I’ll let you know why…
The Delta A220 represents one thing home airways haven’t seen in years: competitors.
Why the A220 is a game-changer for the US home market
Keep in mind my oft-made claims that American and United executives are responsible of Management By Copying Delta? Issues like ready for Delta to introduce Primary Financial system, Award Miles based mostly on ticket value as an alternative of distance, and many others.? Nicely, it seems like Delta is pulling a quick one on them, significantly American.
Delta’s configuration of the A220 is the precise reverse of every thing that American is doing.
Density
The Airbus A220 is a cute little jet, roughly the scale of a giant regional jet, however operated by mainline carriers. The A220 can maintain as much as 133 passengers in a super-dense configuration. Delta as an alternative selected a configuration of 12 First Class seats, 15 Consolation+ (Important Cabin Additional) seats, and 82 Important Cabin seats, 109 whole.
American, then again, has elevated the variety of seats on their Boeing 737s from 150 (after they merged with US Airways) to a cramped 172 in the present day. Heck, their new A321neos could have extra seats than the legacy 757s they’re changing! Delta’s extra spacious configuration allowed them to place seats into the A220 which might be the widest of their home fleet.
What this represents: Delta can say they’ve extra relaxed cabins. American is pressured to hope their prospects received’t discover that 10-15% extra individuals are boarding the 737 they only boarded.
Leisure
Seatback screens are heavy, require extra upkeep, and are costlier. Delta guess huge after they introduced that they might be retaining seatback screens for in-flight leisure. The A220 has seatback screens at each seat, together with the biggest screens in Delta’s home fleet within the First Class cabin.
A220 Important Cabin. Picture courtesy of Delta.
American, then again, as a part of Mission Oasis introduced that they might make investments tens of millions of {dollars} in ripping out seatback screens on the vast majority of their home fleet, opting as an alternative for plastic holders for his or her passengers’ cellular units, to which they might stream in-flight leisure. Whereas that is undoubtedly cheaper for American, since they not want the added weight of the screens, many passengers have “complained” that they might, shockingly, choose a bigger seatback display to their tiny cellphone display. Likewise, buddies of mine with a number of youngsters actually miss their youngsters watching their very own seatback screens as an alternative of combating over the one iPad the household owns.
What this represents: Delta guess huge on offering seatback screens. American guess huge on prospects offering their very own screens. One looks as if an important buyer expertise, the opposite appears somewhat presumptuous.
Route Choice
Delta’s first A220 routes (Boston, DFW, and LGA) ought to let you know every thing it’s essential to know. The Delta A220 is the tip of the spear into opponents’ “fortress hubs”. Are you an American frequent flyer annoyed concerning the screens going away and the sardine-like densification undertaking they hubristically named Mission Oasis? How a few smaller jet with huge oversize bins, energy at each seat, and screens at each seat that flies out of the identical hub?
The identical goes for Boston. Are you bored with regional jets on the shuttle between LGA and Boston? How a few small jet with a mainline flight expertise?
Man it’s nice to see competitors once more
My honest hope is that that is the top of the collusion between the Delta, American, and United. I might like to see them begin competing towards one another once more and attempt to set themselves other than one another. They’re all making tons of cash (because of low gasoline costs, not due to good administration choices) to allow them to afford to snipe at one another a bit within the identify of buyer satisfaction.
So, sure, you’re proper. Delta’s A220 doesn’t have First Class Suites with closing doorways and showers up entrance. It’s a small jet with a unusual previous, having been caught in a commerce dispute between Boeing and Bombardier earlier than 51% was offered to Airbus. It’s not the jet that’s so vital (though we airplane geeks at all times will love new jet varieties coming into the market), it’s Delta’s use of it that’s the actual story.