Originally Posted by
Mesabah
Looking at the way things are going, I would say the 717's are replacing the current 76 seat jet routes(former DC9), while the new and newer 76 seat jets will be replacing the 50 seat jets on most of their current routes. In other words, Delta is simply up-sizing its fleet instead of shifting flying back to mainline, but scope relief takes time. You will know the answer to this if the next Dal TA has more 76 seat jets in it, but with shorter route limits vs block hour limits.
You're exactly right- in part. The way I phrased it (which is the way DL phrases it) is that the seats lost by parking the 50 seaters and DC-9s are being replaced by the 717s. Also, of course, by the additional allowed 76 seaters.
Semantics.
Also, I don't know about more 76 seaters in the next TA... we'll see. The current TA drastically reduces the amount of seats (and even moreso aircraft) that are currently at DCI and transfers those back to mainline.