BlackRocket

With the purchase of only 15 A350's and 25 330's does anyone know the long term growth plan for the international fleet. The 767 is an older aircraft all with over 20 years of service. Does anyone know how much longer is Delta planning on operating the 76's as its mainstay international airplane? What is the replacement plan for such a large fleet?

This Wiki article is current and very informative!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Air_Lines_fleet

sailingfun

We actually purchased 25 A350’s. There are rumors that the last 10 will be converted to A330 orders. Either way it’s 50 aircraft. Delta is expected to place additional wide body orders for the 767 replacement. They are rumors of a small order soon followed by a larger order once Boeing releases the 797 for sale. The 767ER retirements start in 2021 through 2027 to 2030 depending on the source.

RogSmitty

“Our fleet transformation is still in the middle innings...” per our CFO. So glass half full or empty?

Trip7

Some of the 25 330NEOs are growth and some are replacing the 7ER. No one has given specific numbers though

iaflyer

Many of the currently flying B767s were purchased in 1990s and early 2000 timeframe. So using a 25 year lifespan, they aren't up for renewal until 2021 or so, going out to 2027, so we have plenty of time to plan for that. I'd guess it's going to be a B797 competition with whatever the Airbus product is at the time.

Bucking Bar

Recall Richard Anderson stating the 767-300 ER with the winglets got about 6% better economy and pretty much matched the financial performance of a 787 by the time capex was figured in. Back then Delta actually needed it's cash, so the internal rate of return may have changed and the 787-900 is a better CASM performer than it's earlier models.

Overall the 767 and 757 are competitive airplanes and FedEx is getting new 767-300's even today (50 orders placed in 2015 with 50 more options)

Delta does an amazing job maintaining it's older jets, but MHO the Airbus products are too complex for their own good as they get some age on them. We have a couple of A320's which need to be put to pasture or taken down to the last connector and re-wired. Electrical problems on an Airbus are like trying to guess the plot of Inception.

Mesabah

Still no engine yet for the 797, that makes it almost impossible to make the 2025 deadline. The Price tag of aircraft will be eye watering. You guys will probably end up with more 330s, or new 767s.

Bucking Bar

The perfect engine would be the GTF fan on a GE core.

Pratt's engines have always been problems and it still sounds like the problem with the GTF is the main shaft of the engine and bearing interfaces. (combustion liners falling apart can be fixed by reverting back to older & more labor intensive assembly techniques for a cost) It appears the GTF just needs a larger shaft which pretty much means redesigning the entire production from soup to nuts. It would be chuckle-worthy if ten thousand million dollars had not already been spent, thousands of people's jobs were not on the line and thousands of orders already committed.

Pratt is very Douglas like in their commitment to a bad design once tooling has been made.

gliderguider

I guess we will find out the fleet plan once it is dangled during C2019 negotiations.

GogglesPisano

So why is Boeing "developing" a whole new design for the 797. Why not shorten the 787 and add smaller fuel tanks and ... viola: A small, twin aisle, medium haul airplane.