Here’s how Delta Air Lines is avoiding the Trump administration’s tariffs on new Airbus jets manufactured in Europe: they aren’t importing them.
- The planes fly from Toulouse, France to somewhere other than the United States, like Tokyo, so that when they come here to the States they aren’t ‘new’.
- And what they’ve done in the past is have the aircraft fly only internationally, landing in the U.S. and then leaving, so that they aren’t ‘imported’.
There is currently a 10% tariff in place on imports, including Airbus jets manufactured in Europe. There is an announced 90-day pause on so-called reciprocal tariffs (that are calculated based on trade deficits) that would impose a 20% levy on products from the European Union.
One Mile at a Time writes that Delta used the same strategy during the first Trump administration when similar tariffs were put in place.
Airbus A350-900, Credit: Delta
Aviation watchdog JonNYC flagged that Delta is taking delivery of a new Airbus A350-900 widebody (registration N528DN) that was manufactured in Toulouse, France. The plane will fly to Tokyo Narita prior to entering service.
www.flightaware.com/live/flight/…
Tariffs be damned, Delta taking delivery of a new A350 tomorrow (via Japan): www.flightaware.com/live/flight/…
— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) April 28, 2025 at 11:40 AM
They are also taking delivery of an Airbus A220 manufactured at the Mirabel facility in Quebec, Canada, about 45 minutes outside of Montreal.
"Delta also taking a new A220 from Mirabel tomorrow"
— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) April 28, 2025 at 12:00 PM
It’s not hard to keep a widebody aircraft flying only internationally, though airlines will often reposition planes between U.S. hubs by operating a domestic flight. That may not be possible at this time for Delta. It is tougher to do it with a narrowbody like an A220, but flying between destinations in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean into and back out of Delta hubs is doable. The more planes that have to be handled this way, the tougher it gets.
Tracking restrictions on aircraft poses all sorts of challenges. Several years ago, American Airlines improperly flew a non-ETOPS certified Airbus A321 to Hawaii. Legacy US Airways hadn’t invested in a required raft, so while the aircraft’s range was fine it wasn’t permitted to fly overwater for significant lengths of time. At scale, it becomes increasingly complex to keep fleets segregated as required by this strategy.
Airbus A350-900, Credit: Delta
Earlier this month Delta CEO Ed Bastian was asked about tariffs on new aircraft and he was unequivocal that they wouldn’t be paying the tariffs. This was interpreted to mean either that Airbus would pick up the cost, or that deliveries would be deferred.
Obviously in this environment, we are going to work very closely with Airbus, which is the only airline we’ve got deliveries coming from for the balance of this year. And they’ve been a great partner. We’ll do our very best to see what we have to do to minimize tariffs. But the one thing that you need to know we are very clear on is that we will not be paying tariffs on any aircraft deliveries we take.
Now we know what he meant. Tthey are taking deliveries of new planes! And they have a way to avoid paying these tariffs.
Sweet. @Tim Dunn! It’s happening!! We’re gonna Keep Climbing, sir!!
Have no idea who would ever say again that republicans are pro-business! 😀
Such a simple and elegant solution!
Other US based airlines might follow this strategy as well.
Out of service maintenance events on ‘non-imports’?
@L737 @John Robert Stone — Manufactured crises require manufactured solutions!
@Andrew — Apparently, the GOP is gone; it’s now His party, and it has no principles, just fealty to the mad-king, even if it generally destroys wealth, increases the debt and deficit, diminishes the value of the US dollar, costs us our 401(k)s, and results in supply shortages (coming soon!) Get excited for the depression! Nearly 100 years since 1929, except this one was self-inflicted by one guy. Bah!
(I suspect that some mendacious prick is gonna dare to disingenuously debate here on the nuance of whether dethroning of the dollar as the global currency would ‘help’ with the debt or deficit… oh brother… in advance, please, do tell to us how our currency becoming worthless would ever possibly be good for anyone but the doomsday preppers. I’ll skip ahead: It wouldn’t. Never. Stop it.)
@Andrew – The GOP abrogated any claim to well… anything really when they announced that they literally have no platform but would just do whatever you-know-who feels like. Apparently they feel that principles are for chumps.
I wonder if Scott Kirby remains such a big fan of Trump’s tariffs given exactly how much money Ed Bastian saves to DL’s bottom line…
Like my daddy always said, “Son, where there is a way, there is a will.”
Well Dunn Delta!
This move also serves a secondary purpose beyond tariffs. It enables Delta to “trial balloon” new international routes “unofficially” and with plausible deniability (avoiding anger from “stepping on the turf” of partner airlines) to better compete with United in Asia and perhaps American in the Caribbean.. If the routes are successful then they can be made permanent. If they are not then they can be cancelled once the tariff fog clears, using the reversal of the tariffs as the public rationale for eliminating the trial route.
Delta kept its maintenance facility at Tokyo Narita airport even after it ended service there.
They have used it to do induction maintenance on many A350s and 330-900s under both the current and previous administrations.
The real challenge is the A321XLR – which AA and UA have ordered – which is only being produced in Europe right now; other versions of the 321 are being produced in Alabama.
and all of this only matters until something is worked out on tariffs and then the aircraft is “imported” to the US.
Delta is still scheduled to receive more new widebody deliveries than any other airline in 2025 just as they did in 2024. and the 350-1000s start coming next year.
So Delta curcumvents the tarffis to screw the USA out of revenue. Sounds about right for the DEI Kings,,,
@ Jack Jobes Hear Hear!!
I think this is brilliant. Bravo, Delta!
@JCW — I see what you did there. After all is said and Dunn.
@jack jobes @Catman — #45/47 literally said about his not paying taxes: “That makes me smart.” Tariffs are indeed taxes. Yes, he and Delta are ‘screwing’ the USA out of revenue. So, when do we go after each of them, fellas? Oh, wait, we’re not going to do that, are we? Huh, so it’s just corruption. Cool. Cool, cool. Cool, cool, cool. Got it.