Delta Airlines entered into an agreement to lease seven o the Airbus A350-900s and 29 of the used Boeing 737-900ERs in an attempt to modernize its fleet in July 2021. The added 36 new aircraft in Delta’s fleet are expected to enhance the customer experience while improving fuel efficiency and supporting the airline’s future strategies that are emphasized on the scale, size, simplification, and sustainability.
The Delta A350 will provide a world-class experience to the passengers with premium amenities, enhance the cargo capacity of the airlines, contribute significantly to the airlines’ future agendas, and reduce cost per unit, allowing the airlines to provide premium service at a competitively beneficial price.
The CEO of Delta Airlines, Ed Bastian, made it clear that the airline’s hauling of these modern-day aircraft is an investment in Delta’s future that will support Delta in its desired direction. Despite major airlines worldwide taking a heavy financial blow after the outbreak of Covid-19, it also gave them the opportunity to remodel their fleet with the significant drop in the price of aircraft and small airlines selling their aircraft at a heavy loss to remain in business with less air demand. Likely, this also gave one of the biggest airlines in the US an opportunity to restructure the airline’s fleet. Delta decided to accelerate the retirements of its’s 18 Boeing B777s widebody, including the MD-88 and MD-90 narrowbody fleet. These aircraft are the older and less-efficient variants in Delta’s fleet; the outbreak of pandemics gave the airlines a unique opportunity to restructure its fleet with the opportune moment in the aviation industry. Based on Delta’s updated capital guidance of 2021, the combined cost of adding 36 of the Airbus A350s and Boeing 737s to its fleet is just $700 million.
For its strategic growth in the market that is slowly recovering from the after-effect of the pandemic, Delta’s plan to acquire both new and used planes in its fleet is expected to sustain its growth and profit. The airlines will lease seven of the used Airbus A350-900s aircraft from AerCap and purchase 29 of the Boeing 737-900ERs from the Castelake.
Airbus A350, Delta’s Flagship Aircraft
Delta adding these 36 modern-day aircraft to its fleet is a decisive step that will add momentum to Delta’s recovery after facing heavy loss due to excessive drop of air travel demand with the outbreak of Covid-19. Among the new aircraft joining Delta’s fleet to sustain the airline’s profit and future growth, the Airbus A350 is the airline’s flagship which takes Delta’s amenities and comfort to the next level. The Delta A350 provides the top-class passenger experience, reduces the unit cost per seat, and enhances the airlines’ cargo capacity to a higher level, which certainly gives Delta a competitive advantage to head toward a sustainable future.
The future-proof Delta A350 aircraft burns 21% less fuel per seat than the Boeing 777s aircraft that are retired, helping the carbon emission cause. As Delta is putting effort into reducing the carbon emission of its fight to Net Zero, the fuel-efficient aircraft certainly plays a vital role in succeeding the agenda. Besides, Delta A350, the 27 narrowbody Boeing 737-900ERs also complement its fleet and agendas.
Including the seven of the Delta A350 aircraft, the airline’s fleet also consists of 15 of the Airbus A359s, and an additional 20 aircraft variants have been put on order. The airline’s agreement with Airbus also gives it an exercise option on the additional 25 Airbus A321neo jets that are et to join the Delta fleet from next year; the Airbus A321neo jetliners offer the lowest units cost per seat in the airline’s fleet.
Delta A350 Configuration
Delta’s flagship aircraft has been configured into 3 class and 4 class setups; the general configuration has a total of 306 seats, 226 seats in the main cabin, 48 seats on the Delta Premium Select cabin, and 32 seats on the Delta One® cabin. The seat width is 18” in the main cabin, 18.5” in the Delta Premium Select, and 22.4” with a 180-degree flatbed in the Delta One® cabin. The passengers in the main cabin and Delta Premium Select cabin receive the under-seat storage dimension of 14” x 15” and 14” x 18” respectively, there isn’t under-seat storage in the Delta One® cabin and also for the safety reasons child seats are not allowed in the Delta One® cabin.
The key amenities like an in-seat power outlet, wi-fi, personal entertainment kit, USB in-seat power are available in all cabins; the Delta One®, however, is configured with flatbeds and other premium amenities. As one of the most exclusive cabins in the sky, this premium class cabin in the Delta A350 aircraft offers a dedicated in-cabin flight attendant and other luxurious perks that truly give the premium on-air experience.
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Overall, the Delta A350 cabin has been configured to provide something extra to all the passengers to make their trip more enjoyable and comfortable. The spacious cabin, smart luggage storage, and changeable lighting features that help the passengers to adjust offer the Delta A350 passenger the comfort of home in the sky.
