Delta Adding Rolls Royce Engines in New Airbus Planes

Nothing buy American about this deal. After saying no to Boeing for their 787 aircraft, Delta Air Lines then snubbed General Electric for the engines for their new planes.

Instead, Delta committed to purchase 50 new Airbus aircraft and then announced that Rolls Royce will be supplying the $5 billion engines. The all-EU aircraft will be coming online in a few years.

Delta has long had a history of commitment to Boeing so what happened? While that’s true, two things changed. The former Northwest Airlines did not share that same relationship with Boeing and the current leadership at Delta is premerger Northwest.

The new planes will replace the older Boeing long-haul 747 and 767 widebodies beginning in 2017. In their place will be 25 new A330-900neo’s and 25 A350-900’s. Delta claims the replacement aircraft will reduce operating costs by 20 percent.