Delta maintains plans to initially use its Airbus A220s on longer routes served by large regional aircraft, putting the brakes on possible new focus cities with the aircraft. "Where we're purposely putting [the A220s] is to improve our product on our longest haul [Embraer] 175 or [Bombardier] CRJ900s, into thinner business markets," says Joe Esposito, senior vice-president of network planning at the carrier. For example, the 110-seat A220-100 could replace 76-seat Embraer 175s on flights between New York and both Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston Intercontinental where Delta competes directly with mainline aircraft at American Airlines and United, he says. Esposito held the company line in his comments on where the airline could use the A220, avoiding comments on whether the aircraft could be used to open new focus cities. "In the short-term, we're probably going to use it to upgrade some of our longer haul Delta Connection flights," he says, adding that when they have a critical mass of A220s in the fleet they could look at new routes.<br/>