ATLANTA, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc could place firm orders for as many as 200 airplanes as it looks to replace aging aircraft, the carrier said on Thursday.
The carrier said in a message on its internal employee site that it sent requests for proposals to several major plane makers last month.
Delta said it asked for proposals to deliver 100 to 200 firm aircraft, with an option for 200 more, starting in early 2013. It added the possible orders could include large, medium and small single-aisle planes.
The memo said the new jets could eventually replace planes such as the Airbus A320, Boeing 757-200 and the DC9-50, a plane made by McDonnell Douglas, which merged with Boeing in the late 1990s.
'We're now starting to plan for the long term, to ensure that we continue to maintain a flexible, cost-efficient fleet ..., replace retiring airplanes and provide for domestic mainline growth,' said Nat Pieper, Delta vice president for fleet strategy and transactions, in the memo.
Pieper added no decisions have been made regarding future purchases.
Delta, which acquired Northwest in 2008, currently has more than 700 planes in its mainline fleet, which excludes feeder aircraft.
(Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) Keywords: DELTA/PLANES (karen.jacobs@thomsonreuters.com; +1 404 493 3656; Reuters Messaging: karen.jacobs.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The carrier said in a message on its internal employee site that it sent requests for proposals to several major plane makers last month.
Delta said it asked for proposals to deliver 100 to 200 firm aircraft, with an option for 200 more, starting in early 2013. It added the possible orders could include large, medium and small single-aisle planes.
The memo said the new jets could eventually replace planes such as the Airbus A320, Boeing 757-200 and the DC9-50, a plane made by McDonnell Douglas, which merged with Boeing in the late 1990s.
'We're now starting to plan for the long term, to ensure that we continue to maintain a flexible, cost-efficient fleet ..., replace retiring airplanes and provide for domestic mainline growth,' said Nat Pieper, Delta vice president for fleet strategy and transactions, in the memo.
Pieper added no decisions have been made regarding future purchases.
Delta, which acquired Northwest in 2008, currently has more than 700 planes in its mainline fleet, which excludes feeder aircraft.
(Reporting by Karen Jacobs; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) Keywords: DELTA/PLANES (karen.jacobs@thomsonreuters.com; +1 404 493 3656; Reuters Messaging: karen.jacobs.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.