By Rajesh Kumar Singh
CHICAGO, July 13 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines will likely outline its wide-body fleet strategy by the end of this year, CEO Ed Bastian said in an interview on Thursday, adding that the carrier is talking with suppliers though nothing is "imminent."
"We're always in talks relative to aircraft with our main suppliers," he told Reuters. "Maybe by the end of this year we will be in a position to outline our wide-body strategy a bit more," he told Reuters.
A company spokesperson later said Bastian's comments don't necessarily mean the company will place an order.
Reopening of borders after COVID-19 lockdowns has led to a surge in demand for long-haul flights. Delta reported a 61% jump in international passenger revenue in the second quarter from a year ago, led by the demand for transatlantic flights.
To capitalize on demand, the airline is flying its largest schedule this summer on transatlantic routes.
Industry executives say as many as 2,000 jet orders are up for grabs worldwide in a resurgent commercial jet market, on top of those provisionally announced already, as airlines return to growth after the COVID crisis.
At the end of March quarter, Delta had 28 Airbus A350s, with an average age of over 4 years. Its long-haul fleet also included 63 A330s, but two-thirds of them are older-generation jets with an average age of about 16 years.
In addition, it operates 45 Boeing 767-300ERs, with an average age of 27 years, and 21 767-400ERs, with an average age of over 22 years.
The older jets have higher operating costs and worse fuel economy. Delta is looking to upgrade its fleet with new and more fuel-efficient aircraft with increased premium seating and higher cargo capacity.
There has been a lot of speculation that the Atlanta-based carrier is looking to place a large wide-body aircraft order. Last month at an investor conference, Bastian said the company has the capital to invest in new jets.
Separately on Thursday, Delta said it exercised options to buy 12 new Airbus 220-300 aircraft, scheduled to be delivered in 2027 and 2028. With their addition, Delta's fleet of A220s will grow to 131 planes, the company said.
(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh Editing by Nick Zieminski)
