Originally Posted by
iFlyer
I believe a big part of the reason we got a "super-special" deal on the 737-900's, in addition to fending off Airbus, was liquidated damages from the -787 non-performance. I believe Delta also got max-gross upgrades on all the rest of the Boeing fleet - frames and engines - as part of the deal. Perhaps ETOPs was thrown in with that, too.
You guys are way overrating the damages because 18 aircraft were going to be delivered late. The difference between operating a 787 verses a 767 for a couple of years would not be huge. The gross weight upgrades were all we got.