Delta Airlines retire MD88 and MD90 amid Coronavirus

US based carrier, Delta Airlines retired one of their obsolete aircraft - the MD88 also known as the "Mad Dog" and MD90 of McDonnell Douglas on 2nd June.

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These aircraft served for nearly 34 years during their operation with Delta Airlines.

Initially the carrier had planned to retire the McDonnell Douglas MD88 by the end of this year and MD90 by end of 2022, they were forced to retire it now due to declining air travel amid Covid-19.

The final flights of MD88 and MD90 arrived at the carrier's hub of Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport on the morning of 2nd June which took off from Washington-Dulles International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston respectively.

Derivatives of the DC-9 developed in the 1960’s, the 149-seater MD-88 entered the carrier's fleet in 1987.
Its better variant, 158-seat MD-90 following seven years later came into service with Delta Airlines.

At the height of their usage, in 2014, MD88 and MD90 accounted for more than 50% of all departures from Atlanta.

With their retirement, came an end to the era of McDonnell Douglas name, the company that Boeing acquired in 1997.

Moreover, the pandemic also prompted the carrier to ground more than 600 planes and retire a number of its older jets early.
Delta Airlines is expected to retire its 18 Boeing 777 fleet by the end of this year as well.

Its true that amid the pandemic, with the passenger air transport industry severly hit, carriers across the globe were prompted to reassess their fleet requirements and shift to modern, fuel-efficient aircraft.

What are your thoughts on the retirement of McDonnell Douglas MD88 and MD90?