The 50-seat regional aircraft will be phased out by Delta.
The phase-out was promoted as a customer service enhancement in a presentation by the Delta president. There are no first-class cabins on the Delta Connection CRJ-200s. Delta will be the first US carrier to offer first class on all flights.
It was not a surprise that the announcement was made. The last of Delta's 50-seat aircraft was going to be scrapped by the end of the next decade. Delta, United and American have reduced regional flying due to a pilot shortage.
The summer phase-out shows the decrease in service at small airports.
More than half of the U.S. airports have lost air service since the beginning of the year.
The smallest Delta Connection aircraft will have 69 seats and two cabins when the CRJ 200s are gone.
In its third-quarter 10-K regulatory filing, Delta stated that it had 39 Bombardier CRJ-200 50-seat planes for Delta Connection.
Delta gave a positive outlook for both the current quarter and the next one, as well as the CRJ-200 phase-out.
The carrier expects revenue to go up in the fourth quarter. Delta projected a revenue increase in October.
Delta is expecting revenue growth of 15% to 20% over this year with an operating margin of 10% to 12% compared to this year.
Staffing constraints could still affect Delta's goal of reaching full network restoration in 2023. The carrier expects to fly 98% of its seats in 2019.
75% of Delta's domestic seat growth will come from its four core hubs. Detroit and Salt Lake City.
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