Delta Air Lines Inc., the world’s second-largest carrier, reaffirmed its order for 18 Boeing Co. 787-8 jets, while deferring deliveries into the next decade.
Delta and Boeing reached the agreement to defer the planes until 2020-2022 in the quarter that just ended, the airline said today in a regulatory filing.
Northwest Airlines Corp., which Delta bought in 2008, was to take deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner planes between 2008 and 2010, and Delta has repeatedly said it was in ongoing discussions with Boeing about the matter, leading some analysts to speculate that it might cancel the order.
“I’m kind of surprised” Delta kept the order, said Richard Aboulafia, a fleet analyst at consulting firm Teal Group in Fairfax, Virginia. “Then again, how meaningful is a 10-year deferral? A lot can change in 10 years. Maybe Delta did this for contractual reasons. Maybe they didn’t have walk-away rights. Maybe they’re still examining the issue and had to say something by a certain time.”
Boeing has delayed the plastic-composite Dreamliner’s entry into commercial service six times, until 2011’s first quarter, after planning a May 2008 debut. The first U.S. customer for the 787 is scheduled to be United Continental Holdings Inc., which plans to begin flying its first plane in November 2011. AMR Corp.’s American Airlines expects deliveries of the 787-9 version in 2014.
full story here
Delta and Boeing reached the agreement to defer the planes until 2020-2022 in the quarter that just ended, the airline said today in a regulatory filing.
Northwest Airlines Corp., which Delta bought in 2008, was to take deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner planes between 2008 and 2010, and Delta has repeatedly said it was in ongoing discussions with Boeing about the matter, leading some analysts to speculate that it might cancel the order.
“I’m kind of surprised” Delta kept the order, said Richard Aboulafia, a fleet analyst at consulting firm Teal Group in Fairfax, Virginia. “Then again, how meaningful is a 10-year deferral? A lot can change in 10 years. Maybe Delta did this for contractual reasons. Maybe they didn’t have walk-away rights. Maybe they’re still examining the issue and had to say something by a certain time.”
Boeing has delayed the plastic-composite Dreamliner’s entry into commercial service six times, until 2011’s first quarter, after planning a May 2008 debut. The first U.S. customer for the 787 is scheduled to be United Continental Holdings Inc., which plans to begin flying its first plane in November 2011. AMR Corp.’s American Airlines expects deliveries of the 787-9 version in 2014.
full story here