Delta Looks To Fill Narrowbody Gap By 2010
04-24-2007, 05:27 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: 7ERB
Posts: 142
Delta Looks To Fill Narrowbody Gap By 2010
Delta Looks To Fill Narrowbody Gap By 2010
Apr 24, 2007
By Lori Ranson/Aviation Daily
Delta hasn't begun a campaign to fill the gap between its
76-seat regional jets and 142-seat MD-80s, but its business
plan calls for 25 small-gauge narrowbodies by 2010.
The carrier is taking on 15 124-seat Boeing 737-700s, but
Chief Operating Officer Jim Whitehurst recently said those
aircraft are targeted for very specific performance-limited
airports, citing Vail, Mexico City and some islands in the
Caribbean, where the carrier currently has to fly 757s and
would like to have fewer seats or operate additional
frequencies.
The 737-700s slated for the targeted markets aren't viewed
as small-gauge, narrowbody aircraft. Whitehurst explained
that for markets such as Atlanta-Knoxville or -Buffalo,
Delta does have a gap between 76-seats and 142-seats, and
"we will look at all the alternatives out there to close
that gap."
Delta will also likely need to make a widebody replacement
decision within 12 months. Whitehurst pointed out the
airline probably won't need new aircraft until 2011 or 2012
-- the point Delta where will have exhausted its move of
widebody aircraft from domestic to international service. At
that time, Delta will need replacement of some of its older
767s, as well as additional growth.
Whitehurst noted one big benefit of the 787 -- an aircraft
Delta knows a lot about -- is not only economic gains from
replacing older planes but the 787's longer range.
Delta is stretching the 767s "as far as we can," Whitehurst
said, explaining the carrier is putting a horizontal crew
rest on a subfleet of the 767s, so they are capable of
flying them longer than 12 hours. That capability allowed
Delta to announce its Atlanta-Lagos and JFK-Tel Aviv routes.
Whitehurst said the 767's mission is about 13 hours, and the
787 would supply an additional mission capability that Delta
does not have today, and that's something the carrier would
be interested in, assuming it selects the 787.
Delta is not too concerned about potential challenges in
aircraft availability. Whitehurst highlighted the fact that
Delta wouldn't need deliveries for at least another four or
five years. He also said Delta was the largest operator of
767s in the world with 104 aircraft. "Obviously, at some
point those all have to get replaced. I think for the type
and size of order Delta might be talking about manufacturers
will be accommodating."
Apr 24, 2007
By Lori Ranson/Aviation Daily
Delta hasn't begun a campaign to fill the gap between its
76-seat regional jets and 142-seat MD-80s, but its business
plan calls for 25 small-gauge narrowbodies by 2010.
The carrier is taking on 15 124-seat Boeing 737-700s, but
Chief Operating Officer Jim Whitehurst recently said those
aircraft are targeted for very specific performance-limited
airports, citing Vail, Mexico City and some islands in the
Caribbean, where the carrier currently has to fly 757s and
would like to have fewer seats or operate additional
frequencies.
The 737-700s slated for the targeted markets aren't viewed
as small-gauge, narrowbody aircraft. Whitehurst explained
that for markets such as Atlanta-Knoxville or -Buffalo,
Delta does have a gap between 76-seats and 142-seats, and
"we will look at all the alternatives out there to close
that gap."
Delta will also likely need to make a widebody replacement
decision within 12 months. Whitehurst pointed out the
airline probably won't need new aircraft until 2011 or 2012
-- the point Delta where will have exhausted its move of
widebody aircraft from domestic to international service. At
that time, Delta will need replacement of some of its older
767s, as well as additional growth.
Whitehurst noted one big benefit of the 787 -- an aircraft
Delta knows a lot about -- is not only economic gains from
replacing older planes but the 787's longer range.
Delta is stretching the 767s "as far as we can," Whitehurst
said, explaining the carrier is putting a horizontal crew
rest on a subfleet of the 767s, so they are capable of
flying them longer than 12 hours. That capability allowed
Delta to announce its Atlanta-Lagos and JFK-Tel Aviv routes.
Whitehurst said the 767's mission is about 13 hours, and the
787 would supply an additional mission capability that Delta
does not have today, and that's something the carrier would
be interested in, assuming it selects the 787.
Delta is not too concerned about potential challenges in
aircraft availability. Whitehurst highlighted the fact that
Delta wouldn't need deliveries for at least another four or
five years. He also said Delta was the largest operator of
767s in the world with 104 aircraft. "Obviously, at some
point those all have to get replaced. I think for the type
and size of order Delta might be talking about manufacturers
will be accommodating."
04-25-2007, 09:41 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Left Seat, Toyota Tacoma
Posts: 593
Perhaps this is a source of the E-190 rumor? The pieces seem to fit.http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/sh...ad.php?t=12075
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
