Delta Air Lines hastens B717, B767-300, CRJ200 phase-outs

Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) has accelerated the retirement of two of its mainline types, B717-200s and B767-300(ER)s, to 2025 while the phase-out of the CRJ200s operated by its regional capacity providers has been brought forward to 2023. “These plans are another step in Delta’s fleet simplification strategy, which is intended to streamline and modernize Delta’s fleet, enhance the customer experience, and generate cost savings. As a result of this determination, Delta … concluded that the carrying value of these aircraft was no longer recoverable when compared to their estimated remaining future cash flows,” the carrier said in a statement. Delta said that while the financial impact was still under consideration, it would record one-off non-cash impairment charges in the range of USD2-2.5 billion related to the early retirement of the aircraft. According to the ch-aviation fleets ownership module, Delta Air Lines currently operates eighty-eight B717-200s, of which 25 are owned by the airline while the remaining 63 are dry-leased from Hawk Leasing. The type’s average age is 19.1 years. Delta is one of just four operators of the type globally and by far the largest of these, with more than half of the world’s B717s flying for the airline. Delta owns and operates fifty-six B767-300(ER)s, which are 24.4 years old on average. It plans to continue operating its B767-400(ER)s, of which it has 21. Delta’s fleet of 119 CRJ200s, including both CRJ200LRs and CRJ200ERs, is operated on its behalf by SkyWest Airlines (United States of America) (OO, Salt Lake City) and Endeavor Air (9E, Minneapolis/St. Paul). The former said earlier this year that it did not expect Delta to renew an existing capacity purchase agreement, which expires in stages between the second and the fourth quarter of 2020. As such, Delta’s remaining fleet of CRJ200s, between 2021 and 2023, will be operated exclusively by Endeavor Air. Delta owns twenty-two CRJ200s with the remainder owned by the regional capacity providers themselves. Delta already retired its MD-88s earlier this year. It said earlier and has since reiterated that further phase-outs are under consideration.