All suite business class in 2017
 

Interesting:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/21/tr...ghts.html?_r=0

Also, I wish my hair looked as good as the lady in the photo on a long haul flight...or a short haul one...

It is all the ME3's fault :)

Guess DL is starting to feel pressure from foreign airlines, plus Qatar in ATL now, and an airport authority/mayor who is not allowing DL to have the majority in town. (Both were quoted saying they are courting other airlines to ATL, because a world class airport needs options blah blah blah etc)

Its good they are going on the offensive rather then defensive (sooner then later) on enhancements that are positive.

Cool idea for sure. The only hilarious comment was we want to make this as close to flying a peronal jet as possible lol. Not even close. Just stop with the outlandish propoganda statements already.

I also think its a positive step for delta to up its game finally. I also want the comment "this new cabin will cost the same as the existing D1 cabin" in writing:D

Why is it called all-Suite? :confused: Is DL planning to fly A350 with Suites only? :confused: Hard to believe.

because every business class seat is a suite, hence all-suite business class?

I'm very curious to find out if Delta intends to eventually roll the suites out to the A333/A339 and the 764s. The timeline for the A339s is delivery from 2019 forward, so they're a long ways away. And presumably the A333s are still half a decade or more away from an interior refresh. So they could just be sitting on the details — otherwise it represents a major shift in Delta strategy, where routes truly become isolated to plane type.

Whatever the case, I highly doubt any of the 763s will see suites.

Very nice! Strange way to (soft) launch it though - via a somewhat vague NYT article. You'd think they'd want to wait and reveal the entire thing at one coordinated event - especially considering that their seats are currently competitive and they don't need to try to delay moves to other J class products.

All-suite in that all of the D1 seats would have this privacy door. Sounds like they are using a different seat configuration that has the door instead of the Thompson Vantage XL seat that was speculated to be on the A350??

Yeah if its coming as early as next year with the 350s and with the refurbs to the 777s, then you'd think they would make a big announcement out of it.

Odd factual error? Says there are only two classes on DL...what about comfort +?

The seats are competitive or the service?

Because one of those 2 is definitely FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR away from reality. :D

sounds like they're just going to duct-tape a door to the D1 seat.

The seats!

That said, I think the service is fairly competitive -- for sure with AA/UA, but also with a good chunk of the TATL carriers they compete with. TPAC's a different story.

This is definitely a positive move - product product, not a price upgrade.

I think they needed to make an announcement now and get two bites of the cherry with a further big announcement - after last week they needed some good news.

More details from Delta:

http://news.delta.com/delta-introduc...elta-one-suite

http://news.delta.com/sites/default/..._CAM15_NYT.jpg

Based on the fleet plans to replace 747s with 350-900, and based on the fact that the article quotes that only flights over 12 hours will have the suite product, I wouldn't expect any 330 or 767 fleets to get this product.
Not only do these fleets fly shorter routes, but the width of the fuselage of the 777 and 359 are both 2-3 meters wider than the 767 and 330 fleets.

I wonder if they're using the Thompson Vantage XL seats modified with a door? Or does this mean its an entirely different seat/suite all together than we've been thinking?

I see they also mentioned 32 J seats. Would've thought they'd have more on the 350. I wonder what the cabin config is going to end up, since there is speculation that this will also have the first 'real' Premium Econ seats.

I guess what I'm wondering is if that's a long-term plan, or just a current justification for the difference. And we all know A332s fly flights over 12 hours often. Curiously, the Delta press release is silent on all of this — including the 12-hour bit.

Not only do these fleets fly shorter routes, but the width of the fuselage of the 777 and 359 are both 2-3 meters wider than the 767 and 330 fleets.

Two-three meters? That's a little exaggerated. Even focusing on fuselage width instead of cabin width, the difference between the narrowest and widest of your four types isn't that great. Fuselage width of a 777 is 6.20 meters. Fuselage width of a 767 is 4.72 meters.

For completeness:

A350, 5.96m

A330, 5.64m

Typical flight distance certainly is a factor for DL (and customers' willingness to pay). Cabin width may be a factor in floor space utilization.

I must admit, my initial response to the pic in the NYTimes article was more inline with the opinion that stated, "oh weird, looks like they are just putting a door on a somewhat standard business class seat. That could be oddly claustaphobic and uncomfortable". but the followup pics posted from the delta site look great. Looks like a ton of arm/laptop/drink/misc desk space and even the foot well seems somewhat more spacious for an enclosed seat. Looking good!

I hate to say it but United's new Polaris offerings look nicer than this.

I see we're splitting hairs on this lovely tuesday morning. Sorry for glancing at numbers and making generalizations, but the premise stands. The 767 lie flats were a struggle to implement in the first place, and feel like a coffin. Good luck adding doors to that.

Edit: already posted.

They won't retrofit the 767s.

I wrote elsewhere on FT, forget which thread/forum, that the A350-900 product will be able to fit the 777 fleet without issue. Seat manufacturers design premium cabins with some commonality and the difference between the A350 and 777 fuselage's is only a few inches. Ditto for the 787/A330.

My main question here is what happens to the current A330 fleet and the future 25 A330NEOs. As seen in the photos, the new D1 product is a heavily modified version of the Thompson Vantage XL seat, a significantly wider seat than its predecessor as seen on DL's 767s. Thompson Aero designed the Vantage XL seat to be modified to fit on cabins as wide as the 777s and as narrow as the A330. According to Thompson Aero's website, the A330/787 Thompson Vantage XL seat is between 1-2 inches narrower than the A350/777 seat. So it is possible DL may choose to eventually install their heavily modified suites on the A330 fleet. I'd find it hard to believe they would not install it on the future A330NEO fleet.

In regards to the 764 fleet, which will probably stay in the fleet for at least ten more years, its possible they could install the new suite product, but the tradeoff would have to involve removing one seat from each row, in effect going from 1-2-1 to 1-1-1. With DL scaling down the size of D1 cabins in an effort to ensure they are comprised of mostly paid passengers and a few using upgrade instruments, it would not surprise me if they take this step of going from 40 D1 seats on the 764 down to 30, while at the same time installing a small cabin of W with a 2-2-2 configuration.

Overall, I am a little surprised how small D1 cabins are now. (Incidentally, AA will have the same number of J seats on their A350s when they debut in late 2018). This begs the question on the size of W. I presumed W would probably be three rows of 2-4-2 seating with leg rests, greater recline, etc. on the A350/777. With a further reduction in the size of D1, I think its very well possible W could end up being four rows, look at CI's 77W configuration.

I was wondering on this as well. Could we see the J mini cabins disappear in favor of W cabins, thereby scaling down J and introducing W with little or no reduction in Y?

From this paragraph, it's clear that:
- Suites will be introduced on the A350 a/c coming into service next fall.
- Suites will not be retrofit to existing a/c Delta One cabins.
- NYT doesn't know the difference between 777s and 787s, as that paragraph references "new Boeing 777 plane" which DL has none on order, and then "18 Boeing 777 aircraft" which matches DL's current 787 order.

Elsewhere in the article, they mention the suites coming to a/c flying longer routes of over 12hrs, so that pretty much excludes any a/c flying US-EU routes. There will definitely be no suites on 767s, and I'd venture to say A330s or existing 777s.

Stop reading the NYT article. Read Delta's news instead:

"Following the A350 debut, the Delta One suite will progressively roll out on Delta’s Boeing 777 fleet. Delta will be the first U.S. airline to take delivery of the A350, which will primarily serve routes between the U.S. and Asia."

They absolutely have to refit the existing triple-sevens, those seats are in a state of disrepair (the seat on my SYD-LAX flight on Saturday had to be pushed back to go flat and had a broken USB port, light, and IFE).

Delta happens to have 18 777s: 10 777-200ERs and 8 777-200LRs. Given the typical stage length of those aircraft today it would be surprising if they are not retrofitted. Whether the NYT means 777 or 787 (deliveries postponed to 2020) is less than clear.

Added: Delta's press release is explicit. 777s get the suite refurb.

http://news.delta.com/delta-introduc...elta-one-suite

As for Longboater's comments on 339s, the first delivery date (2019) is far enough into the future that no decision on cabin fitment needs to be made, let alone announced.

As for 332s, would anyone care to do a frequency-adjusted average stage length based on a week's schedule?

Comfort+ is not considered a separate class of service as answered in the FAQ's --

IS DELTA NOW OFFERING FOUR CABINS OF SERVICE?

No. Delta offers a variety of flight experiences tailored to meet your needs. Our Delta One / First Class and Main Cabin are Delta's primary cabins of service. Delta Comfort+, Main Cabin, and Basic Economy are three experiences within our Main Cabin.


You are confusing separate fare class with actual class of service.

Pictures look good and much better than I had initially expected. I'm excited.

Thank god.. new foam for the seats... I have a delicate hieney and on a JFK - NRT flight it gets a tad sore.....

You don't have to worry about that flight much longer anyway.

This looks really nice. Great job DL! ^

Very true... I am not too thrilled about that..


Any guesses as to what TPAC rt the 350's will start on?
HND HKG SIN PEK NRT

Must burn SkyMiles before the inevitable price increase after this debuts...

The various 747 routes ex-DTW would be first, I'd imagine. I could also see SEA-HKG, and maybe DL will consider starting SEA-SIN.

This.

Delta wants point-to-point US-APAC instead of via NRT.