https://onemileatatime.com/del...ng-boeing-777-fleet/

In light of the current pandemic a lot of airlines are planning to shrink, and that involves retiring existing aircraft. However, here’s an aircraft retirement I wasn’t expecting.

In this post:
Delta retiring all Boeing 777s
Delta’s future long haul fleet
Is this the end of Atlanta to Johannesburg?
Delta retiring all MD-88s & MD-90s
Bottom line
Delta retiring all Boeing 777s

It has today been announced that Delta will retire all Boeing 777s by the end of 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is part of Delta’s strategy of simplifying and modernizing their fleet, while continuing to operate newer and more cost-efficient aircraft.

Delta has a fleet of 18 Boeing 777s, including eight 777-200ERs, and 10 Boeing 777-200LRs. The 777 first joined Delta’s fleet in 1999, and was a game changer, since the 777-200LR allowed Delta to operate flights like Atlanta to Johannesburg, which otherwise weren’t possible.

What’s especially crazy is that just a couple of months ago Delta completed the process of reconfiguring all 777s with new Delta One Suites, as well as with Premium Select, Delta’s premium economy product.

As Gil West, Delta’s Chief Operating Officer, describes the decision to retire the 777:

“We’re making strategic, cost-effective changes to our fleet to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic while also ensuring Delta is well-positioned for the recovery on the backside of the crisis. The 777 has been a reliable part of Delta’s success since it joined the fleet in 1999 and because of its unique operating characteristics, opened new non-stop, ultra-long-haul markets that only it could fly at that time.”
Delta One Suites on A350-900

Delta’s future long haul fleet

With this move, Delta’s wide body fleet consists of the following aircraft:

13 A350-900s, with a further 26 on order
Five A330-900neos, with a further 32 on order
11 A330-200s
31 A330-300s
56 Boeing 767-300s
21 Boeing 767-400s
In reality the only plane that can provide similar range and capacity to the 777-200 is the A350-900. Delta notes that the A350-900 has fuel burn that’s 21% lower per seat than the 777, so the operating costs are definitely better.

Also keep in mind that as part of Delta’s investment in LATAM, the airline agreed to take over several A350-900 orders. I’m sure the airline is regretting that deal at this point, but of course no one expected the industry would get this bad.

Delta hasn’t announced concrete plans to retire other long haul aircraft — the airline is considering retiring some of their 767s, though exact numbers haven’t yet been given. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see some A330-200s and A330-300s retired.

Delta A330-900neo

Is this the end of Atlanta to Johannesburg?

Delta’s longest route is between Atlanta and Johannesburg, as the route covers a distance of about 8,500 miles. While that’s “only” the 10th longest flight in the world, the catch is that the flight has significant headwinds in the westbound direction, and Johannesburg Airport is also at a high altitude, limiting takeoff performance.



While the A350-900 is also incredibly long range, it’s my understanding that only the 777-200LR has been able to operate the route without a significant payload restriction.

If that’s the case, I wonder if the retirement of the 777 could also represent the end of South Africa service for Delta. That would be a shame, but also understandable.

Delta retiring all MD-88s & MD-90s

In April Delta had announced plans to retire all MD-88 and MD-90 aircraft by June. Delta has long taken the approach of flying older planes but maintaining them well, though as the airline looks at downsizing, that trend is also being reversed.

Delta had 47 MD-88s and 29 MD-90s operating as of February 2020, so those were among the first 75+ planes Delta retired due to the current situation.

Bottom line

For so long the Boeing 777 has been the workhorse of a countless number of airlines’ international fleets. This has been the case for all of the “big three” US carriers.

While Delta has a significantly smaller 777 fleet than American and United, it’s still pretty shocking to think that a major US airline won’t be flying these anymore. That’s especially true when you consider that Delta has just spent tens of millions of dollars fitting these planes with new interiors.

Are you surprised to see Delta retiring their 777 fleet?

I much prefer business class in the A350 anyway. Superior in all aspects of passenger comfort. Sounds like Delta wasted a ton of money refitting the 777 interiors.....

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
I much prefer business class in the A350 anyway. Superior in all aspects of passenger comfort. Sounds like Delta wasted a ton of money refitting the 777 interiors.....

Don't blame Boeing for seatings.

It all depends on what the airline wants.

I think this decision might be due to economic reasons and fuel.

I used to own the md88-md90 in the 9.5 percent bonds in the delta bankruptcy. I was surprised delta did not cancel my skymiles after I raked them over the bankruptcy reorganization coal. They needed the md88-90 to fly out of slc and western is network.


Covid will impact international air travel for 3-5 years. Domestic to maybe 2-3.

Makes sense for delta to focus on more profitable and sustainable domestic market.

What happens to a emirates with a massive fleet of a380 no one wants and global travel moving point to point. Who wants to sit in quarantine and get tested on every leg ?

Till a covid vaccine international air travel and long haul is impaired.

Tough times for international long haul air travel.

Mike

The only decent us airline business model for a covid and post covid world is southwest.

They never nickeled and dimmed their customer base.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
...

Till a covid vaccine international air travel and long haul is impaired.

Tough times for international long haul air travel.

Yeah, airlines like Singapore, Turkish Airlines, Qatar, Emirates model is long haul travel via great service and lounges etc.. They do not have enough domestic travel to survive.

quote:

Originally posted by tanks:

quote:

Originally posted by Beretta682E:
...

Till a covid vaccine international air travel and long haul is impaired.

Tough times for international long haul air travel.

Yeah, airlines like Singapore, Turkish Airlines, Qatar, Emirates model is long haul travel via great service and lounges etc.. They do not have enough domestic travel to survive.

Singapore is the best situated - they do a lot of point to point flying and are out of the transit to Australia flights.

Turkish still has a real country and connects to countries few fly to.

Qatar is a mess.

Emirates is in a tough spot. UAE economy was not designed for a world of covid.

Emirates has this massive hub and spoke model that sucks in a time of covid. They are smart guys running Emirates and have built quite an airline.

But massive fixed cost are the death when revenue goes To zero. Boeing is tied to Emirates for 777x. 380 are worthless unless they are flown. I follow Emirates bonds

http://cbonds.com/emissions/issue/34769


The real problem with covid and long haul is that there is a risk, unlikely/remote, but there is a risk that in airplane you can get covid thru the air.

Covid can be airborne and even if airplane air is filtered there is a possibility of catching covid thru the eyes. Why you are seeing some people wearing goggles along with face mask on flights. Flying that way for 15 or 22 hours could be very uncomfortable.

The good thing about the airline business is very few stupid people left in it - state run airlines. But us carriers and emirates - these are all smart guys focused on surviving and controlling cost.

Mike