More 777 for DAL

[ACL65PILOT]

Delta inks deal with Boeing on March 20th to purchase additional 777LR's bringing total to 45 by 2015. I don't have any info on delivery shedule.

 

[Sedona16]

I was reading in between the lines of what was said by RA on the company website and it sounded like more 777's (see below) but havent seen any details.

Richard reports on an eventful week

March 24, 2008

Richard Anderson looked back on a week of significant events for Delta, including our announcement of two voluntary programs for employees, the delivery of our second Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, and a tornado that ripped through Atlanta disrupting spring break operations. He also discussed steps we’re taking to manage rapidly rising fuel costs. Richard recorded his weekly employee message from Seattle as he joined more than 150 specially invited employees in taking delivery of our second 777LR.
“Of course, we’re excited about bringing this airplane home and getting it in the system,” Richard said. “We’ll have six more new aircraft deliveries throughout the year, and ultimately on the 777-LR, we’ll have a number of additional deliveries over the course of the next three to five years, as that’s a very important airplane for our growth, particularly across the Pacific. In addition to lie-flat seats and enhanced in-flight entertainment for our passengers, they have increased cargo capability and are designed for tremendous fuel efficiency.”
Richard noted the two voluntary employee programs we announced last week  the 60-Point Retirement Program and the Early Out program  that are the result of rapid and record high increases in fuel costs and the weakening U.S. economy.
“Remember that these programs are completely voluntary,” Richard said. “We’ll put a lot of information out and make it available over the next several weeks, so anyone that’s eligible can learn about both of these programs. Our goal is to make certain that our reduction is all voluntary, so stay tuned to details and we’ll be sending things to your home that will lay out all of the options.”
Starting March 31 through April 14, a special DeltaNet site will offer detailed descriptions and FAQs for the two voluntary options.
Richard said we’re moving quickly on several fronts to manage the recent spike in fuel costs.
“This week we raised domestic fares systemwide by an additional $10 round trip to help offset the rising cost of fuel,” he said. “In addition, we will begin charging customers $25 to check a second bag in May. We’re anticipating that our fuel costs will increase by somewhere between $1-2 billion year-over-year, so we’re going to take steps to rapidly work to cover those costs. We’ve been fairly successful hedging fuel. We have 25% in the first quarter and, I believe, 41% in the second quarter, so we have a significant number of hedge gains, but that doesn’t offset the fact that we have a precipitous increase in fuel.”
Richard praised frontline employees who dealt with high passenger loads and severe weather, including a tornado in Atlanta, last weekend.
“Special thanks to all of you who worked the operation last weekend in Atlanta, especially the IROPS in the Atlanta area,” he said. “It was a tough weekend over the system. We had rain and thunderstorms in the Northeast throughout the Carolinas, fog in Cincinnati. So all of this with load factors in the mid 90’s. So everybody from Line Maintenance, ACS, In-Flight, Flight Ops, OCC, y’all did a great job in especially challenging weather with very high loads.”
You can call in to hear Richard’s latest message at 888-356-3971 or 404-773-7128 internationally. You can also listen online or read a complete transcript of the call on the CEO site on DeltaNet

 

[ACL65PILOT]

There is a lot of digging that you can do, but it does look like the larger numbers that were brought up here a few months ago by myself and a few others are proving true.
At 16-19 crews per airframe this is indeed good news for us.

 

[Sedona16]

There is a lot of digging that you can do, but it does look like the larger numbers that were brought up here a few months ago by myself and a few others are proving true.
At 16-19 crews per airframe this is indeed good news for us.

This is great news. Thats well over 1000 pilots beyond what has been discussed with potential 737/MD90 airframes over the next seven years.

 

[dtfl]

This is great news. Thats well over 1000 pilots beyond what has been discussed with potential 737/MD90 airframes over the next seven years.

Im not so sure we are getting the -90s. The rumor mil in the tng dept is no. China Eastern has a crew going thru tng now..maybe we should go ask?

 

[Sedona16]

Im not so sure we are getting the -90s. The rumor mil in the tng dept is no. China Eastern has a crew going thru tng now..maybe we should go ask?

Apparently we have options for over 60 737's. I'm not a huge fan of the MD anyway. If I had my druthers Delta would increase the deliveries of the 777's and 737's (757's are hard to find) until the next generation 737 replacement rolls around towards the end of the decade following this one. Also start filling the 100 seat position with something like the Bombardier geared fan jet in five years. Regionals should be swapping rj's for large turboprops by then.... fingers crossed.

All things being equal, steady growth on the international side through the next ten to fifteen years followed by heavy retirements would be much preferable to any merger. A northwest merger would have caused stagnation for many years on the low end of the delta seniority list while they jocky airplanes and pilots. The up to 100G equity would have been nice but beyond that there wasn't much in it for Delta pilots. Now lets focus on still getting some decent pay raises.

 

[dtfl]

Apparently we have options for over 60 737's. I'm not a huge fan of the MD anyway. If I had my druthers Delta would increase the deliveries of the 777's and 737's (757's are hard to find) until the next generation 737 replacement rolls around towards the end of the decade following this one. Also start filling the 100 seat position with something like the Bombardier geared fan jet in five years. Regionals should be swapping rj's for large turboprops by then.... fingers crossed.

Yeah but our MDs and those Mds are CHEAP.

Funny how things come full circle. In the late 90s the airlines were running from props...because they were slower and people were afraid. I cant tell you how many times people whined about the ATRs...its like they thought it was a frickin DC3 from 1944?!!?! They see a prop and freak.
Now that fuel is the issue....those ATRs and Q400s are perfect. Well, perfect-er.

 

[Meiguy]

Delta inks deal with Boeing on March 20th to purchase additional 777LR's bringing total to 45 by 2015. I don't have any info on delivery shedule.

Are those all firm orders. And if so, is this further proof that the NWA deal is dead. Has there been a press release for these yet or am I just behind the curve here.

 

[Sedona16]

Yeah but our MDs and those Mds are CHEAP.

Funny how things come full circle. In the late 90s the airlines were running from props...because they were slower and people were afraid. I cant tell you how many times people whined about the ATRs...its like they thought it was a frickin DC3 from 1944?!!?! They see a prop and freak.
Now that fuel is the issue....those ATRs and Q400s are perfect. Well, perfect-er.

Well the old adage you get what you pay for definately applies to turboprops making a resurgence. People want thirty dollar flights they get a "thirty dollar" airplane. They will still complain and think they should get salmon and starbucks on board but they will fly regardless if the price is right.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

I have not seen an official announcement, but from the backwater channel it seems that many of those are firm.
It was also posted on our ALPA site. Not sure where he got his info from, but I did some checking as well. It seems that this is about as good as a rumor can get. I of course will not believe it until the rubber hits the runway.
There is no set delivery schedule as of yet, but I am sure that we will get that with the announcement.
I would assume that it could be a way to pressure NWA to a deal, but you never know what the financial types are up to. After all they are the ones who run this show.
As I get details I will post them....