Delta retires three Boeing 747-400s

Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) as planned, retired three ex-Northwest Airlines Boeing 747-400s on September 30:

N671US (fleet number 6311) performed its last revenue flight on September 30 from Paris (CDG) to Detroit as flight DL 99. The Jumbo ferried to Marana, Arizona on September 30 as flight DL 9950 for final disposition.

The pictured N672US (6312) performed its last revenue flight also on September 30 from Amsterdam to Atlanta as flight DL 239. The aircraft was ferried to Marana on October 1.

N676US (6316) performed its last revenue flight also on September 30 from Tokyo (Narita) to Atlanta as flight DL 269. The aircraft was ferried to Marana on October 1.

This leaves 13 remaining in active service. Another 747-400 will be retired at the end of this year leaving a dozen.

Delta has 10 Airbus A330-300 aircraft on order which will augment Delta’s existing fleet of 32 A330s. The first new A330-300 delivery is scheduled for spring of 2015, with three additional airplanes scheduled for that year, four in 2016, and the final two in 2017.

Delta will be the first airline to operate the enhanced 242-metric ton A330-300, which offers additional payload capacity and range. Delta will use the aircraft’s versatility to optimize its Pacific and Atlantic networks.

The last Delta 747-400 is likely to be retired in 2017.

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 747-451 N672US (msn 30267) is pictured on its final approach to Tokyo (Narita). N672US was delivered new to Northwest Airlines on July 19, 1999.

Delta Air Lines (current):