Delta introduces first used Boeing 737 as pilot shortage hinders regional recovery

Delta has quietly introduced the first of 33 used Boeing 737s that it recently bought. The move comes amid an effort to fully recover its schedules from the pandemic despite the US pilot shortage limiting the return of many regional flights. The first of the fleet of 737-900ERs, all of which were formerly operated by Indonesian airline Lion Air, entered service between Atlanta and Panama City, Fla., on November 18, according to FlightRadar24. Delta plans to introduce another five by the end of December, and the rest of the planes monthly through October 2023. The first aircraft in operation is registered N951DX. But the 737s are entering service before they are fully refit to the Atlanta-based carrier’s specifications, Delta told flight attendants recently in a memo viewed by Airline Weekly. All of the aircraft will feature just 12 first class seats, compared to 20 in Delta’s standard layout, and amenities like inflight wi-fi and entertainment are limited to just certain aircraft. Due to these product differences the 737s will only operate on 18 routes of 500 miles or less from the airline’s Atlanta hub for the time being. Wi-fi and inflight entertainment will be fully operational on the aircraft by the spring, but reconfiguring the aircraft in Delta’s layout will not begin until 2024. The 737-900ERs are “needed quickly to support our operation,” Delta told staff. The rapid introduction comes as US carriers, including Delta, face staffing issues that have limited their recovery. The pilot shortage in particular has forced many regional airlines to temporarily park planes, particularly smaller 50-seat models, as they work to rebuild their cockpit crew ranks. But staffing issues broadly have forced many airlines, from Alaska to JetBlue and Delta, to fly less than they otherwise would have this year.<br/>