Reuters
4:27 p.m. EDT, September 13, 2011
(Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc , which ordered 100 Boeing Co 737 planes last month, said on Tuesday it was not planning any more aircraft orders in the next couple of years.
"We wanted to put to rest any thought that we're in the market considering a new aircraft position," Delta President Ed Bastain said during a presentation to the Deutsche Bank aviation and transportation conference in New York.
He said the Atlanta-based airline was intent on keeping to its capital spending plan as it looks to pay down the balance sheet.
In late August, Delta announced its order for 100 Next-Generation 737-900ER airplanes valued at $8.5 billion. Delta had said it was talking to major plane makers as it looked to replace older aircraft with fuel-efficient models.
Citing industry chatter that Delta could be planning another plane order, Bastian said the company was not considering plane buys for the near to medium term.
"There's no second step of aircraft whether it be with Bombardier or Embraer or Boeing or Airbus ," Bastian said.
"We'll be talking in the future about aircraft but nothing in the next couple of years," Bastian added.
He said the 100 Boeing planes on order, which will be delivered starting in 2013, offer 15 to 20 percent better fuel consumption per seat and will allow Delta to save considerably on maintenance costs.
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