It seems Delta is following through with its intent, and will be adding 100 Airbus A321neo aircraft to its fleet.
Delta A321neo with Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofans – Rendering, Airbus
The cabins will feature IFE at seat, streaming IFE to devices , ass well as 2Ku WiFi provisioned by Gogo. The cabins will also have larger overhead bins installed too, and configured with the Airbus Cabin Flex product.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian is happy with the order stating .
“This is the right transaction at the right time for our customers, our employees and our shareholders”
“Delta, Airbus and Pratt & Whitney share the same commitment to safety, efficiency, innovation and continuously improving the customer experience. This order for the state-of-the-art A321neo with Pratt’s Pure Power next-generation jet engines reflects our long-term commitment to these values for Delta people and all our constituents.”
Meanwhile, John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer — Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft states
“The A321neo will equip Delta employees with a customer-preferred, versatile narrowbody aircraft befitting their position as a global airline leader — and we are excited to continue to partner with them as they deliver industry-leading operational performance, customer satisfaction and financial results,”
“This purchase furthers our commitment to U.S. aviation — a commitment that has never been stronger. Today, there is more U.S. content in Airbus aircraft than from any other country, with more than 40 percent of our aircraft-related procurement coming from the United States. In addition, our workforce at the U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama is proud that they will be delivering many of these A321neos to Delta in the coming years.”
Deliveries of the new aircraft will commence in 2020 – through to 2023, and will be powered by Pratt & Whitney Geared turbofans (akin to the type that are listed for the CSeries order Delta has).
Airbus state “most” of the A321neo aircraft will be built in Mobile, AL at the Airbus facility.
So why the planes and engines? This slide from the investor day is probably the biggest giveaway.
Delta makes it official: First of 100 Airbus A321neos start arriving in the airline’s fleet in 2020. https://t.co/yy8E0KQhcg #CNNAviation pic.twitter.com/9Dkga50Oqs
— Jon Ostrower (@jonostrower) December 14, 2017
Awareness of saving money is never a bad thing – and that includes saving money on maintenance costs.
For Delta’s passengers, new planes will be welcome as always – especially if it improves the passenger experience.
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