DL’s 75S strategy is…odd
 

When DL acquired this sub-fleet of 757’s and configured them with D1 they were deployed on business heavy domestic U.S. routes (JFK/BOS-LAX/SFO etc) as well as some TATL routes.

I understand the landscape has changed post-COVID but I’m struggling to understand DL’s decision to drop D1 on business routes like JFK-SEA & JFK-SAN and are now using these premium planes on ultra luxury routes like ATL-RDU, DTW-TPA, DTW-SNA, DTW-SAN, ATL-SNA?!?

Wouldnt this be the perfect aircraft to fly JFK-EGE right now for the ultra wealthy for ski season or SLC/SEA/LAX-Hawaii as opposed to DTW-TPA? Or putting them back on B2B routes like JFK-SEA?

What is so lucrative about ATL-RDU, DTW-TPA, DTW-SNA or ATL-SNA they require flat-beds?

Pilot basing might be involved -- see this thread https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delt...757-767-a.html

Sounds like they don't have enough 757/767 qualified pilots at JFK base (not sure if there are any based in SEA/LAX/SLC, etc), but there are enough qualified pilots to cover flights on this equipment that are based at ATL and DTW. These planes are not going to be around for that much longer, so there may also be some pilot base consolidation going on. Note that while D1 fare filings have been completely pulled on JFK-SAN/LAS routes (on non-stop flights), they still exist on JFK-SEA (for flights flown non-stop with D1 equipment -- see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/34955457-post4.html). So there still might be some hope DL will restore D1 flights to JFK-SEA at a future time.

It's all about aircraft utilization. They don't require flat-beds, they just require capabilities of 757, mainly for coach.

JFK/SEA comes and goes through out year.

Lastly, As for premium yield, i think you're vastly over estimating what those routes can bring in. There's a certain point where those with money just fly private.

Since when does RDU - ATL get the 75S these days?

We get a ton of 757s due to the heavy traffic between here and ATL but not 75S.

We used to get the 75S once a day in each direction as the plane rotated on/off RDU - CDG but these days it’s a 763 (soon to be 764) and I believe they will soon be switching back to then plane swapping at CDG (with the CVG route) instead of swapping through at ATL.

My question is why they don’t use them on getting back to on some thinner TATL routes but I think with the AMS and CDG hub approach, DL has largely gone away from thin TATL routes and outsourced all of that to AF/KLM as a connection.

I think till they decide on replacement for 75S we won't see these routes. IMO A321neo with flat seats would work best. Number of airline are using them this way.

I've flown ATL-RDU on the 75S, it was pretty common to reposition the equipment for RDU-CDG (has that route returned?)

ATL-RDU makes perfect sense from a utilization perspective as well, if you're going to have a 75S just sitting on the ground for a few hours in ATL you might as well use it for a quick out and back to RDU.

The 75S (isn't it actually the 75W now) is showing up on some BOS-ATL routes as well.

It's about the number of seats. 199 to EGE and JAC in the winter makes more sense than 168.

the engine fire incident at SNA a couple weeks ago was on N712TW, so another instance of a non-traditional route for a lie-flat (but as mentioned above, it's more about aircraft utilization than the 16J configuration)

Still listed as 75S on delta.com -- https://www.delta.com/us/en/aircraft/boeing/757-200

DL may refer to it as a 75S but in the GDS systems they load it as a 75W. If you were looking for the D1 configured aircraft on EF simply look for the 75W

DL seems to use the D1 757’s heavily into SNA from both ATL & DTW, though it’s only domestic F soft product/service. I know there’s a good chunk of money in the O.C. and AA has put one of their 3-class A321T’s on JFK-SNA once daily. Surprised DL hasn’t respond by adding JFK-SNA with a 75S.

I hear you and agree, but there’s a fairly active thread in the DL forum about recent celebrity sightings on DL flights. Most recently there was a post about Prince Harry on their JFK-LAX flight. You’d be shocked at
how much those with immense wealth and even royalty in their blood fly commercial, albeit the most premium cabin available on the flight.

When Price William and Kate, Princess of Wales came to Boston recently they flew BA F as opposed to private.

From your lips to Delta's ears, we in OC can keep hoping.

Allegedly the days of these 757 with lie-flat seats are numbered. There's supposed to be a subfleet of A321neos with flat beds coming starting next year, and then the 75S will be reconfigured to the regular, 199-seat version.