Ship 7110
Believe it or not, airplanes have that “new car” smell. If you don’t believe me, just ask any of the more than 80 employees that accompanied Delta’s newest Boeing 777-200LR from the factory in Seattle to the company’s headquarters in Atlanta last Thursday. Delta CEO Richard Anderson joined employees for the delivery events.
The employees are all members of Delta’s annual Chairman’s Club, which honors 100 peer-nominated employees for consistently demonstrating dedication and determination to the highest standards of service to customers, fellow employees and the communities Delta serves worldwide each year. While not a Chairman’s Club member, I had the honor of attending the event as a reporter for Delta’s internal employee communications publications.
The festivities kicked off on Wednesday with employees receiving a VIP tour of Boeing’s factory and Future of Flight Museum. While some guests then opted to hit the gift shop. others group stood atop a hill near the factory’s runway and clapped, cheered, and cried as they saw Delta’s 777-200LR take off for its ferry flight to Seattle International Airport. That evening, we sat down with Boeing and Delta leaders for dinner at Boeing’s Museum of Flight.
Boeing and Delta 777 Dinner
Thursday morning, we wiped the sleep from our eyes and headed to Delta’s hangar at Seattle International Airport. On the bus ride over, attendees swapped flying stories and filled the bus with laughter as a light rain continued to fall over Seattle. After noshing on a light breakfast, we boarded the air stairs, loaded our bags, and strapped in. While the plane featured Delta’s full-flat seats in BusinessElite, everyone sat in economy so that the seats would be available during flight for us to explore.
During the four and a half hour flight back to Atlanta-which felt like just a few minutes- we explored the cabin and dined on a four course meal. Flight attendants gave away prizes to those who answered tough trivia questions posed over the PA (e.g., When was the war of 1812?). We explored the aircraft’s in-seat entertainment system, taking in the latest Oscar-winning movies while munching on Haagen Dazs ice cream sundaes.
The employees on that plane told me they will remember different moments from the event that will stay with them forever. One said for him, it will be the moment the doors to the hangar opened and revealed the mammoth aircraft. Another told me she will remember meeting so many employees that shared a deep passion for Delta and its success. But there is one thing that all participants will surely remember: the smell of the new leather seats and the feel of the brand new aircraft as they boarded the plane for its inaugural flight home.
Shiela Brown & Janice Grant on 777 Delivery
Have you been on the Boeing 777-200LR? Share your experience with us.
Rachel W., Writer, Corporate Communications
March 30th, 2010 at 11:25 am
Took a Delta 77L from ATL to SYD last summer, and will do it again this may. Last time was up front in BE, this time in back in economy. This will be my first long-haul in Y on a DL 777, but I have taken Singapore Airlines from LAX to SIN on their 777s in Y, and it was one of the best long-distance Y trips.
March 30th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
I flew the 777-200LR in Business Elite from Atlanta to Sydney and back on March 12th, return the 22nd. I love the new planes, the new lie flat suites are amazing! got ton’s of sleep on the 15 hour flight, and the food was great! And I have to say that the crew was amazing, and it is flight/ cabin crews like that keep me flying Delta.
Keep up the great work!
btw, can’t wait to fly the new flat beds on the 767-400ER in June!
March 30th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
awwww! makes me want to just quit my job and work for Delta TODAY!!! =D that sounds like it was a lot of fun!
Thanks for sharing the story!
By the way, any word if Delta is going to be awesome and keep the 787 orders it inherited from NW or be Scrouge-like and cancel them?
April 2nd, 2010 at 12:19 am
Flew the LR on ATL-BOM-ATL back in December 2008. Both times, I got to fly on 7101 and what a great aircraft. I also stumbled upon a newly arrived 7103 last April after its arrival from SEA at Delta Tech Ops. It does smell like a new car!
April 2nd, 2010 at 4:39 pm
I rode ship 7108 on its first flight to SYD from LAX. The new plane smell is awesome — and so are the lay flat BE seats.
April 7th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Wow! Good report and nicely said. Congrats for the new aircraft.
April 9th, 2010 at 8:36 pm
When I was an employee of Comair I got to ride the 77L a few times. In 2009 I rode 7103(2 weeks after delivery) ATL-DXB and 7101 DXB-ATL, 7102 ATL-ICN-ATL, then 7101 again ATL-ICN with 7104 back, then went around the world with 7103 taking me LAX-SYD and 7106 taking me DXB-ATL.
My last DL 77L experience was when I got to ride 7108 ATL-DTW as it was positioning to operate DTW-PVG. I visited Boeing in May, and saw 7108′s first takeoff with a bare fuselage, and had really been hoping to ride that airplane.
The 77Ls are beautiful inside and out. Those seats in BE are wonderful to get a full nights sleep on a 16 hour flight.
I would love to see DL take delivery of a few more 77Ls, or maybe add the 77W in a few years as the 744s tire out.
April 23rd, 2010 at 10:06 am
Here she is departing for her flight up to SEA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyWs4FkwOdI&feature=player_embedded
April 25th, 2010 at 5:16 pm
The B77L is a great plane and an outstanding performer in the Delta fleet. But it could be a little greater with a couple tweaks. I have logged about 200k miles on the aircraft the past 18 months. All in economy except one ride in BE (which was exceptional!).
For Economy, the leather seats look nice, but they feel like concrete after a couple hours–I bring my own cushion now. Either go back to cloth (less hygenic and harder to clean) or give the seats some more cushioning.
Also, why does an aircraft used almost exclusively for ultra-long haul flights have a 31″ pitch in Economy? Most of Delta’s domestic fleet has 32″+ pitch.
On the plus side, the Delta cabin crews are outstanding!
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If it’s not Boeing, I ain’t going.
May 6th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
I flew this aircraft from LAX to ATL. PTV screens in economy. Cabin crew helpful and entertaining. good food. Entertainment was top notch with a huge range of recent movies.
August 19th, 2010 at 1:27 am
Keep buying Boeing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 21st, 2011 at 7:56 am
Could a BLOG post be made as to how much outsource work DELTA does on their aircraft in regards to this FRONTLINE news about MRO’s:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/flying-cheaper/?utm_campaign=homepage&utm_medium=bigimage&utm_source=bigimage
Many thanks from a PM flyer.