Delta to retire Boeing 777s as pandemic dims outlook for international travel
ATLANTA - Delta Air Lines said Thursday it may have 7,000 too many pilots this fall and announced it will retire its fleet of Boeing 777s, a sign the airline expects a lengthy downturn in long-haul international travel as the coronavirus batters demand, Leslie Josephs reports for CNBC. Continue reading original article.
The Intelligent Aerospace take:
May 15, 2020 -“We’re making strategic, cost-effective changes to our fleet to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic while also ensuring Delta is well-positioned for the recovery on the backside of the crisis,” said Gil West, Delta’s Chief Operating Officer. “The 777 has been a reliable part of Delta’s success since it joined the fleet in 1999 and because of its unique operating characteristics, opened new non-stop, ultra-long-haul markets that only it could fly at that time.”
According to the company, "the Boeing 777-200 first entered the fleet in 1999 and grew to 18 aircraft, including 10 of the long-range 777-200LR variant, which arrived in 2008. At the time, aircraft was uniquely positioned to fly non-stop between Atlanta and Johannesburg, South Africa, Los Angeles to Sydney and other distant destinations."
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Jamie Whitney, Associate Editor
Intelligent Aerospace