Delta Air Lines Officials Pushing to Be Launch Customer for the Boeing 797

Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told employees this week that he hopes the airline will be one of the first in the world to fly the proposed new Boeing 797 passenger planes.

Delta Air Lines officials are reportedly eager to see Boeing move forward with a proposed replacement for its 757 and 767 programs. The U.S. aviation giant’s tentative plans for a new midsize passenger jet have been referred to as the company’s “797” program, and Delta’s leaders are signaling that they are very much onboard with the idea.

“You’re going to see us participate in Boeing’s middle-of-the-market campaign,” Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told the company’s employees in a hotline message obtained by Bloomberg. “I hope that we’re going to be a launch customer on that program as well.”

While Boeing has not yet committed to developing a new midsize, midrange commercial jet, aviation industry analysts have speculated that the as-yet unestablished program could fill a market niche need somewhere between Boeing’s larger, long range aircraft and smaller mid range passenger planes.

Bastian’s internal communication could provide a huge boost for the 797’s possible future. Delta snubbed Boeing last year when it chose to partner with Airbus for the airline’s ambitious fleet modernization plans. The CEO’s tacit vote of support for Boeing’s plans for a new midrange aircraft could go a long way towards helping to reverse a big win for the European aircraft manufacturer.

Boeing is reportedly consulting with dozens of airlines with the aim of developing a “new mid-market airplane” to fill the need for midrange and midsize aircraft as carriers begin to retire their aging Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 planes. Early proposals call for a 225 to 275 seat aircraft.

Calling a potential 797 program an “interesting idea,” Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant says the airline is very much involved in the development process. “Delta is actively engaged with Boeing on this and we will continue a healthy dialog with them as the program matures,” Durrant confirmed to Bloomberg following Bastian’s enthusiastic comments this week.

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