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Delta has exercised options on 12 more Airbus A220-300s for delivery in 2026 and 2027. The SkyTeam carrier, which became the first US airline to operate the Pratt & Whitney GTF-powered A220 in 2018, currently operates 14 A220-300s and 45 of the smaller A220-100. Following today’s order, and the dozen options for the type it exercised in July, Delta has 60 A220-300s on order in addition to the 14 already in service. It also operates 45 A220-100s. Delta VP of fleet, Kristin Bojko says: “These 12 additional A220 aircraft will help power our increasingly streamlined fleet while also providing our customers with the elevated in-flight experience they’ve come to expect from Delta.” Delta operates its A220-300s in a three-class 130-seat configuration featuring 12 seats in first class, 30 in its Comfort Plus extra-legroom economy offering and 88 in the main cabin. With the latest order, Delta throws more support behind Airbus, with which the airline has closely aligned in recent years. Delta also holds orders for 134 of the Toulouse airframer’s largest narrowbody – the A321neo. Delta has, however, recently diversified. In July 2022 it disclosed having ordered 100 Boeing 737 Max 10s. That type, which Boeing aims to have certificated by early 2024, competes most closely with A321neos.<br/>

Delta looks set to launch non-stop flights between Los Angeles and Auckland, in what would mark the major US airline’s debut in New Zealand. An announcement is understood to be imminent after Delta Air Lines president Glen Hauenstein last week told staff the carrier would launch the route later this year, Airline Weekly reported. A spokesperson for the airline told Stuff Travel they could not confirm any of these details. Auckland Airport and Los Angeles International Airport representatives said they had no information, referring Stuff Travel to the airline. House of Travel chief operating officer Brent Thomas said the potential route would most likely launch for the northern hemisphere winter – New Zealand’s summer – in line with our inbound tourism season. Things were looking good for New Zealand consumers on the North America routes, with the possibility of Delta’s arrival adding to a year that will also see Qantas launching its non-stop Auckland to New York route in direct competition with Air New Zealand – with the potential for the Australian carrier to further expand its offering between New Zealand and North America.<br/>

Air France-KLM said Wednesday it had informed the Italian government it would not bid for an equity stake in its flag carrier ITA Airways. Sources earlier this month told Reuters Germany's Lufthansa would soon file an offer for ITA, which officially replaced loss-making Alitalia in 2021. "Air France will continue to closely monitor the privatisation process and hereby reasserts its strong interest to maintain its commercial relationship with ITA, which is a SkyTeam member," Air France-KLM said.<br/>