The work will involve a complete overhaul of the cabin, including new seats, lavatories, galleys, and overhead bins. Airbus will provide the necessary kits and technical support during the upgrades.
“This partnership with Airbus Services will ensure the A350 cabins are harmonized with the rest of our international fleet,” says Kristen Bojko, vice president of the fleet at Delta.
“The A350 is a critical part of Delta’s network, and this retrofit allows us to continue delivering the premium experience that our customers value.”
LATAM announced last year that they would be divesting thirteen A350s as part of their restructuring process, which included voluntarily filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in mid-2020 due to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Delta currently operates 28 A350s and has six more on order from Airbus, in addition to 62 A330s, 18 of which are on order.
In September 2019, Delta announced plans to acquire a 20% stake, worth $1.9 billion, in LATAM. The deal also resulted in LATAM leaving the Oneworld alliance and forming a joint venture with Delta, which was approved by regulatory authorities in Colombia, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, and the US Department of Transportation. In November 2022, the carriers announced new routes as part of the joint venture, adding 23,000 seats weekly between North and Latin America.
