Delta has announced the planned retirement of its 18 widebody 777 aircraft as it continues to reduce operational complexity and cost, while maintaining a modern fleet.
Last month, Delta announced plans to accelerate the retirement of the MD-88 and MD-90 fleets to June
“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.”
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.
Delta will continue flying its fleet of long-haul next generation Airbus A350-900s, which burn 21% less fuel per seat than the 777s they will replace.
More specific details of the timing of the 777’s exit from the fleet will be disclosed at a later date.
It’s less than a year since Delta upgraded its Boeing 777, featuring all four branded seat products offered by the airline – Delta One Suite, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort + and Main Cabin, which offers Nine-abreast seating, rather than the industry-standard ten-abreast seating, with 47 cm wide Main Cabin seats, the widest Main Cabin seats of Delta’s international fleet.
Additionally, there are seatback entertainment screens throughout with Delta Studio and thousands of hours of content — free of charge across all cabins and full-spectrum LED ambient lighting with customised lighting schemes depending on phase of flight.
