Hello and happy Tuesday to you all! I wanted to provide a quick update on Delta’s ongoing Wi-Fi installations and the status of our flat-bed seat upgrades; two subjects have proven to be very popular with readers of this blog.
Wi-Fi
Delta currently operates 569 Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft. The latest installations include:
767-300
Two domestic 767s (Ships 121 and 124) returned to the fleet from storage and Wi-Fi was installed during their return-to-service visits. The total fleet count is now 16 aircraft (who doesn’t love a widebody on a domestic route!).
MD90
Ship 9224 was added to the fleet May 16. The total MD90 fleet count is now 24.
A319 VIP
Wi-Fi installations are being performed in MSP as part of the transition to a mainline configuration. For most of the year these eight planes are used exclusively for our NBA charters in a VIP configuration. We’ve completed 7 of 8 planes with the last of the A319s scheduled for installation by the end of June.
CRJ700/900
The prototype installation for the CRJ program will be an ASA CRJ700 and is projected to return to service on June 15*. (This will be the first regional jet in the world to be equipped with Wi-Fi!)
Flat-Bed Seats
As of June 30, Delta will operate 40 planes with 180 degree fully flat seats in BusinessElite.
767-300ER (1 of 58 in work) — Ship 1608
767-400ER Fleet Complete (21 of 21)
777-200ER (7 of 8 complete) — Ships 7001-7004, 7006-7008
777-200LR Fleet Complete (10 of 10)
I hope you’re having a great week and keep the questions and comments coming!
Chris B.
Sr. Product Manager
Customer Experience
*The Wi-Fi on this aircraft-type is not yet active. It is currently making its way through the FAA certification process and Wi-Fi service will be available in coming weeks.
June 14th, 2011 at 11:12 am
Chris,
Could you provide us with a picture of what the new interior of the 767-300ERs look like? Can’t wait to see it…
Thanks!
June 14th, 2011 at 11:36 am
what is the ship# for the CRJ700 with the WiFi? Endre
June 14th, 2011 at 11:47 am
Do they still manufacture MD90-s? I just saw the Delta blog stating that Delta is adding more MD90s to their fleet. – Endre
June 14th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
This all sounds great, but when will you add international wifi?
June 14th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Chris, this is very helpful information! Thanks for posting.
Is there any additional news on the 767-300ER flat-bed seat process? How long does it take to re-fit these 58 aircraft, and when do you think we can expect to see them on upcoming routes?
I suspect you’ll target the longer routes first, but I sure would love to see one on the just-announced ORD-CDG winter route!
June 14th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
“767-300ER (1 of 58 in work) — Ship 1608″
What cities does “1608″ fly between.
When will the rest of the 300ERs be complete? I will be flying ATL/MAN and MXP/ATL next May/June and would like to know I’ll have a flatbed available. Need something to justify your extra $1k per ticket in Business Class verses Continental. Thanks for the update. Can you do this more often?
June 14th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
Do you know when and if the flight to Buenos Aires 767 will be uprgraded with new biz seats?
June 14th, 2011 at 8:06 pm
Does this mean that the A319VIP are converted to mainline use and then re-converted once NBA season starts up again?
Great to hear about all the work on the flat-bed seats… I hope one day I’ll be able to fly in one of those seats!
I wish you guys still had the L-1011s for nostalgia’s sake.
June 15th, 2011 at 11:44 am
@epekarik – Delta has purchased over 20 gently used MD-90s from other operators. They are no longer manufactured.
Chris will be able to confirm this, but I believe the 767ER fleet will be completely converted by summer 2013. They are not only getting lie flat seats, but are also getting AVOD in coach, and I believe new overhead bins and sidewalls as well. I believe the flatbeds are going in the 76T fleet, which fly the 12+ hr missions.
NWA always converted the 319VIP birds for summer and then converted them back in the fall. I thought DL was keeping them in VIP for baseball charters but I guess I was wrong on that one (maybe they are too small?).
June 15th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
epekarik:
The MD-90 is no longer made; Delta is acquring second-hand aircraft.
mcavin, Itan2Much:
According to Mr. Babb, ship 1608 should be out later this month. In addition to new flat beds in BusinessElite, Economy Class will get new Weber 5751 seats with winged headrests and Panasonic Eco 9i monitors, and the entire aircraft will get a new interior similar to that of the 767-400ER. All 767-300ERs should be completed in 2013.
June 15th, 2011 at 6:45 pm
epekarik…we’ll publish the ship # as soon as testing is complete and the system is activated.
June 15th, 2011 at 6:48 pm
epekarik…Production of the MD90 ended in 2000. Delta is adding MD90s to the fleet through the acquisition of pre-owned aircraft. These aircraft are being reconfigured and updated to the Delta spec prior to EIS.
June 15th, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Chris,
Do you have any photos of the newly reconfigured 767-300ER you could share with us?
June 15th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
dbrewer21…great question (and one that is frequently asked). There’s is currently no timeline for the introduction of Wi-Fi to the transoceanic fleet, but stay tuned to this blog for future product updates.
June 15th, 2011 at 6:57 pm
mcavin…the first 767-300ER with the new interior and flat-bed seats is scheduled to enter service later this month. The entire fleet is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2013.
June 15th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Itan2much…hopefully you’re tanning too much by lying on some exotic Caribbean beach. For the most part, Delta doesn’t lock specific ships into specific routes, but given the intense interest in this mod, I’ll provide regular updates. The dot.com team is also continuing work on page that will highlight all of our ongoing product improvements.
June 15th, 2011 at 7:04 pm
slmorthmd…yes..flat-bed seats will be eventually be introduced on the Buenos Aires route as additional 767-300ERs are modified with the new interior.
June 15th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
pathfinder813…yes we fly the VIP A319 a/c in a 54-seat configuration for the NBA charters for most of the year and then reconfigure them in a mainline config for summer flying.
I was a fan of the L1011 too…lots of good memories.
June 15th, 2011 at 8:02 pm
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I am currently lying on Keawakapu Beach on Maui, which is where we live. Sorry, but someone has to do it.
My wife and I will be travelling Atlanta to Manchester, England around mid-May and returning Milan to either Atlanta or JFK the end of June. Not as concerned about Milan leg as Atlanta to Manchester which is a red eye.
Do you have a “ballpark” estimate as to how many 767-300s will be completed and in use by end of April, 2012? I’m sure someone at Delta must know. Thanks in advance for offering to keep a running update on Delta’s progress.
June 16th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
My wife just got back this week from her JFK/VCE trip and flew both ways on the 767-400 with fully flat beds. I am in the process of making reservations for us to go again in August on exactly the same route, same flight, and the website shows the plane is the old 767 with the old seats. How is this possible and might it be a mistake?
Thanks so much.
June 16th, 2011 at 6:20 pm
Peanut allergy. I don’t recommand flying Delta if you have a peanut allergy. Delta is only willing to create a buffer zone of three rows, this will not help when 100 passengers open up a bag of peanuts that is served to them by Delta flight crew at the same time.
Delta should serve peanut-free snacks to passengers when you have someone on board with a life-threatening allergy. You are left with no choice but to book alternative flight rather than face medical emergency at 30,000 feet.
June 16th, 2011 at 8:12 pm
Chris, thanks for the update and replying to everyone so quickly. We love to get the fleet updates as often as possible since a lot of us make routing choices based on equipment. Why fly a 757 with no TVs when you can go on one with!
On the 767-300ER mods are they going to update the overhead bins to match the 777 and 767-400ERs? Those old bins are lousy, don’t hold as much and have a tendency to pop open on take off and landing, they also make the plane look ancient.
On wi-fi I can’t tell you how much you need that on those planes. I know it will only work over CONUS but when you fly from ATL up over NYC then off the coast that is two hours of work you could be getting done.
Many of those planes do turn arounds between JFK/ATL, DTW/ATL, etc. so you’re excited to get the cool seat but then stuck with no access to e-mail.
June 16th, 2011 at 8:21 pm
Chris – What is Delta thinking about bringing the Grand Style of the meals they used to serve in the 80′s and 90′s in Business Elite I dreamed of seeing a cart coming down the aisle with chateaubriand carved at the seat. I hope Delta is considering bring this back to the airline — I have only great memories of those glory days !
June 16th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
Just wanted to let you know that I appreciate the updates and details you povide here. Very helpful and wish this visibility was on Delta.com somewhere (although I can imagine updating it could be a pain tech-wise).
Any update on the 747′s with regards to flat-beds? I know it’s on the list and am curious to know when the reconfig begins. Will it be concurrent with the 767-300ERs? Thanks in advance.
PS: Ditto on the L-1011′s…many fond memories.
June 17th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Chris, thanks for the update. When will the 747′s be reconfigured with the lie flats? Specifically for the JFK-TLV route. How long does it take to reconfigure each aircraft?
June 18th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Chris, what is the “down time” for installing the new interior in a 767-300ER?
June 18th, 2011 at 9:46 am
How long is the down time to install the new interior in a 767-300ER?
June 19th, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Chris,
Thanks. Do the 767 upgrades also include the in-seat video upgrade in coach? Looking forward to the changes on the ZRH-ATL round trip.
Cheers
June 19th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
Hi Chris-
Could you provide an update on flat bed installation for the 744s and A330s?
Thanks.
June 19th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
Chris,
I am going to be on Delta 2139 which is supposed to be a 767-300 ATL to SEA at 8:20AM in early July… Could you confirm if WIFI will be available on this flight? the Delta.com site doesn’t show the wifi symbol nor does it show TV or USB or Satellite.. It shows no symbols at all… I’m worried, I just want to confirm, I have work to to do since its a long flight……
Thanks Mike
June 21st, 2011 at 8:51 am
Chris,
Thanks for the update on the fleet. In addition to the interior upgrades and updates, I always like to hear when planes are placed into service or removed from service. I keep track of the N-numbers of the planes I travel on when I can see them. Sometimes the jetways and terminal prevent me from seeing the tail.
Also a fan of the L-1011, a unique plane with a unique sound on climb out.
Keep the info coming!
June 21st, 2011 at 11:20 am
wow.. a Blog where the author actually answers all the questions! Loud Applause!!!
—-
Many of us are daily or weekly flyers and users of http://www.flightstats.com and/or http://www.flightaware.com
When flying out in afternoon or evening and will have connection(s), many of us are trying to be smart and using airport and gate designations of arriving and departing planes, we try to track our plane’s day route prior to our departure. How is it doing throughout the day? Is it picking up more and more delays? I have about 80% success rate to track the ship from its very first flight of the day all the way till I meet it. I even set up txt alerts at for each flight at each airport arrival and departure of the ship. If I see a great amount of delay on the ship throughout the day, I know I will miss my connecting flight if I fly out with my ship. I prepare and make backup plans…
—-
Because neither http://www.flightstats.com nor http://www.flightaware.com provides N (Tail or Ship ) numbers, the above is not an easy task especially when the ship touches airports like ATL or CVG where a gate can have multiple regionals at one time. So the question remains,… is there a way (even it is well guarded secret, I won’t tell) to track N (Tail or Ship ) numbers? How about the future? Delta has new amazing information channels. The on-line Checked in Luggage real time tracking, the @DeltaAssist twitter account.. and on and on. N (Tail or Ship ) numbers tracking would save me many times using hotels with delta vouchers when I miss my last connecting flight because I wasn’t aware in time they had a glitch or weather earlier in the day with the ship. (Happens many many times)
—
Thank you!
Endre
June 21st, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Itan2Much…we should 7 to 8 767-300ERs complete by late spring 2012.
Carobrs…yes the equipment used on a particular route can change seasonally based on demand, load factors, etc.
June 22nd, 2011 at 11:35 am
nmckenna…When you notify us that you have a peanut allergy, we’ll create a buffer zone of three rows in front of and three rows behind your seat.
We’ll also advise cabin service to board additional non-peanut snacks, which will allow our flight attendants to serve these snack items to everyone within this area.
Gate agents will be notified in case you’d like to pre-board and cleanse the immediate seating area. We’ll do everything we can, but unfortunately we still can’t guarantee that the flight will be completely peanut-free.
June 22nd, 2011 at 11:45 am
Chris,
Will ship 1608 have the new Panasonic IFE system like what will installed on the 747 fleet?
June 22nd, 2011 at 2:53 pm
FSUplatinum…The new interior will give this fleet an entirely new look…think 767-400ER and 777.
June 22nd, 2011 at 2:57 pm
crackerpup…glad you like the updates! The 747 prototype is scheduled to enter mod in late summer and return to service in the early fall. We’re currently projecting fleet completion by early summer 2012.
There’s now an “Amenities Update” page on delta.com that provides a quick status update of our big product initiatives. This page will be updated regularly. Check it out…
http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inflight_services/products/progress.jsp
June 22nd, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Joey 48237…see my answer above regarding the 747. Each a/c takes approx 4-6 weeks to complete.
June 22nd, 2011 at 5:20 pm
DaveInZurich…yes the 767-300ER (76G/76L) fleet will get Panasonic’s eX2 AVOD system with 10.6″ touchscreens in BusinessElite and 9″ touchscreens in Economy. There will be about a terabyte of content onboard (same as the 777 fleet) which equates to more than 1,000 entertainment choices.
June 22nd, 2011 at 5:27 pm
SBM…see my answer above on the 747. The A330 flat-bed/IFE mod is scheduled to begin in July 2012 and scheduled to be complete by the end of 2013.
June 23rd, 2011 at 4:10 pm
mboyajian…thanks for the heads up on this issue. I let the dot.com team know and they are actively working this issue. We’ll get it resolved as soon as possible.
June 23rd, 2011 at 4:24 pm
mboyajian…sorry, forgot to answer your question. It looks like this flight currently operates as 767-300ER and unfortunately it does not feature Wi-Fi and does not offer personal entertainment in Economy…just overhead entertainment.
June 23rd, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Are these features included in the new Non-Jewish flights out of New York?
June 24th, 2011 at 1:38 am
Why no status on the 747′s? I thought they were supposed to be finished this summer?
June 24th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
Goatslayer…there’s a separate post on the Delta Blog if you’d like to join that conversation. Scott McCartney’s WSJ blog also has a new post on the subject that may be worth reading as well.
http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/
June 24th, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Commenters: Stop asking Chris questions that he has already answered numerous times.
June 24th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Wi-Fi down on multiple planes that I’ve been on over the past month.
Latest – ship 689DL. 757-200 (new Delta livery).
June 29th, 2011 at 5:08 am
I was on DL83 yesterday from Nice to JFK on a B767-400ER. It was my first experience with the new seats. I hated them. I’m 6’1″, which isn’t that tall, but the extended seats are too short for me. Fully down, they feel like a coffin. It is hard to change position or to flex an elbow or a knee. The controls have confusing icons. I have taken this flight three times a year for twnety years and never had a problem sleeping, reading or whatever in the old seats.
Then there is the karate chop table opening which will undoubtedly be claiming some victimes. And whenever the plane swerves, whatever is on the side table falls into the crack beside the wall, which is large enough to swallow objects, but not wide enough to retrieve them.
July 9th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Chris,
First, I would like to say how refreshing it is to have someone as responsive as you are in terms of responding to questions on this blog.
I think you will agree with me that many posters here are specifically interested in the progress of the 767-300ER lie-flat initiative. Most likely that’s because, with 58 in the fleet, this aircraft will be the one most will encounter when flying internationally. I know I for one, and probably others here, would select a routing with a lie-flat 300ER even if the price were a little higher, or the timing were not as convenient, just to get the lie-flat bed.
I was somewhat surprised to learn that you only expect 7-8 300ERs to be completed by late spring 2012. That would mean that the remaining 51 aircraft would not be fully complete until the end of 2013. If it takes 12 months to do 7-8 aircraft by late spring 2012, how can the remaining 51 ships all be done in the remaining 18 months? I would have thought that more than 7-8 would be completed within the next 12 months, as you mentioned that it takes about 4 weeks to do a conversion. Am I missing something?
Also, I know you mentioned that a specfic aircraft is not assigned to a specific route until closer to date of departure. That means that, until the entire 300ER fleet is converted in 2 1/2 years, , there will be no way of knowing when booking a flight if that particular aircraft will offer lie-flat beds. It was a little easier with the 767-400 modfication, because with only 21 aircraft they were all done relatively quickly. Now anyone who books a 767-400 knows with certainty that they have a lie-flat bed. But we are talking about a much longer period of time before all of the 300ERs will be done. During the 300ER transition, would be be possible for Delta to modify its policy and assign modified aircraft to specific routes (I assume the longer ones first) so that we will be able to tell at time of booking (even if its months in advance) whether we can count on a modified aircraft or not? Doing that, and continually communciating which new routes are expected to have these modified aircraft as they come on line would be helpful. It would also be helpful to have you forecast out which routes we are talking about, as the reservation system can book out 11 months in advance and some of us like to plan ahead.
I know this might be a lot to ask, but I know you have sensed the intense interest in this specfic 300ER modification. Anything you could do to help with the forward planning of putting these modified aircraft into the reservation system sooner rather than later would be really helpful to those of us who are looking for these aircraft.
Again, thanks for your continued dialogue here — I know it is very much appreciated.
July 11th, 2011 at 3:48 pm
Chris,
DeltaManiac could not have put this issue any better than they did. I support everything they said.
It is not unreasonable for us (Business Class users) to want to know what routes you provide flatbeds on in as “far-in-advance-as” possible timeframe. Booking early for a European flight is beneficial to both you (the provider) and me (the customer). It means I can “lock-in” to an acceptable price and you have a clearer picture of how many seats have been sold on any given route.
If my decision to fly Delta is based only on price, you lose. As I previously stated in an earlier comment, I can book on Continental right now for $1000 less (each ticket). If I am to pay more to fly Delta, there has to be something other than price that attracts me. Flatbeds attract me because most flights to Europe from the eastcoast are “red eyes” and being able to lie flat and sleep is a plus.
Routing / scheduling and customer service are also important to me. If I knew my ATL/MAN flight was going to be a flatbed, I would book Delta. Continental already flys a flatbed to MAN and is cheaper, but their customer service and potential delays leave me willing to pay a bit more to fly Delta. If you won’t commit to your customer base and give us a little more than “twelve planes out of 58″ completed next summer with no commitment to where they fly, how can I justify an additional $2000 in ticket prices?
P.S. When I say “you” I mean Delta, not you personally. You have done an excellent job keeping us updated. Maybe comments like this will help you fight for us a little bit harder. Afterall, isn’t the customer supposed to be right?
July 12th, 2011 at 4:58 pm
DeltaManiac & ITan2Much…first thanks for the kind words…they’re appreciated.
Stay tuned on the details of the 767-300ER New Cabin Interior update…I’ll be posting pictures of the first a/c shortly. (It looks amazing!)
Regarding the schedule of installations…TechOps will be running multiple mod lines, which means you could have 5 or 6 aircraft in various stages of modification at any time . For instance, our second 76T is scheduled to go into mod on Aug. 1, followed by the third on Aug. 15.
I know from experience (I fly a lot!) that having information about the onboard amenities and experience is very important. So…this info will be available on delta.com (in flight schedules, the shopping path, etc) as the 747s and the 51 767-300ERs come out of mod.
The only aircraft where this info won’t be available will be the first (7) 767-300ERs that are going through mod this year.
July 13th, 2011 at 10:35 am
Chris,
That’s great news about making this information more accessible on delta.com. To add to your comment, rather than wait until a plane comes out of mod to put the lie-flat icon on delta.com, it would be great if Delta could forecast the timing of each of these planes coming out of mod and put the lie-flat designation on the website based on future expected completion. That way, people can see months ahead of time which aircraft are forecast to be completen (even though they aren’t in service yet) , and can select a routing and price accordingly. Again, for us “forward planners”, the sooner you could get that info on the site, the better. If it doesn’t show up until the plane comes out of mod, it may be too late for those of us that already had to make a reservation several months ahead.
Also, could you indicate which routes will be getting these planes (in what order and expected mod completion time) so that if Delta can’t accomodate the above request, at least we could make a reservation with a non-modified 300ER, with the hope and expectation that by the time we actually travel, we can expect a modified aircraft based on that routing forecast.
Thanks again.
July 14th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
Hello Chris,
You have done a terrific job with your responses. I would like to echo DeltaManiac and ITan2Much. As a Minneapolis flyer I have been a NW\Delta supporter for over 20 years. I want to support the “hometown” team but between cost, increase number of stops, and dated aircraft on international flights, it is getting hard for me to justify. Providing updates on the upgraded equipment (specifically 767-300er) provides guidience in my choice of an airline. When flying long hauls to Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia I will always go with a known entity. Keep the info coming and for what it is worth…I too question only 7, 767-300er by spring 2012????
July 19th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Chris,
How many lie-flat Business Elite seats will the 767-300ER have?
Thanks!
July 20th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
DougC…the 767-300ERs will be configured with 36 flat-bed seats.
July 21st, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Chris,
I want to echo the importance of the flat-bed seat upgrades. Because your partner Korean Air has had flat-bed seats available to Asia for a while, Delta had lost about 50% of my Asia business class trips over the last couple of years. As Delta has been upgrading, I have been delighted to move more of my business back to Delta. I just got back from a trip to Seoul for which I had used KE the last six trips. This time I used Delta because of the flat-bed seat availability DTW_ICN and again immensely enjoyed the 777 flat-bed seats. The Delta configuration for flat-beds, by the way, is much better than that used by KE. Keep it up.
I want to relay a recent experience that is related to flat-bed seats. A couple of months ago I booked a trip with Delta for November that included DTW-ICN-DTW flights on 777s with flat-bed seats. A couple of weeks ago, Delta cancelled both my outbound and return flights. Apparently, Delta decided to not fly the 777s around the American Thanksgiving holiday. Delta rescheduled me with extra connections both ways on 747s which, of course, do not have flat bed seats. (They also failed to come up with a functioning connection from Seoul to Hanoi–after the rerouting, I would miss the only ICN-HAN flight of the day by more than three hours). I called the Diamond Line several times with specific proposals for different routing including a suggestion that Delta rebook me on Korean Air out of Chicago. Each time I was told that doing that would require me to pay a change fee, pay the fare difference, and be moved to coach instead of business class because I was using Systemwide upgrade certificates that are not valid on Korean Air.
Frustrated, I finally gave up and changed the entire schedule for my trip including the teaching schedule at the university in Hanoi that was bringing me in. although I did not purchase a business class ticket for this particular trip, I paid three times the cheapest coach fare to buy a coach ticket that was eligible to upgrade with system-wide certificates and booked months in advance to be able to acquire one of the limited number of upgrade seats.
The point of this post:
1. Your flat-bed seats are great and have earned you more of my business back.
2. Your customers care when Delta pulls what some would consider “a bait-and-switch” that involves aircraft with the flat-bed seats.
3. Despite the atrocious handling of my reservation on the trip described above, I like Delta. I prefer to fly Delta whenever I can. The presence of flat-bed seats encourages me to do so. The absence of flat-bed seats discourages me from doing so.
Thanks for listening and please keep those flat-bed seats coming and please encourage your scheduling group to provide accurate information about the aircraft to be used on routes.
July 21st, 2011 at 10:47 pm
Suggestion: Your Updates page that addresses plane updates, etc. is great. How about putting a date on the page so we know how old the information is that is posted on the page. It currently appears that the information has not been updated for weeks. It would be helpful to know how current the information is. Thanks.
September 25th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Chris:
I am flying next July from LAX to Istanbul via JFK and VCE to LAX via JFK. The overseas flights are on 767-300 aircraft and I am spending a fortune on Business Elite.
What is the likelihood that I will be on 767-300 aircraft that have the full lie flat Business Elite seats? I understand from posts that the Business Elite upgrade on the 767-300 is slated to be complete the end of 2013. Just curious about what you think status will be late July and early August 2012 on the specified routes.
Thanks for the reply!
October 17th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Hi Chris,
It has been a while since you updated us on the status of the planes with flatbed seats and the routes they will be flying. I am especially interested in the JFK / NCE and JFK / CDG routes, since I am on them at least twice a year. But, we will all appreciate knowing all the routes with flatbed seats.
Thanks,
Tom
October 17th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Tom-
The seats are great, I have flown last month to NCE return to JFK and this route has the flatbed seats. However, On my last three business flights on Delta from JFK to Nice, the food and service was bad. The hot food was cold and I had to send it back twice. All I wanted to do was eat my food and fall a sleep. Its sad that you have to ask for water in business class after spending $8K+.
After my last trip, I have decided I be better off flying economy. This way I will not be disappointed with the service and know what to expect.
Nigel
October 17th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Chris,
“767-300ER (1 of 58 in work) — Ship 1608″ you reported June 14th. You also said 7/58 767-300ER planes would be complete by June, 2012.
This is October 17th. There’s got to be some update/estimate as to how many will actually be completed by June, 2012. I would think there would be at least another 4-5 planes completed by now. The 767-300ERs are Delta’s European “workhorses.” I’m flying ATL/MAN and MXP/ATL, both 767-300s. I’ve been holding off on my reservations until I see some more progress on these planes. Continental is charging the same as you on both these routes and the planes they are using have flatbeds. You guys can do better than this!
November 4th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Sorry for the late update…here’s where we stand with the 767-300ER cabin interior upgrade program:
Mod completion status: four aircraft complete (1608, 1609, 1611 and 1612). The remaining three 76T aircraft (these are our 12+ hour 767s) are scheduled to enter service before the end of the year. Work on the 76L (45 aircraft) fleet will begin in 2012.
Remember you can always get a snapshot of where we stand with product upgrades here:
http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/inflight_services/products/progress.jsp
Have a great weekend!
Chris-
December 7th, 2011 at 11:12 am
I appreciate all the updates but as a very frequent flier on Delta longhaul flights, I NEVER seem to pick a route that has lie-flat. I’m with the other guys: Please give details on ROUTES for the lie-flat beds! And timing when the ROUTES will be served with the new seats. I go to Europe and Asia alot but never through LHR. Right now looking at other airlines to get the lie flat seats but I’d rather fly Delta. PLEASE GIVE US ROUTING INFO FOR THE NEW SEATS.
December 23rd, 2011 at 9:51 am
Chris,
The July 13 comment and request by Deltamanic is still what we want. My reservations are usually made from 8 to 11 months in advance, so if I know the schedule of completion by plane type and route, I can plan better and avoid a plane that does not have lie-flat seats. I am 100% sure someone at Delta knows the schedule, so why keep it a secret? Your most loyal customers are asking for this.
Thanks,
Tom
January 23rd, 2012 at 7:10 pm
I got a little excited when I received a notification that this blog had another response added to it. I was hoping it was Delta telling us they had retro-fitted another dozen-or-so 767s with flat beds. Sadly, that isn’t the case. Well, maybe by late summer, you’ll have completed the project. My wife and I have another European flight to book for the Spring of 2013 to Amsterdam. It would be great if we could fly Delta at that time.