So if airlines love new technology so much, why have Delta just ordered 900ERs and not Max 9s?
The Delta CEO is on record as saying he'd rather have 'cheap' than new. Hence ordering A330 (not NEO), 737NG rather than the Max, and putting new interiors in their huge fleet of 757 and 767 to fly them another 50,000 hours. He's also mentioned wanting to pick up used 777s for cheap when operators start replacing them with 777X.
At current fuel prices he looks like a genius. If prices skyrocket again, not so much
.
BTW, my person crystal ball says that fuel prices will stay relatively low for at least the next five years - maybe not as low as they are now, but well below $100/barrel. HOWEVER, it's somewhat more fuzzy about the impact of "green" policies - it wouldn't exactly surprise me to see a large carbon tax tacked onto fossil fuels that push the 'effective' price of fuel back over $100/barrel.
