Delta Shuttle

Kingairer

'Tiger Team' Member
Whats the future of the Delta Shuttle? DCA-BOS is already CRJ right? I mite be hearing that the DCA-LGA will go to another Shuttle.
 
Whats the future of the Delta Shuttle? DCA-BOS is already CRJ right? I mite be hearing that the DCA-LGA will go to another Shuttle.

Rumor has it that the RJs and -88s will be pulled off the shuttle and DC-9s will fly it instead. This frees up the -88s to fly in other markets, and the businessmen just don't like the RJs.
 
That's pretty much what I've heard as well.

I hear when they started alternating CRJ's for the standby flying, the business traveler market pretty much balked.
 
Whats the future of the Delta Shuttle? DCA-BOS is already CRJ right? I mite be hearing that the DCA-LGA will go to another Shuttle.
They still use MD-88's and CRJ's for DCA-BOS. I heard from 3 sources at Delta that all DC-9's will be parked within the first two years post merger. They are old and expensive to operate. It's a shame, I thought it would kinda be funny to see an old DC9 in new Delta paint!
 
Douglas Racer

I heard from 3 sources at Delta that all DC-9's will be parked within the first two years post merger. They are old and expensive to operate.

Name the three sources.

* * *​

Now that the cost of fuel has come down to near where it was before it began increasing rapidly to the $147 peak, the DC-9s are old, yes, but relatively inexpensive to operate.

They do not come with an $80,000 per month lease payment per airframe, for instance.

Also of slight interest is that Richard Anderson was in charge at Northwest Airlines when they decided to have the DC-9 fleet undergo a massive refurbishment to equip those planes to fly at least another decade and possibly 15 more years. That was only a few years ago now.

Flying the shuttle between DCA, LGA, and BOS doing 4-6 legs a day in a DC-9 would be a lot of work, and a totally different workday then in a glass cockpit on the same routes. That KORRY arrival would really be a treat on day four, leg five.
 
Re: Douglas Racer

What equipment refurbishment in the DC-9's? You ever sat up front on one of those dinosaurs? :)
 
Re: Douglas Racer

{Also of slight interest is that Richard Anderson was in charge at Northwest Airlines when they decided to have the DC-9 fleet undergo a massive refurbishment to equip those planes to fly at least another decade and possibly 15 more years. That was only a few years ago now.}

I think their refurbishment was a long time ago...I googled and found it was 1995:

"Northwest has over 100 various DC-9s in its fleet, with an average age of about 35 years, making the Northwest fleet the oldest amongst the world's top 60 airlines. This DC-9 fleet was extensively refurbished in 1995, with new interiors and other upgrades, to extend their service life to 2010".
 
What equipment refurbishment in the DC-9's? You ever sat up front on one of those dinosaurs? :)

30-40 times and took the groundschool. :)


Back when they did it, one of the big questions was, would it make sense to outfit the airplane with RVSM altimetry? I believe the figure was something like 100K per airplane (and they had about 170 of them at the time) and so it would not be something that you'd want to do and then send to the desert a few months later. No replacement aircraft was that near, so the decision was of course to put RVSM in but not RNAV. That is the next big deadline approaching, that it probably won't make the cut for this time around.
 
{Also of slight interest is that Richard Anderson was in charge at Northwest Airlines when they decided to have the DC-9 fleet undergo a massive refurbishment to equip those planes to fly at least another decade and possibly 15 more years. That was only a few years ago now.}

I think their refurbishment was a long time ago...I googled and found it was 1995:

"Northwest has over 100 various DC-9s in its fleet, with an average age of about 35 years, making the Northwest fleet the oldest amongst the world's top 60 airlines. This DC-9 fleet was extensively refurbished in 1995, with new interiors and other upgrades, to extend their service life to 2010".

Time flies. I guess it has been longer than a couple years now, however there have been things done to the planes besides the normal checks since then.
 
Yeah, we were hearing the DC-9s would be gone on our side of things. Then gas hit an elevator shaft going straight down. Now, we're hearing the DC-9s (and the 727s for FedEx) aren't going anywhere soon b/c they're more or less paid for.

I think our CRJ flights into DCA mainly come from MSN, IND and GRR. Not even sure if we do any other than that anymore.
 
30-40 times and took the groundschool. :)


Back when they did it, one of the big questions was, would it make sense to outfit the airplane with RVSM altimetry? I believe the figure was something like 100K per airplane (and they had about 170 of them at the time) and so it would not be something that you'd want to do and then send to the desert a few months later. No replacement aircraft was that near, so the decision was of course to put RVSM in but not RNAV. That is the next big deadline approaching, that it probably won't make the cut for this time around.
OK, so if they had to justify spending the 100K last time, what will they do when they have to spend 75K to 100K to paint the DC9's? It cost 55K just to paint one CRJ200 (price paid on each Comair CRJ, as per the maintenance department), so a DC9 has to be more.
The three sources were: 1. a maintenance supervisor at NWA 2. A NWA DC9 Captain 3. A Delta Captain that was part of the merger meetings
Not sure if anyone knows what they are talking about, but I did hear it three times, and a pattern is showing here.
 
So...what do you think now about us adding 10 checkairmen as well as the latest Delta CHQ rumor of a new base down in STT (St. Thomas)? I guess we'd compete directly with Eagle down there...should be interesting.

The 10 new Check Airman is interesting. This could be something in the works. However do we even have any new planes being delivered? Are we still getting 2 175s for Delta every month or did that end? I guess if they recalled all the guys from furlough they would need an IOE type of deal wouldn't they?

The St. Thomas rumor came from relatively credible sources in Indy but I will believe it when I see it. Also as far as I know its not "new" flying for the 50 seaters it will just be a movement of current capacity down there. So unless you really really want to live in St. Thomas it really doesn't do anything and won't help get our guys back off the street. Could be some interesting trips though.
 
SHuttle America will be doing all the DCA-LGA stuff starting in March, as well as continuing the LGA-MDW. I dont believe this is any extra flying, this is just reallocation of the planes we currently have. Maybe DL positioning for the declining business market.

As far the check airmen thing, I dont really think thats a big deal. Thats on the RW side also, so I really dont see what that could be about.

I havent heard, Nor do I believe the STT thing. I'll see what i can dig up.
 
OK, so if they had to justify spending the 100K last time, what will they do when they have to spend 75K to 100K to paint the DC9's? It cost 55K just to paint one CRJ200 (price paid on each Comair CRJ, as per the maintenance department), so a DC9 has to be more.
The three sources were: 1. a maintenance supervisor at NWA 2. A NWA DC9 Captain 3. A Delta Captain that was part of the merger meetings
Not sure if anyone knows what they are talking about, but I did hear it three times, and a pattern is showing here.

There is no doubt that the DC-9 will be retired probably within the next 5-7 years regardless of fuel costs. They are old, period.

But painting is something that will take place anyway, unless they specifically paint them before it is needed to have them in the new colors.

I do think that if Delta mainline needs to make large capacity cuts next year, the DC-9s will make sense because they are nearest to the end of their life spans anyway.
 
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