Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) is in discussions with Boeing regarding a new order for up to 100 B737 MAX, comprising mainly or exclusively B737-10s, which could result in a deal in April 2022, Reuters has reported citing two inside sources.
Neither of the parties commented.
Delta Air Lines remains the sole US legacy carrier with no B737 MAX in its fleet and no outstanding orders. The ch-aviation fleets module shows that the airline's previous-generation narrowbody fleet comprises fifty-seven A319-100s, fifty-six A320-200s, 127 A321-200s, seventy-seven B737-800s, and 159 B737-900ERs. It has 155 A321-200NXs on firm order from Airbus but no firm replacement plans for the remainder of its narrowbody fleet.
Delta's last direct order from Boeing was in 2017 and covered just ten B737-900(ER)s, although the airline has since acquired additional second-hand -900(ER)s.
Reports about an imminent Delta B737 MAX order have been circulating for years. Most recently, Boeing reportedly tried to convince the carrier with short delivery timeslots, offering whitetail aircraft built but not taken up by other carriers.
The B737-10, Boeing's response to Airbus's best-selling A321-200neo, has yet to be certified. The manufacturer has thus far amassed orders for 613 units, including 251 from Delta's rival United Airlines (which is the only US-based customer of the type so far). Reuters underlined that Boeing is striving to complete the certification of the -10 before the end of 2022 when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to implement new requirements concerning cockpit alerts.
The B737-7 also has yet to be certified, although the manufacturer expects that to happen before the -10. In the United States, Southwest Airlines and Allegiant Air have ordered 263 and thirty -7s, respectively.
