elcid
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Gary Kelly won't discuss rumors that Delta will take its Boeing 717s
By Terry Maxon/Reporter
[email protected] | Bio
5:11 PM on Wed., Mar. 21, 2012 | Permalink
Southwest Airlines picked up a fleet of 88 Boeing 717s when it acquired AirTran Airways last May. Chairman and chief executive officer Gary Kelly a few months later allowed that the 117-seat 717s didn't fit into Southwest's fleet type and that he'd rather fly only the bigger Boeing 737.
A rumor out of an industry meeting in Phoenix has Delta Air Lines as an interested acquirer of the AirTran aircraft. So we took the opportunity to ask Kelly during a media scrum Wednesday after Southwest's celebration of its first Boeing 737-800:
Us: Are you close to deal to send the Boeing 717s to Delta?
Kelly: "It's a rumor, so I don't comment on rumors."
Us: How about speculation?
Kelly: "I can't speculate, either."
Us: When do you think you might have closure on that rumor?
Kelly: "I can't comment. What I would say is that 717 is a fine airplane. We would be better suited with all 737s. If anything, we think our future is with bigger airplanes, not smaller. There's no secret that we're looking for a way to accelerate the retirement of the 717s out of our fleet. But in any event, we're going to operate the 717s for years. Otherwise, I'm aware of the rumors and I can't comment."
Last week at an investment conference, Delta president Ed Bastian carefully answered a question about Delta's possible interest in the AirTran 717s.
"We are looking at all arrangements, and we've taken note that Southwest has indicated a desire to exit the fleet," Bastian said at the J.P. Morgan conference. "I can't tell you whether that's going to be a decision Delta can take or not."
By Terry Maxon/Reporter
[email protected] | Bio
5:11 PM on Wed., Mar. 21, 2012 | Permalink
Southwest Airlines picked up a fleet of 88 Boeing 717s when it acquired AirTran Airways last May. Chairman and chief executive officer Gary Kelly a few months later allowed that the 117-seat 717s didn't fit into Southwest's fleet type and that he'd rather fly only the bigger Boeing 737.
A rumor out of an industry meeting in Phoenix has Delta Air Lines as an interested acquirer of the AirTran aircraft. So we took the opportunity to ask Kelly during a media scrum Wednesday after Southwest's celebration of its first Boeing 737-800:
Us: Are you close to deal to send the Boeing 717s to Delta?
Kelly: "It's a rumor, so I don't comment on rumors."
Us: How about speculation?
Kelly: "I can't speculate, either."
Us: When do you think you might have closure on that rumor?
Kelly: "I can't comment. What I would say is that 717 is a fine airplane. We would be better suited with all 737s. If anything, we think our future is with bigger airplanes, not smaller. There's no secret that we're looking for a way to accelerate the retirement of the 717s out of our fleet. But in any event, we're going to operate the 717s for years. Otherwise, I'm aware of the rumors and I can't comment."
Last week at an investment conference, Delta president Ed Bastian carefully answered a question about Delta's possible interest in the AirTran 717s.
"We are looking at all arrangements, and we've taken note that Southwest has indicated a desire to exit the fleet," Bastian said at the J.P. Morgan conference. "I can't tell you whether that's going to be a decision Delta can take or not."
