US carrier Delta Air Lines has placed a firm order for 50 Airbus widebody aircraft. The 25 A350-900 will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines and 25 A330-900neo by Trent 7000 engines. The order is the first firm order for the A330neo and will make Delta the fourth airline to commit to the re-engined airframe.
Delta currently operates a fleet of 32 Airbus A330’s which it acquired as a result of it’s merger with Northwest Airlines. The airline also has a backorder for 10 more A330ceo’s.
John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers, Airbus:
“When the most successful U.S. airline today – a company that has flown passengers around the world for more than 80 years, has 80-thousand employees and 165 million customers in a year – says ‘yes we want 50 more of your widebody planes’, you can’t debate the fact that it is a massive endorsement of your product line, Airbus is unique in offering an optimized long-range choice in aircraft that will allow Delta to continue to modernize its fleet and customize its use with the most efficient and comfortable aircraft available.”