Delta, which operates a large fleet of Boeing 737-800 Series aircraft, has recently added the shorter 700 Series to its fleet. Delta placed an order for 10 700's in the second half of 2007. The first unit is now getting ready for delivery. It is undergoing flight testing over in Boeing Field WA, all Boeing narrowbody aircraft are built in Renton WA while all widebody aircraft are built in Everett WA, all these facilities are located near Seattle. Delivery flight from Seattle to Atlanta is scheduled for July 25th.
Delta is a major US airline based in Atlanta GA. It announced three months ago plans to merge with Minneapolis based Northwest, the two carriers both belonging to the Sky Team alliance will become one major player in North America the same way Air France and KLM became a major player in Europe in 2005. Delta founded the Sky Team alliance with Air France back in 2000.
Delta operates a large fleet of Boeing NG 737, 757, 767 as well as MD-88 aircraft on domestic routes and a fleet of 757, 767 and 777 on intercontinental routes. Most of the 757's at Delta, the first of which arrived in the mid 1980's, are assigned on domestic routes, but a small part of the 757 fleet is configured for long haul international flights. Delta operates mostly a large fleet of Boeing 767-300ER/400ER on its global long haul network, both domestic and international flights. The 737-800 has replaced the older 727 which Delta has operated in large number since the early 1970's, the 700's are now being added to the 800's. Gone are the 727's, L-1011's, MD-11's and 767-200's. Gone also are the A310's, those were inherited from defunct carrier Pan Am when Delta bought most of the assets in the early 1990's.
The biggest hub is Atlanta (ATL) but there two other hubs also: Salt Lake City and Cincinnati. There are other "focus cities" in the system including New York City (JFK and LGA combined), Orlando, and Los Angeles. The Dallas (DFW) hub was dismantled in the middle of the 2000's.
