gloopy

I think he's largely posturing and I agree with that strategy. Remember the press release with the recent Airbus order? There was a little line in there about how great BA is and how DL is still taking a few dozen -900's (that were ordered years ago). IMO this is something similar.

An airline saying they want to be the launch customer for something that doesn't even exist yet (not even on paper LOL!) is far from a predictive order book. Yet technically its not wrong to say that, because, in theory, if a plane (in theory) was theoretically what you wanted when you wanted it and you could get it at a price you wanted (in theory) then theoretically you'd order it, wouldn't you?

DL is still a huge BA customer that has been aggressively trending AB lately (and now BBD). I think this is largely a way to say "hey we're still here, but you'd better start treating us right".

The more interesting part of the article IMO was the 7max with WestJet. I agree that is a phenomenal plane if the price is good, and I bet it is right now because its not selling as well because it technically doesn't have as low a CASM. But SW is still doing quite well with half a thousand of them, and that's just the CEO version. I'd love to see DL get a couple dozen more -700's if for no other reason than it would help fill market gaps within a common fleet type as well as ease pressure on marketing to shoehorn such a tiny fleet (10) into the vast network while still sending them to the places they must go to. They're not CASM killers by any means and if the MAX7 adds 12 seats I think it makes a lot of sense to get them...

...unless that would bolster BA's junk lawsuit against the CS.