Video provided by Fox Business

Delta Airlines 777-300er

The pilots of the 777 reportedly did not report the need to dump fuel to air traffic controllers. Photo: Delta Airlines. Delta stated that the airline sent 13 cleaning crews to affected schools to assist in the outside cleanup to avoid additional hazards. Furthermore, a Delta representative was present at a press conference on the incident in. May 14, 2020 Delta has a fleet of 18 Boeing 777s, including eight 777-200ERs, and 10 Boeing 777-200LRs. The 777 first joined Delta’s fleet in 1999, and was a game changer, since the 777-200LR allowed Delta to operate flights like Atlanta to Johannesburg, which otherwise weren’t possible. Before you take off, take it all in. Explore our aircraft to learn about specifications, seat maps, child seat fit guides, amenities, and more for Delta and Delta Connection® Carriers.

MSN has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. MSN and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.

The coronavirus pandemic has claimed another victim in the fleets of U.S. airlines with Delta Air Lines saying that it will retire its Boeing 777s.

The Atlanta-based carrier will remove its 18 777-200s by year-end on expectations of a long and slow recovery in international travel after the crisis, Delta CEO Ed Bastian told staff in a memo on Thursday.

The move will leave Delta with a wide-body fleet made up of solely Airbus jets by next year. This includes its A350-900 flagship that features 32 of its Delta One business class suites, and the new A330-900 that the airline debuted last July.

© The Points Guy A Delta 777 takes off from Sydney. (Image via Getty Images)

Delta Air Lines 777

“Retiring a fleet as iconic as the 777 is not an easy decision,” Bastian told staff. “The 777 played an important role with Delta since 1999, allowing us to open new long-haul markets and grow our international network as we transformed into a global airline.”

The move comes a day after the International Air Transport Association (IATA) forecast that it could be three to four years before international travel returns to pre-COVID levels.

“We would expect to see domestic air travel markets to be opening first and international markets much slower to open,” IATA chief economist Brian Pearce said on May 13. “International air travel is really dependent on a relaxation of travel restrictions.”

Related:Air travel travel won’t return to pre-coronvirus levels until 2023

Delta Airlines 777-300er

Prior to the crisis, Delta flew its 777s on long-haul routes around the world, according to Cirium schedules. These include its nonstop between New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Mumbai (BOM) that began in December, and the only U.S. airline service to Johannesburg (JNB) in South Africa.

The wide-body jets also featured some of Delta’s newest cabins. The airline only recently finished retrofitting the 777s with Delta One suites, as well as its Premium Select premium economy seats. Delta was also the only U.S. airline to offer a spacious 3-3-3 economy layout on the planes; American Airlines and United Airlines both configure economy class on their 777s in a tighter 3-4-3 seating layout.

Delta’s 777s are the latest casualty of the coronavirus. The crisis is claiming hundreds of jets from airline fleets, including six types at American Airlines — A330s, Boeing 757s and 767s, Bombardier CRJ200s and Embraer E190s. Delta is also saying goodbye to its McDonnell Douglas MD-88s and MD-90s.

Related:The ultimate guide to Delta One Suites© The Points Guy A Delta One suite on the 777. (Photo by Nick Ellis/The Points Guy)

Delta’s 777 decision is not a complete surprise. Evercore analyst Duane Pfennigwerth told TPG in April that the airline may retire some “oddball” aircraft in its fleet, or models that it has few of with no plans to add more. The 777s are the airline’s smallest standalone fleet.

Delta had parked 677 jets due to COVID-19 as of May 13, according to an update to staff. That includes 10 of its 18 777s as well as all of its Airbus A320s.

One jet that Delta continues to fly is the Airbus A220, a plane that is both comfortable or passengers and economic for airlines.

Related:Why the new Airbus A220 is popular with airlines during the coronavirus pandemic

Featured image by Alberto Riva/The Points Guy.

SPONSORED: While travel is limited right now due to COVID-19, you need your everyday purchases to give you flexible, forever useful cash. In general, TPG gives preference to transferable points and using your points to travel, but on some days, cash is king.

These are the top cash-back cards, and a few others that award transferable points that can be used as cash.

--

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Atlanta, GA - On Saturday, Delta Airlines is set to retire the 777 aircraft from their fleet. The Iconic aircraft was so common around major airports around the U.S. and the world will embark on its final revenue flight on Halloween, flying between New York's JFK Airport and LAX in Los Angeles.

On March 26th, 1999, the 3rd largest airline in the U.S. welcomed its first 777 aircraft to its new home in the airline's mega hub in Atlanta. The pilots performed a low flyover of the runway, giving spectators on the ground a phenomenal view of the brand new aircraft that rocked its wings as it arrived from the Boeing factory in Seattle. When asked about the arrival of the new aircraft to the fleet, the airline's then CEO said 'this is obviously the new queen of our fleet', a sign of the excitement throughout the airline for the arrival of the 777. In the over 20 years since that day, Delta has flown a fleet of 18 777 aircraft.

As with many beloved airliners this year, the Delta 777 was yet another victim of the novel COVID-19 pandemic which has wreaked havoc through the entire aviation industry. As with all of these saddening retirements in the past months, the exit of the 777 from Delta's fleet will pave the way for a new aircraft to not only the U.S. but the world as well. This aircraft is the Airbus A350, a new, more fuel efficient aircraft, among other improvements from the 777. The A350 is also set to replace the 767-300 in the coming years, another mid-long haul aircraft that has been with the airline for decades.

The last flight is set to depart New York's JFK Airport on Saturday at 1pm local time, and arrive in Los Angeles at around 4 pm local time. The flight number will ceremonially be DL8777. The aircraft operating the flight will be one of the airline's newer 777s that has just recently been outfitted in Delta's new Delta One Business class option. After arriving in LAX, the plane will de-board passengers to a suspected small, socially distant welcome party, before departing Los Angles one final time, flying to Victorville, California, where its life with Delta will come to a close.

In the past, the Delta 777 would be found travelling throughout the world, most commonly to European cities such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Paris, among others. It would also be seen at airports throughout the U.S., operating transcontinental flights or charter flights for pro sports teams. In the years the 777 has served Delta, it has carried millions of passengers, connecting them all throughout the world, and will truly be missed by so many not only at Delta, but by the passengers who flew it, the aviation geeks that have seen it across the globe, and so many others.