Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) is reportedly talking to Airbus about an order for "dozens" of widebodies, according to Bloomberg. The report cites an insider close to the talks who says both A330-900Ns and A350 models are under consideration to replace older, existing A330s and B767 types.
While talks remain ongoing, there is a tentative expectation that an announcement may be made at the upcoming Paris Air Show. Delta Air Lines already operates A330-900Ns and A350-900s, but also has a large stock of older A330-200, A330-300, B767-300ER, and B767-400ER types.
According to ch-aviation fleets data, Delta now operates twenty-two A330-900Ns, with an average fleet age of 1.9 years. It also has a further 16 on order. The airline also has twenty-eight A350-900s in its fleet, with an average fleet age of 4.6 years. There are another six still to be delivered.
Among the older widebodies Delta is reportedly looking to replace, there are eleven A330-200s with an average fleet age of 18.1 years, thirty-one A330-300s with an average fleet age of 14.4 years, forty-five B767-300ERs with an average fleet age of 27.2 years, and twenty-one B767-400ERs with an average fleet age of 22.4 years.
While the report did not specify which A350 variant the airline was eyeing, there was speculation late last year that Delta was looking to order A350-1000s. That speculation was linked to the then cancelled Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) order, which saw Airbus holding onto completed or about to be completed A350s, and reports Delta was looking for a sharp deal to take the aircraft off the manufacturer's hands. However, the legal dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways is now settled and the order for twenty-three A350-1000s reinstated.
