Originally Posted by
notEnuf
UAL uses the order book as a hedge. They have a lot of sway with BA when it comes to adjusting as needed. Selling or swapping delivery positions etc. Delta uses the gently preowned market the same way. Delta finds airplanes when they need too. MD-90s, B717s, GoL 737ngs, Lion air, LATAM (Qatari) 350s etc.
Orders don’t actually mean much. It’s extremely cheap to secure a widebody order until progress payments start. Delta as posted has normally always made orders in smaller batches. They did however once place a massive Boeing order. They took delivery of like 6 aircraft from that order.