Southwest Airlines to lease MD-95s (717-200) to Delta Airlines

As many of you know, I was born, raised and still live in Long Beach, California where to MD-95 (717-200) was built. As a longtime employee of Southwest Airlines I was very excited when the company announced the purchase of AirTran Airways because at that time it was said we would keep this great aircraft in our fleet, I mean a DAC aircraft sporting Southwest Airlines "Canyon Blue" just totally awesome! But during the past year and a half since that announcement, the 737 "experts" have decided that the MD-95 is not that great of an airplane and will now unload them to Delta Airlines over the next 3 years. I guess I wasn't surprised though with this announcement, but I am truely disappointed that my company didn't realize the true value and operational reliabilty of this remarkable DAC aircraft.

Michael Carter

Aero Pacific Flightlines

Southwest Airlines (SWA) has reached a tentative agreement with Delta Air Lines (DL) and Boeing Capital Corp. to sublease all 88 AirTran (FL) Boeing 717 aircraft to DL, transitioning three aircraft per month over a three-year period beginning in the second half of 2013.

DL and SWA are still in talks to reach a final agreement with all parties related to aircraft leases. Once final, all 717s would depart the fleet by 2015.

"This is a very complex transaction that requires time and close coordination with multiple parties,” SWA EVP and COO Mike Van de Ven said. “While we do have a tentative agreement with Delta, final details must be completed with all parties before a binding agreement between Delta and Southwest can be completed."

SWA said it currently plans to keep its total fleet count “relatively flat” as the 717s transition to DL, and will replace FL 717 flying with 737 aircraft. It will maintain service to all previously announced airports, it stressed.

“All pilots would train and transition directly into the airline's 737 fleet as the 717s are reduced,” SWA said. “AirTran flight attendants and maintenance personnel are currently trained on both aircraft types.”

(Christine Boynton - ATWOnline News)