by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:53 PM ET, Mon August 14, 2017
With the purchase of at least 75 new Bombardier aircraft, Delta Airlines appears to be stepping up competition in the home market of American and Southwest airlines.
According to an internal memo sent to Delta pilots, which was reviewed and reported on by Bloomberg News, the primary locations for the new aircraft will likely be New York and Los Angeles. However, Dallas is also likely to get a lot of the C Series flights.
Some industry experts described the decision to deploy the Dallas planes as an attempt to steal market share in the backyard of American and Southwest airlines.
"Southwest is very much a thorn in Delta's side in its home market in Atlanta," Aviation consultant George Hamlin told Bloomberg. "The airline business is about margins, so if you can pry a modest amount of business from your competitor, the margin in that market may become problematic for the incumbent."
A midrange aircraft designed to provide roomier interiors than typical regional jets-but with fewer seats than planes in the Boeing 737 or Airbus SEE A320 families-Bombardier's CS100 planes allow airlines to offer passengers more comfortable rides to midsize markets without overwhelming said market with too many seats.
Delta is the first major U.S. carrier to buy the 108-seat C Series planes from Bombardier, a Montreal-based manufacturer, according to Bloomberg. The purchase was valued at about $5.6 billion, excluding discounts typically given for large aircraft purchases.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Delta CEO Pledges 25,000 New Hires[/READMORE]
When contacted by Bloomberg, a Delta spokesman declined to comment on the memo or provide details about how the company plans to use the new planes.
The memo states the airline is planning to begin using the new aircraft sometime during the second quarter of 2018.
In addition, Delta President Glen Hauenstein said last month that Delta will use the new CS100 planes on busy routes currently served by 76-seat regional jets, according to Bloomberg. Hauenstein added that New York would receive the first CS100.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
