus' go to SLC in summer 2010 and MD-88/90's go to MSP.

>More 50-seat RJ's removed in favor of remaining 70/76 seat fleet.

>No major aircraft order for next 5 years. Only likely aircraft transactions would be additional MD-90's from China if needed.

One other point - as of now the plan is for DC-9-30/40's to fly through 2010, then be retired. But should DL need extra aircraft all of a sudden - some of the -30's could stay (-40's will be parked as they reach max cycles). And while even NW pilots aren't sure the most widely held thought is the NW 757-5500 series (N501US to N534US) is retired throughout '10 - leaving only NW 757-5600's (N535US to N557NW).

Outside of the fleet was news that the cutoff to a single reservation system happens in January.

AndyTLe

Thanks for the update. Kind of sad to see the MD-90s moving from SLC. I've always associated SLC with the MD-90s. Glad to see the 747s staying.

Any word on AVOD for the 763ERs?

Denolloyd

So the Int 763's will get AVOD after all. Nice Thanks for the info.

NWA012

Does this mean the D93 and D94 will get IFE?

Any reason why no permanent IFE on 744?

CDQ

Going to miss the MD's from SLC. I'm not sure if there's a smoother, quieter ride up front than on a MD80-90.

It already seems that Delta is removing the MD's. Both SLC-DFW and SLC-ORD are all CR9's now.

johnincolumbus

thanks for the info ^

N830MH

What about DL will ordering newest CRJ-1000 series or CSeries? I would likely to have more capacity growth to have gets new CRJ1000 or C300 series. I think it would be replacement of A319 aircraft. Let's speculations begin for which one is good logical choice to bring more newest aircraft.

There is 1 more things to do for DL need to do ordering largest 777-200LR/A350-1000XWB. It must to bring more demand on operating A350-1000R. What about DL will have to gets some few orders either way 748I or 77W aircraft to boost more capacity passengers out of ATL-TLV/CAI/GRU/NRT/ICN/DXB. It would be perfect opportunity to have more potential new routes out of ATL hub. It will have more stretch the equipment on operated 77W aircraft to bring more leisure traveler to Europe/Middle Eastern.

I think DL will have to be considering to ordered 787-9/10/11 by replacement the 777-200ER. This is particularly consideration from DL need to beef up to gets more orders newest 787-9LR/10LR/11LR. It would be eventually to gets better more ultra long haul flight out of USA to further west or east. Its will be possibility to able have more newest ultra long haul routes out of LAX-PER/SIN/BKK/BOM/DEL. DL should have to take the advantage of it. It should have to be more console up to do ordered more newest aircraft. I think it would be good possibility for DL to see more predication new aircraft to be replacement the 777-200ER.

PMMMDL

Thanks for the update.

Any mention of the 763 fleet getting lie flat seats in BizE?

mersk862

Nothing for the -30s and -40s. This includes GoGo. As noted, the plan for these planes is to leave the fleet by end of next year - it's just not worth the money to bring them up to speed for GoGo/IFE.

My guess for no permanent IFE on the 744s is cost-related - would most likely require a good bit of cost to rewire the planes to handle AVOD, and it would be most cost-effective for Delta to go with the DigE Player type solution. I doubt weight is an issue - the longest 744 route is ATL-NRT - a long route, but certainly well within the range of the 744 to not have to take a payload hit.

Swapping the MD-88s/90s to MSP and the A319/A320 to SLC makes a lot of sense. The Mad Dogs can hit both coasts just fine from MSP - the longest routes are around 1550 miles to South Florida and the West Coast - both easily done. The extra range of the A319/A320s from SLC will allow more use to the East Coast.

Absolutely hate to say this, but if 8 seats will be added to the A319, it would most likely mean a hit in First Class seats . Take out a row of F and replace it with Y gets you 2 more seats, add another row in Y gets you up to 8 seats. That's the solution that seems to work easiest on the A319. This would also bring it into line with the 737-700s a bit.

MD-90s (from what I'm told) will be in a 16F/144Y configuration. For the MD-80s, look for 16F/134Y - add in 6 seats where the rear galley is; add in 2 seats up where the front closet/lav is.

5600 series 757s could easily get 2 more F seats added. Not sure where the extra 6 seats would come from though in Y...

No real surprise on no new aircraft orders either. There isn't any pressing issues with planes leaving the fleet (aside from -30s/-40s) in the next 5 years or so. Given that it sounds like the 747-400s are here for a while, no need for a 777-300 ER order at this time.

N830MH

No. Only on operated 777-200LR/767-400ER aircraft.

StayingHomeIsBetter

What?

No auxiliary fuel tanks to allow coast-to-coast flights on CRJs?

Compensate for the added weight by taking more padding out of the seats?

remedy

2 D is my favorite seat. I see from Seat Guru that bulkhead seats on DL 757's are yellow and not so much preferred as row 2 starboard on NW metal, which are green. Like the cutouts for my briefcase and the legroom.

n7371f

Very good observation..even though I don't like the idea. It would put the 319 on par with the 73W. But a counter thought is you lose the ability to swap the 319 and 320 - which any NWA frequent flier knows happens a lot. Actually you wouldn't lose the ability it would just create a mess every time a 16 seat 'F' plane is replaced with a 12 seat 'F' plane. Just ask United about that...

iTanNicNic

Adding seats to the -90 seems like a silly idea...that would increase the staffing compliment to 4 flight attendants.

And removing the front closet/lav on the -88? wth? And the rear galley? Are the removing all service from the -88 then? Plus, with the exit door there, you'd create a net gain of maybe 6 seats...putting you at 148 pax. Try to fit a third row in there any you jump to 151...one seat over a 3 f/a cutoff.

I suppose you could always do the seating 737-700 style however? That would put you right at 150.

STBCypriot

Well, the big question, at least for me is when is DL going to put the lie flat seats in the BE cabins for the ATL-PRG and ATL-ATH flights?

I suspect the answer is probably when I stop flying these routes late in 2010.