The Chopping Begins: Delta Cuts Capacity, Tweaks 787 Order

[Matt Molnar]

WSJ:

Delta to Seek Changes in Boeing Orders
Carrier Will Likely Cut Northwest's 787 Plans, Expand Purchase of Long-Haul 777s
By PAULO PRADA and J. LYNN LUNSFORD

Delta Air Lines Inc., as it integrates its fleet with that of recently acquired Northwest Airlines Corp., plans to seek significant changes to aircraft orders that both carriers had placed individually with Boeing Co., according to people familiar with Delta's plans.

Most notably, the company is likely to scale back a Northwest order for Boeing's new, but delayed, 787 Dreamliner, and ask the manufacturer to expand a Delta order for the 777-200LR, a long-range aircraft that carries at least 50 more passengers and would better enable the combined carrier to continue pursuing Delta's strategy to shift a greater percentage of its flights to long overseas routes.

No final decisions have been made regarding new aircraft, the people said, and Delta has yet to officially ask Boeing to alter its order book. [Full Article]

Reuters:

Delta Air Lines to cut 2009 capacity 6-8 percent
Tue Dec 2, 2008 11:08am EST

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) will cut its systemwide capacity by 6 percent to 8 percent in 2009 because of weaker travel demand, the world's largest carrier said on Tuesday.

The company, which this year merged with Northwest Airlines, said its domestic capacity would be down 8 percent to 10 percent next year, and international capacity would fall 3 percent to 5 percent.

The carrier, which in June announced plans to reduce its capacity by 13 percent in the second half of 2008, said the new target included previously announced cuts. [Full Article]

[T-Bird76]

Delta is in a tuff spot with the 777 and 787. They for years neglected to order the 777, in-fact for god knows how long they only had like 7 of them while they sunk their money into CRJs (brilliant move). Now they are beefing up their 777 fleet but their competitors who have 777s are ordering the 787. Talk about being one step behind. Yet some people swear by them because they give you a little TV in the seat....They can enjoy those 767s and those tiny TVs...everyone else will be flying the 787.