The new look coming to the cabins of Delta Connection regional jets. (Image: Delta)
As the next step in its ongoing fleet refurbishment, Delta said it has started to overhaul the interiors of its Delta Connection regional jets – and some of them will get more seats than they have now.
Those jets are operated by various regional carriers under the Delta Connection banner, but Delta sets the same physical standards for all of them. Delta said its 65-seat CRJ-700s will be the first to get the work done – an 18-month project that will transform them into 69-seat aircraft.
Their current configuration includes nine first class seats, eight extra-legroom Delta Comfort+ economy seats, and 48 in regular economy. After the refurbishing, the CRJ-700s will have nine seats in first class, 16 in Delta Comfort+ and 44 in regular economy, a net gain of four seats.
“To do this, the rear wall of the cabin will be pushed back, stretching the usable seating space,” Delta said. It did not say whether the seat pitch in the new planes will remain the same. Currently, seat pitch in Delta’s CRJ-700s is 31 inches in the main cabin, 34 inches in Delta Comfort+ and 36 inches in first class.
Related: Delta confirms big changes to CRJ700 fleet
The overhaul project will also cover Delta Connection CRJ-900s, and Embraer 170s and 175s. Delta said the 76-seat CRJ-900s will retain their current configuration of 12 seats in first, 12 in Delta Comfort+ and 52 in regular economy.
The aircraft will get new leather seats that offer in-seat power outlets in first class and Delta Comfort+. The rehab will also give the aircraft new carpeting, “refreshed” side walls and overhead bins, and ambient lighting. The new interiors are intended to give Delta’s regional jets “an even more mainline-like feel,” said Erik Snell, the airline’s vp for Delta Connection.
There are 450 aircraft in the Delta Connection fleet, and two-thirds of them are larger, two-class regional jets. Operators include Compass Airlines, Endeavor Air, Expressjet, GoJet, SkyWest and Shuttle America.
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The day is soon coming when many of us will start flying Spirit to get more individual space than Delta or United are about to offer the flying public. I wonder if these newly configured CRJ-700s can be evacuated in 90 seconds as required by the FAA.
You can always purchase tickets from a number of other airlines…
The CRJ-700 is already a small miserable aircraft with no storage space. This will makes things even worse. Hopefully they are getting rid of the CRJ-200s and will not be updating them.
Again the consumer getting screwed. More seats mean an uncomfortable flight.
But I guess we just have to pucker up and take it.
When is someone, some company or the government going to protect us from this.
The only true way to show your displeasure is to fly or travel another way, so that Delta loses business. Until it hits them were it counts, in their profits this will continue until we are all standing on flights in a cage that is meant to get even more people on these planes.
It’s terrible stuff like this happening, do you folks care or is this another lost cause???
If the seat pitch were going to stay the same, Delta would have mentioned that in a hurry. Sigh.