Originally Posted by sailingfun

I have posted in the past that I did not expect any new narrow body aircraft in the fleet prior to 2016 and more likely 2020. There is a interesting memo today that suggests some new aircraft as early as 2013. The timing is however interesting since it matches our new contract time frame. I expect to see the company once again try and play growth against getting a lower cost contract. This is straight out of their past contract playbooks. In some cases they followed up with the promised growth and in other cases especially regarding the 100 seat size aircraft they did not. Here is the memo.

January 13, 2011


Delta is beginning to plan for the future of its domestic mainline fleet and is accepting requests for proposals or RFPs to replace more than 200 narrowbody aircraft to provide long-term mainline domestic growth...............

.................The RFP asks for proposals to deliver 100 to 200 firm aircraft, with an option for 200 more, starting in early 2013. It asks the manufacturers to consider large, medium and small narrowbody planes to be operated by Delta as mainline aircraft.