Delta is planning for a premium-heavy Airbus A350-1000 widebody, with the first plane being delivered next year or (more likely) delayed into 2027, according to aviation watchdog JonNYC.
He says to expect “20 aircraft being delivered in a 28-month time frame.” The most exciting thing is that these planes will feature a new Delta One Suite in business class, as well as new economy seats.
this is what that original delivery schedule looked like:
2026
3Q: 12026
4Q: 32027:
1Q: 1
2Q: 32028
1Q: 3
2Q: 5
3Q: 2
4Q: 2— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) July 2, 2025 at 5:19 PM
and, yes, I confidently predict that there will be a new DeltaOne suite introduced (as well as new seats in Comfort and Main.)
— JonNYC (@xjonnyc.bsky.social) July 2, 2025 at 6:50 PM
These planes come from the order Delta placed 18 months ago with 20 aircraft firm and options for 20 more.
Airbus A350-900, Credit: Delta
Airbus A350-900, Credit: Delta
Delta was the first U.S. airline, and second airline in the world behind Qatar Airways, to put doors on direct aisle access long haul business class seats. However their long haul fleet still doesn’t have these fully installed. And the seat has definitely been surpassed by competitors. Delta’s basic seat is the Thompson Vantage XL, which isn’t close to top of market for current business class.
Current Delta Suite
American Airlines now has business class suites on their new Boeing 787-9P, using Adient Ascent seats which are excellent (though in a dense configuration). United has announced that their new delivery 787s will have a similar seat as well. So Delta needs to avoid falling into last place (a spot currently held amongst the three by United, though Delta’s 767 seats are the worst flying long haul for a U.S. or European flag carrier).
American Airlines Boeing 787-9P
Delta has upped its game on the ground with Delta One lounges, and is improving its soft product (with better wines, though a step behind United, and better bedding). New seats on new planes helps, but as of now there’s no plan to retrofit existing aircraft with the new seat that they unveil with A350-1000 aircraft.
1990
I am more than happy to take on all of the weak-brained UA brats all at one time because none are capable of admitting the truth.
UA DOES NOT have consistency across its widebody fleet. It has 8 abreast domestic configured aircraft on routes where AA and DL use international widebodies. Arguing about UA’s size to Hawaii does not change that UA uses the 77A as its primary widebody to Hawaii while AA and DL do not have ANY domestic configured widebodies.
Dissing on the 2 remaining 77Ls is very rich given that UA WILL NOT put its new Polaris configuration on its 777-200 or 767 fleets.
UA already is 80 aircraft behind DL in having suites and the gap will grow.
pretending that a dozen remaining 350s that will have high speed global WiFi by the end of the year overcomes 900 aircraft that have it now w/ free high speed WiFi across the Atlantic and to S. America is beyond rich given that AA and UA will have no widebodies with free high speed WiFi by the end of the year.
The simple fact is that the DL 35K will be an enormous game changer in the international arena and UA – which loves to tout its international size -will be so far out-classed by DL in every metric – and that is why these little boys are scared poopless
Tim Dunn says: UA already is 80 aircraft behind DL in having suites and the gap will grow.
UA has had Polaris Suites on every international wide body for years. Now it is upgrading Polaris in many ways including doors on the suites and adding eight studios/plane. When are Delta Studios coming again? UA won’t be upgrading 767s and 772s because they will be replaced by 787s with the new upgrades. Nice try though.
Tim Dunn says: DL 35K will be an enormous game changer
For very few markets until Russian overflight resumes and when it finally gets here in 2027? Can’t wait! 🙂 Hope DL gets the certifications before delivery this time so they don’t have to park them and scavenge their engines like those A321 Neos. Yikes.
A different perspective. I’m flying from home to A and .back home. Not living near a hub or focus city, I generally can choose between the Big3 at the same price. I don’t care how many 767s DL flys or how many 777As UA flys. I’m never selecting tickets using those planes. I factor in price, flight times, and plane model. I have the same loyalty to AA, DL, and UA they have for me (none). I don’t make choices on FF programs. And, you know what? I fly all three, and have found them all good when they’re good, mediocre when they’re mediocre, and, fortunately, never bad. I find all this airline-specific chauvanism hilarious.
JL,
you live in such a world of denial you don’t even know what the truth look like.
Polaris as it exists now is not a suite. Full. stop. Nearly every blogger including Gary recognizes it is a weaker product than Delta One Suites.
Gary got it right and that is what you are deathly afraid of
“Leak Reveals Delta’s New A350-1000 Suites Set To Upend U.S. Business Class Market”
this comes to mind,
the sad thing is that there are people whose identities are so wrapped in “their” airline that can’t even hear let alone accept actual facts. UA fan kids are by far the worst.
Let’s not even get started on their ticked off employees that are now realizing – also as I have said for years – that UA mgmt has played them like a cheap fiddle and kept them preoccupied with all that United is doing – completely at the expense of UA employees’ higher pay and benefits
@Tim Dunn — Just completed another successful visit to the DeltaOne lounge at JFK. I’ll say, even after a year and several visits, I’m still impressed. A bit full thanks to the holiday weekend, but it’s still got it! Highly recommend the Peach Tree Old Fashioned and the PEI mussels in the Brassiere. Lotta happy ‘premium’ customers there!
Tim Dunn says: Polaris as it exists now is not a suite.
Of course it is and UA has had it on its entire international wide body fleet for years – consistent product offering. UA already has 50 more wide bodies than DL and far more premium seats on those aircraft. Now the Polaris upgrade and studios will leapfrog the competition yet again. United will have over 25 787s with these before DL accepts one 350-1000 (2027? Yikes!). Where is the DL studio again?
Sorry, your dog don’t hunt.
you are free to deny reality as long as it makes you feel better.
Let’s see how you spin this reality.
from the latest data from the Port Authority of NY NJ:
For May, EWR traffic was down 20% on a year over year basis and DL had a 25.9% share of passengers at the 3 NYC airports while UA was only at 21.1% Delta boarded a half million more passengers than United.
and this isn’t just a one time fluke.
On a YTD basis and for the past 12 months, DL was the largest airline at NYC.
UA is not #1 in NYC and UA’s position in NYC is shrinking by the month.
and DL doesn’t even fly its A350s to NYC.
Yet
@1990 — That sounds amazing! Hope the flight is just as premium and that I can report back similar praise about the Cap1 lounge after my visit
(In the meantime, I’m enjoying the pre-July 4 fireworks from the back and forth in this thread!)
@ 1990 — Isn’t that “Petri” Old Fashioned in NYC?
@ Tim — Yes, and UA has completed its acquisition of B6 yet, either.
Tim Dunn says: and this isn’t just a one time fluke.
On a YTD basis and for the past 12 months, DL was the largest airline at NYC.
Then why didn’t you provide the numbers then like you did for May? I never commented on NYC market share though I have said UA has more market share over the Atlantic and more than AA & DL combined over the Pacific.
You seem defensive, Why is that?
@L737 & @Gene — So far so good, fellas! It’s an older 763, tonight. @Tim Dunn will be pleased to hear that I’ve learned to ‘appreciate’ the extra legroom in these (somewhat dated, ok, fine… ‘ancient’) seats. Besides, the forward lavatories are quite spacious; they have the little foot pedal to open the bins. @Matt would say, “for an older aircraft with super-sized restrooms, please consider Delta.” And, so far, I’m glad I did. WiFi is fine, too (for now.) Glad I downloaded some content for my phone, because the screens are tiny. Looking forward to the 35K whenever it comes to town!
One more thought, as much as I get excited for these newer aircraft, I will say the 767 is nice for couples in Economy, 2-3-2. Back-in-the-day, the DC-10 and MD-11 had it, too, but sometimes in the 2-5-2 config, which was ‘not fun’ if trapped in the ‘middle-middle’ in a smoke-filled cabin. That said, the 777, 787, a350 mostly have 3-3-3 or 3-4-3, which is tight and less fun for couples. Just saying, not everything ‘new’ is always better for everyone.
JL,
no, you didn’t talk about NYC but others did. You just kept peddling completely false information about UA’s fleet.
Polaris was a dated concept the day it went into service. The fact that UA put it on most of their widebodies didn’t change that reality.
Polaris is a high-density business class seat that is inferior to multiple other seat products.
And Delta introduced its first Delta One Suite at the time Polaris was being installed.
UA has multiple types of seats in business class on its widebody and narrowbody fleet. It is only your denial of reality that allows you to believe that United has a consistent business class fleet.
and, as noted below, AA and UA’s economy space is far inferior to DL’s .
as for NYC, the data is readily available on the PANYNJ site.
UA’s traffic fell by a whopping 20% plus at EWR which is enormous given that EWR is their largest hub by revenue. UA’s share fell 5 percentage points below DL – by far the biggest negative gap for UA or CO relative to ANY CARRIER EVER.
1990.
enjoy your vintage flight. the 767 is a workforce and it still does what it does well. and the DL 767 fleet continues to shrink, something UA is not doing even though their 767 is the same age as DL’s.
and the DL One lounge just like the DL One Suite was ten years and the 2nd generation DL 1 Suite will be on the 35K and following is unmatched.
Gary got it right.
Tim
You’ve been schooled and owned multiple times in NYC size.
Delta is 20% smaller than United on the accepted industry size in NYC, capacity.
And as you said, delta will never catch United on NYC revenue
Go find your hole and crawl in. You amuse but court jesters stop being funny after a time
Tim Dunn says: no, you didn’t talk about NYC but others did.
So why did you not address it to them? Cuckoo!
Tim Dunn says: as for NYC, the data is readily available on the PANYNJ site.
And you posted it previously, but not here because it was so close that it does demonstrate that it is transitory. Poor little TD. Deep breaths.
MaxPower says: Delta is 20% smaller than United on the accepted industry size in NYC, capacity. And as you said, delta will never catch United on NYC revenue.
Ouch. Poor TD. No wonder he is making an argument to people who never disputed it? Me thinks he doth protest way too much.
max might well find that UA doesn’t even lead on ASMs OR revenue.
given that DL operated 50% more flights than UA from NYC in May, UA would have to fly all of its flights on mainline aircraft and outside of the LGA perimeter to overtake DL’s 50% more flights and 25% more passenger lead.
a couple flights to Tokyo, India and Dubai don’t come close to generating either the revenue or ASMs with that massive amount of flight and passenger deficit.
No one expected UA to implode so badly as a result of its pathetic mishandling of a pretty routine runway rebuilding project for everyone else.
But Kirby blamed the FAA when UA overscheduled before and after the runway rebuild project and the FAA decided to come down hard on UA at EWR – and EWR will never have as many flights as it had before the runway rebuild project.
check your data, Max, and weep at how wrong you were.
50% fewer flights and 25% fewer passengers is a massive hole for UA to climb out of.
It’s no wonder UA is hoping desperately to get a merger with B6 even though it will take UA to get below 50% market share at EWR before the DOJ will consider a merger involving B6 or any other carrier that has double digit share in NYC now.
B6′ share is about the same size as AA’s in NYC.
DL’s share is twice AA and B6′
If anyone is in a position to join forces in NYC, it is AA and B6 – and they were shot down by the DOJ.
thinking anything has changed under the current boss is beyond naive.
“ max might well find that UA doesn’t even lead on ASMs OR revenue.”
Max won’t find that because I used data for my assertion. Whereas you are desperately grasping at straws, per usual.
You said delta would never catch up to United on NYC revenue
I used data that delta is 20% behind United in nyc capacity. Last year and this year
Keep hoping, tim
You’re pathetic and data is your enemy.
are you really telling us, sport, that you don’t understand that SCHEDULED CAPACITY does not matter but instead FLOWN REVENUE DOES?
and you don’t have flown RPMs because no one does. YET
Of course UA INTENDED to fly 20% more capacity than DL and that is precisely why they resisted pulling down their schedules. a 20% reduction in capacity for a full closure of one of EWR’s two main runways is not bad, honestly.
But UA flew 9000 flew 9000 fewer flights in May, had a 20% domestic share to DL’s 36% and AA’s 19% and DL’s international share only trailed UA’s by 7% (20 to 13).
It is mathematically impossible for UA to have flown more RPMs than DL unless UA flew all mainline and all beyond the LGA perimeter – neither of which happened.
DL had an insurmountable 50% more flights and 25% more passengers.
Denial is not a river in Egypt.
it is the inability to admit that UA massively mishandled the EWR runway rebuilding project and is now further behind DL than UA or CO has ever been behind any airline in NYC.
keep denying, Max.
it would have been so much easier if you had simply accepted Gary’s assessment that DL’s 35Ks would upend US business class but you have an uncanny ability to get into arguments that end up with you getting data force fed to you and everyone else because you don’t know when to walk away.
Doesn’t matter how nice the seat is until you have de-unionized cabin attendants who are incentivized to provide superior passenger service. Learn from Qatar, Emirates, Ethihad, Oman Aie, etc. Best in the world for a reason, no unions to protect self entitled lazy CA’s.
@Sean — There are other reasons why those Gulf and East Asian carriers offer luxury service, part unlimited oil money, part relative cost of labor, and part culture. Unions are not the problem.
@Tim Dunn @MaxPowe @JL and the others — Welp, when there’s a weather-related ground stop at all NYC airports (like tonight, ask me how I know…), it doesn’t matter who or what you’re flying, because it’s gonna be a long night. Oof!
Sean
DL FAs are non-union.
DL consistently ranks higher than AA and UA In onboard satisfaction surveys including for premium cabin rankings such as JD Power
DL is reportedly starting additional premium cabin training for FAs this fall.
Tim Dunne says: it would have been so much easier if you had simply accepted Gary’s assessment that DL’s 35Ks would upend US business class but you have an uncanny ability to get into arguments that end up with you getting data force fed to you and everyone else because you don’t know when to walk away.
Yikes.
yikes is right.
just walk away and quit trying to argue about how superior UA’s fleet is or how UA leads in NYC.
None of it is true.
all you two and others do is give me the opportunity to provide the facts you don’t know and really don’t want others to know if you did know.
TD incoherently rambles: all you two and others do is give me the opportunity to provide the facts you don’t know and really don’t want others to know if you did know.
Too funny.
“ are you really telling us, sport, that you don’t understand that SCHEDULED CAPACITY does not matter but instead FLOWN REVENUE DOES?”
Stop being an idiot
You embarrass yourself, tim
Everyone knows you don’t use data and that’s what I’m using
Again
I use data
Not your hopes and weird wet dreams about delta
United is 20% bigger than delta per industry terms in NYC
Per you, tim, delta will never catch United in NYC revenue
Are you done yet?
Fellas, please do not stop. Y’all have been my ‘caffeine’ for this redeye. Please allow me to ‘stir the pot’ a bit. Add some more ‘spice.’
I hope @Tim Dunn is never done! I’m still with you, buddy; from a passenger perspective, most folks still prefer Delta in NYC. Maybe those in NJ are ‘United’ people, but I’d still take Delta any day, over the competition.
Hey, dear United fanboys, is United gonna try JFK again, or are they too weak to make it stick? Just sayin’… even Delta and American fly to EWR Terminal A. Makes ya think!
Tim Dunn says: “as for NYC, the data is readily available on the PANYNJ site.”
It sure is, and no wonder you didn’t want to give the data for the last 12 months. As I suspected the NY passenger numbers are very close even with all of EWR’s problems. UA is actually ahead of DL over the past 12 months for # of passengers which as MaxPower pointed out is not a very useful metric from a business standpoint. Revenue/profit are paramount.
We will see how long it will take EWR to recover traffic and yield, but with NYC being capacity constrained it will undoubtedly do so. Sorry TD.
MaxPower says: …you don’t use data…
He actually misuses less useful data. Lies, damned lies and statistics as the adage goes.
it’s gonna be a long couple years for a couple people that couldn’t and can’t accept that DL’s 35K will be a game-changer. I’ve said it for years. Gary recognizes it. AA and UA simply will be unable to compete w/ onboard program, lounges or aircraft performance and economics.
and to add on to it, DL is handedly now substantially larger than UA in NYC as a result of UA’s bungled handling of what should have been a routine runway rebuilding project at EWR. But let’s be clear that Kirby handed 1/4 of US’ LGA slots to DL for a Song and then UA execs walked away from JFK and now Kirby bungled the EWR runway rebuilding which solidly has given DL the lead.
and max still clings to scheduled ASMs as if that matters when DL operates 50% more flights and boards 25% more passengers even w/o knowing the flown RPMS, let alone revenue which won’t be available until much later this year.
Max and JL are in full denial while UA is desperately trying to figure how to extricate itself from DL’s masterful execution of a 15 year plan to become the largest airline in NYC – and they succeeded because UA slipped on a banana and broke its backside.
1990,
hope you enjoyed the flight. JFK was always NYC’s preferred airport for longhaul domestic and international travel and LGA is the preferred airport for short haul domestic travel. DL built two hubs at both of NYC’s preferred airports.
One other tidbit from the Port Authority’s data – DL didn’t even add flights and its YOY flights were down by a small amount which shows how badly weather has impacted their operation – and yet they picked up such a huge share of traffic that they are as large as AA and B6 combined and outgunned UA.
and you are right, 1990, that there is nothing that stops AA and DL from returning to the EWR transcon markets if UA gets its hands on anything from JFK.
UA had a great run in front in NYC but it is over.
Tim Dunn says: “Gary recognizes it.”
TD either has a reading comprehension problem or his wishful thinking has overcome any logic.
Gary Leff says: “American Airlines now has business class suites on their new Boeing 787-9P, using Adient Ascent seats which are excellent (though in a dense configuration). United has announced that their new delivery 787s will have a similar seat as well. So Delta needs to avoid falling into last place…”
Bummer TD.
and yet you missed the title of the article
Leak Reveals Delta’s New A350-1000 Suites Set To Upend U.S. Business Class Market
and the 2nd paragraph
He says to expect “20 aircraft being delivered in a 28-month time frame.” The most exciting thing is that these planes will feature a new Delta One Suite in business class, as well as new economy seats.
and
Delta was the first U.S. airline, and second airline in the world behind Qatar Airways, to put doors on direct aisle access long haul business class seats
and my factual statement that DL will have 80 aircraft with its current Delta One Suite by the end of the year while AA and UA will have no more than a half dozen 787s each with their FIRST generation suite seat.
yes, you are in full denial.
It’s a holiday. play in the water or drink up – not at the same time. Soothe the pain.
DL has, once again, leapfrogged AA and UA not just in product but also in NYC and will do so in international markets.
DL’s competition is not AA and UA but the best global carriers -which don’t include AA or UA
That was all backward looking WRT the suites/seats about which looking forward Gary Leff says: “American Airlines now has business class suites on their new Boeing 787-9P, using Adient Ascent seats which are excellent (though in a dense configuration). United has announced that their new delivery 787s will have a similar seat as well. So Delta needs to avoid falling into last place…”
Hopefully, DL can find a decent seat for their suites that aren’t even coming until 2027 two years after AA & UA. No word on matching UA’s studios though.
Bummer TD
please don’t spend your entire weekend arguing against the reality which Gary and everyone else realizes.
1. Delta was the first US carrier to introduce a suite product, Delta One Suites made Polaris obsolete the minute it was announced, DL will now have 80 339s and 359s with DL 1 Suites by the end of this year, DL will introduce a 2nd generation DL One Suite on the 35k and which I believe will be the basis for the 330CEO DL 1 suite refurb, and AA and UA are each getting their FIRST aircraft with a suite product this year.
2. UA’s bungled mishandling of the EWR runway rebuilding project has not just temporarily handed the title of largest airline in NYC to DL but UA is very unlikely to regain that title since Kirby’s blame game with the FAA is resulting in permanent reductions in EWR’s capacity. Given the much larger size that DL is in NYC now, it is doubtful on real data – which doesn’t exist now – that DL likely has matched if not overtaken UA in RPMs and perhaps even revenue. Even if DL isn’t larger than UA now – and, again, there is no data for anyone to know DL vs UA on RPMs or revenue at this point – DL will overtake UA when it adds service (on 350s and perhaps 35Ks) to E. and S. Asia. It is notable that DL will achieve its 15 year goal of becoming the largest airline in NYC even before the 35Ks arrive.
There is help available for those for whom this news is devastating. UA execs saw it coming which is why they resisted pulling down EWR schedules for so long. Their B6 partnership plans are a means to try to come back – and yet the chances are high that UA won’t be allowed to partner with B6 in any meaningful way.
If any of the big 3 make sense as a merger partner for B6, it is AA.
If AS or WN decide they want B6, they can easily overcome any antitrust concerns.
UA’s slide to #2 in NYC was a long time coming. Their mishandling of the EWR runway rebuild project propelled DL to #1 a decade after Kirby’s gift of LGA slots to DL.
take a drink, step away from the keyboard and learn to accept reality.
DL outsmarted UA – again.
Polaris Suites have been installed on the entire UA international wide body fleet for years while DL still hasn’t completed their D1 Suite installation. In that time UA has overtaken DL over the Atlantic while growing capacity in the Pacific to where it now has more market share than AA & DL combined. Obviously having the consistent offering of Polaris Suites, Premium Economy and Economy Plus with much higher J seating while DL and the competition is still installing their first gen suites has been a boon for UA.
Also during this time UA has caught DL in net income while adding over 100 more airplanes to its fleet than DL and getting its net debt within a couple billion $ of DL’s. UA’s fleet now has both 50 more wide body and total aircraft than DL and nearly 700 aircraft on order compared to DL’s 275.
Poor little TD. Facts and data tell the tale.
you clearly will follow this thread all the way into the archives as if anyone’s arguing is going to change the outcome that is clear to anyone with a modicum of industry knowledge.
Gary is absolutely correct that DL’s first generation Delta One Suite on the A350 was and is a superior seat to Polaris which was not and is not a suite. Polaris is a high-density product that was introduced to create huge premium cabins at the expense of the higher quality product that multiple other airlines introduced on their business class seats. The number of aircraft w/ Polaris doesn’t make it any better. and the 767 and 777-200ER fleets will never get the new product so UA will spend billions replacing them, or more likely, end up w/ a poorly mismatched set of business class products long after DL has passed 80% of its fleet with Delta One Suites – 1st and 2nd generation.
The fact that the 35K might not be here for 18 more months simply gives DL more time to perfect its product and ensure its lead over AA and UA as well as every other airline that has announced its latest business class product.
UA’s profits, since you mentioned them, have come for 3 years at the expense of UA employees who have been underpaid. UA FAs, again as Gary notes, are very unhappy w/ the contract proposal and the AFA is in full panic mode. If the contract proposal is adopted, UA will spend hundreds of millions in retro pay which ensures it will trail DL in earnings for 2025. If the contract doesn’t pass, UA’s service will go down the toilet – and it may anyway as half or more of the FAs one way or another are going to be convinced they are being ripped off. And the mechanics and 4 ground employee groups are next. UA will gamble and accept poor employee morale for not having to pay industry comparable salaries and benefits.
and UA has been relegated to 2nd place in NYC, again because of UA and Scott Kirby’s poor strategic insight and loud mouth.
Love the spin. DL’s inability to manage fleet modifications in a timely fashion to a degree that it has to leak concepts of its 2nd gen suites when half of its 1st gen suites are still not installed is an ADVANTAGE because DL will have two years after which the competition delivers their 2nd gen suites and studios to find a decent seat and try to design a studio?
Have I got that right?
of course you don’t get it. You don’t want to because you are unable to face the truth.
Delta and United will never install a true suite – with doors – on the 767 and UA won’t put it on the 777-200 fleet. The notion that Polaris is superior to anything other than what DL has on the 767 is a complete delusion
DL will have its first and 2nd generation Delta One product on 120 widebodies before UA has its new Polaris on even 50 aircraft.
and the supposed advantage you think exists does not show up in real average fare data. DL gets a revenue premium to AA and UA even though UA has more business class seats on its aircraft. United’s product simply is not superior enough to generate higher revenue.
go argue w/ a post. you are incapable of admitting that UA is not in the lead in anything.
and, if fleet consistency matters, AA is much further down that route than DL or UA because AA got rid of its 767s.
If a superior product across the most aircraft matters, DL wins by hand with its current Delta One product.
Tim Dunn says: UA is not in the lead in anything.
Except Atlantic and Pacific market share. And UA is the largest airline in the world in terms of available seat miles (ASM), revenue seat miles (RPM), mainline fleet size, the number of both mainline employees and destinations served.
Poor little TD
I pity you for spending your holiday weekend trying to soothe your self-esteem that is way too closely wedded to a company.
It’s a company, not even your mother.
You have carried on endlessly about product and my statement is absolutely correct that UA doesn’t lead in anything.
and UA doesn’t lead in profits – a one quarter exception means nothing when you underpay your employees -and they aren’t expect to deliver higher profits than DL this quarter.
UA burns more fuel than any other airline and does fly more ASMs. or did before they got massively forced to downsize at EWR. but they can’t translate that into more profits or more total revenue on a year round basis.
the only poor anybody is you that invests so much of your emotional energy in denying reality and pimping – for a COMPANY.
seriously, find a reason to wake up in the morning.
United is not it
Pure projection. Please tell us you realize you are describing yourself. A shrink would have a field day with you. Better luck dealing with reality going forward.
Poor little TD.
I understand quite well what each airline does well and what it doesn’t do well.
You totally exemplify UA’s philosophy which is that if they anything over and over again, quantity will make up for quality. You love to brag about all of the volume UA has but can’t grasp that others do what they do better.
the 767 is past its prime. It will not get a Suite product. Unlike UA’s 777-200ERs which will be around well into the 2030s, DL’s 330 fleet will have a full suite product. DL will have a far larger fleet or higher quality suites than any other US airline by 2030 which is about as far out as any of us can see.
I speak to reality regardless of where it cuts.
I only engage with you because the chasm between what you think you know about the airline business and what you actually know is so vast. And then to claim you are an airline analyst. I find your self delusion fascinating. And your irrational defense of all things DL. Wow! It’s amusing to probe such depths occasionally, and you certainly don’t disappoint in that regard.
Here’s a simple one that should be right up your alley given your fixation with NYC.
Can you give us a simple explanation of the S-curve phenomenon WRT to market share within a hub, a city or any market.
No AI now.
My only contribution to the discussion is whilst exploring JFK T4 I encountered a large Delta sign that says it’s New York’s #1 airline. Surely a sign that big has to be true, right?
I fully understand what S curves are all about – but DL and UA have been in a pretty locked dead heat for years in NYC.
DL has been the largest domestic airline from NYC for years – but the margin was only by a couple percentage points. UA led by about 5% in the international market.
As expected, when EWR capacity was cut, UA tried to hang on to its international flights and sacrificed its int’l flights.
In the process UA’s domestic share fell and they are now 10 points below DL’s – 33 to 23% while there is only a 4 point gap in international market share.
it is precisely because of the S curve that UA cannot possibly maintain its 1st place ranking with a 10 point gap in the domestic market; int’l requires much more connecting traffic to sustain which is why DL connects a much larger portion of its east coast int’l passengers via ATL which has far more space – on the ground and in the air.
UA built its presence in NYC based on its international network which requires feed and the EWR capacity cuts will make that much harder to do.
and yes 737, DL watched these statistics – just like UA did – long before they were made public – but I fully expected that we would see a result like this.
DL has taken the long view in building its presence in NYC and won the title of largest domestic airline first. DL will deploy its A350s to NYC and add routes to E. and S. Asia and will close the int’l gap it has now- and still be the largest domestic airline.
and it all comes down to the reality that product matters a whole lot less when you control a higher percentage of a limited access market than your competitors – and that is exactly what NYC is.
and you can bet your bottom dollar that AA and DL both had sales teams all over NYC’s biggest accounts signing up businesses that were loyal to UA when the whole world heard daily about the mess that EWR was – in part because Scott Kirby was on the news constantly trying to blame the FAA.
I’m glad we are focusing on the subject that matters right now which is NYC. All 3 of the big 3 will roll out their next generation business class cabins but the difference will be in who wins in NYC. This spring has been an unmitigated disaster for UA and the culmination of decades of growth for DL.
correction
As expected, when EWR capacity was cut, UA tried to hang on to its international flights and sacrificed its domestic flights
and to add – this is exactly what UA is doing to AA in Chicago and yet so many people can’t see that DL is just as likely to win long term in NYC as UA is in Chicago.
Just as I suspected. Sorry, but you don’t have a clue about S curves or the airline business.
oh, I understand the power of size to get more size just fine.
It is you that, just as you have done for almost 100 replies about seat product, want to conflate and confuse the subject to avoid admitting that UA’s NYC strategy has fallen flat on its face.
DL carried 38% more domestic passengers than UA in May.
75% of DL’s traffic from NYC – by boardings – is domestic while it is 65% for UA.
It is impossible for UA to win in the overall market when its share of the domestic market continues to shrink – and there is no way that UA can maintain its share given that EWR will be a lower capacity airport as a result of the bungled EWR runway project.
Do spend the next 2 days telling us how this will shape up for UA; we want to see you spin reality with NYC market share and revenue generation just as you have done w/ seating products.
correction…
55% domestic for UA in May… it was 65% domestic in March.
As I have noted multiple times, UA gave up domestic market share as its EWR capacity was cut.
Most of the total domestic share that UA lost in NYC fueled DL’s domestic and overall share growth.