Delta to add 1st class to 66 RJ's

[Whataboutbob]

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL - News) said on Monday it plans to invest $1 billion over the next few years to upgrade its aircraft and enhance airport lounges.
The world's largest air carrier said it would spend about $300 million a year through mid-2013 on the initiatives, which include installing full flat-bed seats for business-class travelers on 90 Boeing Co (NYSE:BA - News) trans-oceanic aircraft and adding first-class cabins to 66 jets operated by regional connection carriers.
Flat-bed seats offer extra legroom and more privacy.
"Rather than invest in new aircraft, Delta will be spending its capital to improve the quality and consistency of the on-board product and efficiency of the aircraft we already own," Delta President Ed Bastian said in a statement.
Delta, which acquired Northwest Airlines in 2008, said the moves also included completing modification of 269 pre-merger Northwest planes to add blue leather seats, updated lighting and better amenities such as more overhead bin space. The carrier also said it would install winglets on more than 170 Boeing planes to extend aircraft range and boost fuel efficiency.

Does this mean they are going to possibly add more airframes to the Regional fleet with out conflicting with current scope?? Any guesses on what their plan is?? Rather see them spending the money on making mainline bigger and better.

 

[crj567]

Like I keep trying to tell all you BigD guys-mgmt is NOT on your side either. Right now, they are just sliding it to the regionals whilst the economy is in the crapper. Just as soon as negotiations start up again, you will see them trying to get anything they can under the connection umbrella.

Anyone who has been around this industry for a while has seen this happen over and over.

RA and DS hate you every bit as much as the hate every other "overpaid" employee who makes the big machine bleed red. As soon as they get the old "cabotage" nose into the tent, they will run all of us out as fast as they can-this is what their wet dreams are made of.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL - News) said on Monday it plans to invest $1 billion over the next few years to upgrade its aircraft and enhance airport lounges.
The world's largest air carrier said it would spend about $300 million a year through mid-2013 on the initiatives, which include installing full flat-bed seats for business-class travelers on 90 Boeing Co (NYSE:BA - News) trans-oceanic aircraft and adding first-class cabins to 66 jets operated by regional connection carriers.
Flat-bed seats offer extra legroom and more privacy.
"Rather than invest in new aircraft, Delta will be spending its capital to improve the quality and consistency of the on-board product and efficiency of the aircraft we already own," Delta President Ed Bastian said in a statement.
Delta, which acquired Northwest Airlines in 2008, said the moves also included completing modification of 269 pre-merger Northwest planes to add blue leather seats, updated lighting and better amenities such as more overhead bin space. The carrier also said it would install winglets on more than 170 Boeing planes to extend aircraft range and boost fuel efficiency.

Does this mean they are going to possibly add more airframes to the Regional fleet with out conflicting with current scope?? Any guesses on what their plan is?? Rather see them spending the money on making mainline bigger and better.

This doesn't allow more RJs.

FWIW, mainline is growing with the md-90's, 777s, and 738s this year, but we are still below the peak...so even with that no more RJ's too.

 

[nwaredtail]

This doesn't allow more RJs.

FWIW, mainline is growing with the md-90's, 777s, and 738s this year, but we are still below the peak...so even with that no more RJ's too.

Hmmm, I think you better learn to add better. think dc-9's 747-200's, 757's......

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Hmmm, I think you better learn to add better. think dc-9's 747-200's, 757's......

Looks like the 5500 series 757's are staying. Point taken though.

 

[goahead]

A bigger question is will all this hard talk by DAL hold up once the C series comes out or will they give it to us to keep birthday pay. Please don't let that happen, figure it out and fly them yourselves!

 

[jet pipe ovht]

There adding a first class section to the CRJ 700's. I don't think it is talking about more airplanes.

 

[Abernathy]

Also, in order to improve the passenger experience, Delta will be adding an extra set of golden leaf clusters to pilot hats and showcasing a new and improved "triple-breasted" coat.

 

[Superpilot92]

There adding a first class section to the CRJ 700's. I don't think it is talking about more airplanes.

100% correct, no new airframes and a net loss of actual seats.

 

[1080P]

A bigger question is will all this hard talk by DAL hold up once the C series comes out or will they give it to us to keep birthday pay. Please don't let that happen, figure it out and fly them yourselves!

We'll see hopefully not

EDIT, this is old news they told us at ASA about eight months ago, no new frames just cleaning up 700's