ryw

Love the 3-3-3 config of the 777 in the back, definitely going to miss that, even though I understand the need to save money. Think my last ride on one must have been a few years ago during the last few months of the SEA-HKG route. (Wow have things changed quickly!)

I know a few months ago DL made big news about making LAX-JFK flown on all 767s. Beyond that and rotations of wide bodies, DL doesn’t seem to like to use wide bodies domestically that much. I wonder if that will change post corona, if long thin domestic routes are cut and more people are routed on hub-hub flights. I know people don’t like 767s up front but they’re very comfortable in Y, and having them on shorter hub-hub routes might negate some of the discomfort in F.

Newman55

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Delta order a 787 variant in the next decade. Delta cares about making money and they will buy what they think will return the most.

eneq

I know we're in unprecedented times, but I would be highly surprised if they completely killed the JNB route. It seemed to be a profitable route. Fares were always super high and the times I flew it, the plane was pretty full.

jrl767

this decision was NOT about passenger experiences, it was ALL about economics

ethernal

Anything is possible if Boeing is desperate to sell at a firesale price, but outside of MRO rights I don't know how much of a value prop the 787 is for Delta when they already operate the A350 and A339 families.

Delta doesn't need a 787-10 - they have the A359.

Delta doesn't need a 787-9 - they have the A339 (and they don't need the extra range the 787-9 provides over the A339).

Delta does need a smaller widebody, but the 787-8 economics are pretty terrible which is why no one is buying them anymore.

Mountain Explorer

If Boeing had managed to get the MOM out, I'm fairly certain that DL would have taken a very serious look at it too

SFOFlyer2

may have been discussed before but was there any reason why DL hasn't invested in the 787 program?

readywhenyouare

It was too expensive for Delta.

SEA-Flyer

DIsagree on the 787-9 - for routes like LAX-SYD and ATL-HND (there are others but these two come to mind first), the 339 can't do (or can't do well), and the 787-9 would be a much better fit capacity wise for DL's network than the A359

meh130

The fact the 767 will remain in production for the 767-300F and the KC-46 does hold out for a potential future passenger derivative. Given that Boeing has been hammered first with the 737 MAX fiasco, and now with the COVID-19 pandemic, a derivative rather than a new airplane makes sense. A new composite wing, like the 777-8/9 might make sense to maximize the economics. Alternatively, a shrink of the 787, with a new, smaller, lighter weight wing, might fit the 200 seat (3-class) TATL-range market.

ethernal

Likely came down to price. It is generally believed that Airbus provided very attractive commercials on the A339 that Boeing (which had a very, very strong 787 backlog at the time) had less incentive to give Delta a good deal.

Delta definitely **wants** a new small widebody aircraft. The NMA was always at risk, but now it's clearly dead - at least in the form of the original concept and at least in a timeline that would work for a natural replacement of Delta's 767 fleet. Now the closest thing that exists today is the 787-8 which has poor economics. So Delta will have to decide if they want more A339 or 789, and my guess is they will stick with the A339 unless Boeing offers them very compelling economics (totally possible).

Duke787

Is the D1 seat on the the 777 exactly the same as the A359 and/or the A339? Aka will they be able to simply rip out those seats and put them into new A359/A339 deliveries with minimal tweaks or will they have to write those seats off entirely.

I assume the refurbished Y / C+ and the new PS seats can be fairly easily re-deployed to other parts of the fleet (or fitted to new planes instead of buying net new seats for those deliveries).

Newman55

I don't disagree with you, but I don't think their current orders are sufficient for all of the retirements long term (all 767s, 777 and older 330s). Traffic will come back, it's just a matter of when.

FlyBitcoin

Hey DL...

You want to raise some $$$?
If it's not worth repurposing the suites from 777's to the A359's...
Sell them when you restart your monthly company sales at ATL again.
I'll bring the truck.

Mountain Explorer

DL has stated many times that the 787 backlog was a big problem, Airbus was able to offer delivery dates that were years before Boeing could.