I'm guessing Delta is playing wait and see. If more airlines bail and Delta can get them dirt cheap, they probably will. In the meantime, I'm confident Delta has fleet contingencies in place, they aren't desperately needing these planes in 2025.

I've been on numerous KLM 787-9 and -10 without incident.
(including KLM 642 and 644)

wonder which Delta pilots will be trained to fly them?
737-700/800/900?

The ones with no children or dependents

At all MAXed US airlines, the same pilot group flies NG and MAX flights.

While there have not been any major recent in-flight incidents that I am aware of, there have been a lot of defects recently found in workmanship and airlines are discovering a lot of parts that are wearing out faster than they should be. All aircraft will have flaws that are discovered later, but the 787 has significantly more than "normal." 15 years ago, my connections at Boeing told me never fly on the "deathliner." I didn't listen, I took two flights on KLM on it, survived, and actually really enjoyed it. The 787 was designed and built at a time when Boeing culture was going downhill. The MAX was designed and built when Boeing culture hit rock bottom. Knowing what I know, I will take my chances on the 787 on a reputable carrier - I will never take my chances on a MAX.

But Beijing is the best quality company ever.
I meant, Boeing.

You mean there is finally going to be special training required to get certified on the MAX, and not just toss the pilots in and let them find out about the secret MCAS behaviors and whatever other surprises come up like with the MAX-8 model? Or are the paid off people still in place in the govt and allowing Boeing to get away with calling it equivalent to the existing 737 family and pilots only have to read the manual?

well only if you pay extra for MCAS, right?
(or pay extra for door plugs that have all the bolts)

AA just ordered 115 737 MAX 10 so they must still be coming eventually. Delta, AA, UA have all ordered the 737-10 now.

Ugh. I'm still holding out hope that the certification will take so long, that the airlines will stop buying more of these crappy planes.

I'm confident Boeing is not going to abandon the model. No matter what it takes, or how long it takes, they have to get the max 10 certified. To abandon it would be conceding that the design isn't sound.

The only way to repair their image is to sell lots of them and have them fly many years without incident.

This is the reasoning that demonstrates why Boeing has such a terrible corporate culture and why their public image has been shredded. Knowing how the media reacts to every little thing, the first time a max10 makes an emergency landing for a medical emergency people are going to be demanding a congressional investigation and that the fleet be grounded (I realize this is a bit hyperbolic, but sadly not far off from the truth).

They have to concede that safety is their number 1 priority and they will do whatever it takes to regain the public trust...not keep shoving a square peg in a round hole and pray that everything goes right for a few years.

I can't figure out what point you're making. IMO, Boeing's reputation is shredded due to a poor safety culture, putting profit ahead of quality, and lying/deceit/cover-ups. I can't figure out what the media, the people, or congress have to do with anything. I assure you, the problem is squarely with Boeing. And the solution is for Boeing to fix all those problems, if they can figure out how (that's a big if)

I agree with your assessment pretty much completely.

The fact that the media is prone to amplifying and often exaggerating Boeing's woes isn't really inconsistent with your point though.