Originally Posted by iaflyer

Delta has a something like "preferred buyer" status with Boeing, with "rolling options" all we need to do is give Boeing something like 18 months notice that we want planes, and boom, we're in the pipeline. It came up during the SLI presentations.

Second, I got this off the AP story about this potential order, but I haven't seen this elsewhere:

"CEO Richard Anderson said in a message to employees that Delta pilots will fly the new planes, not feeder carriers. Delta has shifted flying away from feeder carriers, and has gotten rid of more than 70 of its 50-seat regional jets and 25 Saab 340 turboprops. A jet order will give Delta the size of planes it needs "to be able to replace retiring airplanes and have modest growth when the economy and fuel prices support it," Anderson said"

Makes me think that he's positioning that towards the Embraer and Bombardier - and us. Telling us that if aircraft from those companies are ordered, right now it's Delta pilots flying them.