January 26, 2010
Delta Air Lines intends to invest $1 billion over the next three years on a wide range of measures designed “to improve the customer experience in the air and on the ground,” including new business class seats on 90 Boeing widebodies.
The company did not directly address plans for the order for 18 787s inherited in its acquisition of Northwest Airlines, but President Ed Bastian said, “Rather than invest in new aircraft, Delta will be spending its capital to improve the quality and consistency of the onboard product and efficiency of the aircraft we already own.”
Called “the most significant investment we have made in our customers in more than a decade” by CEO Richard Anderson, the upgrade will be anchored by installation of new lie-flat seats in the BusinessElite cabins on 14 767-400ERs, 52 767-300ERs, 16 747-400s and eight 777-200ERs.
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In addition, the economy cabins on 16 747-400s and 52 767-300ERs will be outfitted with individual on-demand IFE units, extending the service to all seats on all DL widebodies. A first class cabin will be added to 66 CRJ700s operated by Delta Connection affiliates SkyWest Airlines, Atlantic Southeast Airlines and Comair, bringing to 219 the number of regional aircraft offering the product. Finally, the carrier will retrofit 269 Northwest Airlines aircraft with DL’s blue leather seats, new lighting and increased overhead storage space.
Outside the cabin, winglets will be added to more than 170 767-300ER, 757-200 and 737-800 aircraft, while Sky Club lounges will be added in Seattle, Philadelphia and Indianapolis and renovated in Los Angeles. “This investment will be made while staying well within the level of our historical capital expenditures,” Bastian said.
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