N830MH

Do you really think Delta will eventually to orders A321XLR as a replacement 757 aircraft? Will they ever consider it? What are chance to orders A321XLR?

Let the speculation begin!

SJC ORD LDR

If Boeing doesn't get its act together and come up with a 757/767 replacement, Delta will have no choice but to buy this plane. I really hope that Boeing does come up with a widebody replacement for the 767.

Duke787

How many A321 are left on the DL order? It's conceivable that they'll convert if they have enough left but DL is all about the bargain.

That said, I assume DL is waiting to see about the NMA and would be a willing launch customer for the right price. Since Boeing is desperate for positive PR (and to keep DL from an only-Airbus order book) I'm sure Boeing (if they launch the NMA) will find a price suitable for DL.

If NMA doesn't come to fruition, would guess that DL eventually orders these as a 757 replacement. The stated range of the XLR puts it in reach of a big swath of Europe from ATL which makes it an attractive 767 replacement in markets where the 767 is too much plane ex-ATL but there is no alternative at the moment (though looks likely to be an issue on any route where cargo plays a major role).

SJC ORD LDR

144. 44 ceos and 100 neos.

Duke787

Ah okay -- it's easy to see a pathway where DL converts something like 15 or 20 of those into XLRs combined with a net new A220 order if the NMA doesn't materialize

PotomacApproach

Gonna stick with my idea that Eddie B goes for some firesale MAXes.

BenA

For reference, the MD-88/MD-90 fleet is a combined 112 frames. There are also 60 A320s with an average age of over 20 years. So considering Delta's narrowbody replacement needs in the short to medium term - especially factoring in the aging 757 fleet - there's definitely plenty of space for an additional order.

At this point, the NMA is still years away, and the 757s aren't going to last forever. It's not hard to imagine a small conversion/top up order of A321XLR to give Delta some additional long and thin route flexibility, to tide them over until the NMA is launched and keep other airlines from eating their lunch in the meantime. If that was a conversion from existing frames, it could even open up the ability to place an opportunistic fire sale order for some 737MAX.

Duke787

I doubt DL will touch the 737MAX -- I certainly have no plans to fly on one ever (if I can avoid it) and DL is in a strong position as the only US major without any 737 MAX planes which at this point in time is a strategic advantage both with consumers and operationally

N830MH

Either way if they orders 737-MAX9 or MAX10. That will be my logical choice. We'll see what happens.

ab2013

It's a possibility that DL orders the A321XLR if the price is right. DL can't wait forever for the 797/NMA, and it sounds like the NMA program is on ice as Boeing works through the 737 MAX issues. Some of DL's domestic 757s are getting old, but I'd imagine the 75Ss aren't as heavy on cycles because (1) they were delivered in the late 90s and (2) DL has pretty much consistently deployed those frames on longer range flights (TCON/TATL). Not so sure about the exNW 5600 frames, which NW used to deploy on TATL missions especially during the Great Recession.

sleuth

BF263533

The MAX is a poison pill. A lot of us United flyers envy Delta and its’ no MAX fleet with A321s and A220s. Does Airbus do an A330-700 (similar to A300 capacity), or modified A330-800 that has less range and more efficiency?

https://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/...frica-230.html

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...019-a-119.html

SJC ORD LDR

There is an A330-800neo, but only 10 orders for it right now according to Wikipedia. There is no A330-700neo though.

I do agree that Delta will never touch the MAX after this fiasco. That one plane single handedly destroyed a lot of Boeing's reputation.

exwannabe

I could see DL buying firesale MAX's if after a year or so the story vanishes into the background as often happens. The MCAS system will be well vetted when it starts flying again, and the crappy interior is no worse that the -900.

I think more likely the near term move is for Boeing to pull the trigger on the 797 and DL to be the launch customer.

hi55us

That would not be surprising at all...