Flightglobal.com reports that Delta will be the US launch customer for the Boeing 777-200LR. The two are converted from a previous 200ER order previously placed by Delta. The first of this type of aircraft was delivered to Pakistan Internation Airlines in February. Air Canada has 11 on order. Delta may also accept additional deliveries as soon as 2-3 years.
Meanwhile, Delta will be putting lie-flat seats in its business class in 2008. The seats will be fully horizontal, turning into 75-inch beds with fold-out monitors for entertainment. The seats, which resemble office cubicles, will reduce the number of Business Elite seats from 50 to 43. It plans to complete the implementation on all 777 and 767 aircraft flying international routes by 2010. Foreign carriers have been doing this for over five years, beginning with British Airways in 2000, and Delta is poised to be the first to do a complete rollout on its fleet, if lagging behind other airlines.
Delta will need these services to compete as it announces new service. From Atlanta, it will be adding service to Dubai, Seoul, Prague and Vienna, as well as additional service to Sao Paulo. From New York-JFK, it will be expanding its new London Gatwick service, as well as expanding its Ireland service to include nonstop service to Shannon. New destinations will include Pisa/Florence and Bucharest. Delta has added over 50 international routes in the last year.
We must thank all the Delta employees who have given up so much so their airline can install in-flight entertainment and lie-flat seating for their business class passengers. At least the airline gave them those spiffy uniforms as compensation.