Delta will stop flying MD-88 aircraft on a scheduled basis at New York’s LaGuardia Airport effective March 2.
The airline will instead fly existing MD-88 routes on a mix of Airbus A320 family aircraft, Boeing 737s and a limited number of MD-90 mainline aircraft, minimizing environmental impact at the busy airport and reducing overflight noise for millions of nearby residents.
“We’re committed to providing our customers an exceptional flying experience when traveling through New York airports while also considering our responsibility to the communities where we live and serve,” said Henry Kuykendall, Delta’s Vice President – New York.
“Delta flights on quieter, more efficient and larger aircraft are good for the community and will also support NextGen initiatives around more fuel-efficient GPS routes in New York airspace, the most congested in the world.”
Delta’s removal of the roughly 30 daily scheduled MD-88 departures from LaGuardia underscores its commitment to travelers flying through the primarily business-focused airport. Later this year, Delta service between Atlanta and LaGuardia will fly on larger-gauge Airbus A320s and Boeing 737-900ERs, which feature all-new, modern interiors with large, sculpted overhead bins and, on the Boeing 737-900ER, seat-back in-flight entertainment.
“We welcome Delta Air Lines’ positive and responsive decision to retire these aircraft, which will provide some much-needed noise relief to all nearby neighborhoods,” said New York Senator Chuck Schumer. “Delta’s commitment to updating its fleet at LaGuardia is a very helpful step toward improving environmental and quality-of-life issues. Newer and quieter aircraft bring benefits not only to Delta and the flying public but also to the communities surrounding LaGuardia.”
I am thrilled over Delta’s decision to use quieter airplanes at LaGuardia, and I applaud the airline for being responsive to the needs of Queens residents,” said Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens). “Delta’s move will have a positive impact on airplane noise over our borough, and it will make a difference to those who reside near the airport. I look forward to building on this switch to quieter aircraft and working with airline officials to further mitigate airplane noise.”
“Delta’s decision to begin using quieter, more modern aircraft at LaGuardia Airport is a win-win for travelers and the airport’s surrounding communities,” said Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), whose district includes LaGuardia Airport. “It is a move that is not just about improving the quality of the traveling experience but also about improving the quality of life for New Yorkers on the ground. While airplanes can never be truly silent, we can work to make them less disruptive to the families who live nearby and I applaud Delta for taking steps toward that goal.”
“We welcome any upgrade that will improve the quality of life for residents in the vicinity of the airport and all of Queens,” said New York City Councilmember Julissa Ferreras-Copeland. “I commend Delta for listening to the concerns voiced by our community and other elected officials. And I look forward to deepening my partnership with Delta and LaGuardia Airport to ensure open communication and that the needs of our community are met.”
“Airplane noise is a major concern for many Queens residents, but also one that has proven difficult to solve,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “That’s why we appreciate Delta’s effort to help quiet the skies around LaGuardia Airport by updating its fleet of airplanes. We are pleased with this important investment and thank Delta for being a solid community partner.”
Delta expects to take delivery of more than 50 new aircraft this year, including Boeing 737-900ERs, Airbus A321s, A330-300s and the Airbus A350, the airline’s international flagship. In 2018, the airline is scheduled to take delivery of the Bombardier CS100. All aircraft feature state-of-the-art efficiency and engine decibel performance. Delta will redeploy MD-88 flying at its other U.S. hubs.
Building on the more than $2 billion Delta has invested in New York airports over the past seven years, the airline recently announced its plans to redevelop its terminals at LaGuardia as part of a broader plan to redesign and rebuild the facility.
Delta operates roughly 270 daily departures from its LaGuardia hub on a mix of mainline and regional aircraft to more than 50 destinations across North America.
Aviation Tribune

Sometimes, the underdog wins.
Beating out legacy carriers, Alaska Airlines took first place in The Points Guy rankings.
Using data from places like the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Routehappy and PlaneStats.com, airlines were graded on ten factors like price, cabin comfort, on-time arrivals and baggage fees. Alaska Airlines topped the list, being described as a “really solid operation” by Julian Kheel, analyst at The
Points Guy.
United Airlines followed closely on Alaska’s heels, coming in at the number two spot, in a placing that Kheel admitted was surprising.
“Some people just don’t like [United],” said Kheel, “It may very well be because they aren’t number one in anything that people don’t realize that they are better.”
Virgin America clocked in at number three. The low-cost carrier has been making waves in the United States, but Kheel said the lack of domestic routes hurt the fan favorite. However, a recent merger with Alaska Airlines could change that.
Legacy carrier American Airlines ranked fifth, with fellow behemoth Delta Air Lines at seventh.
“The problem with Delta is that they are very expensive,” said Kheel. “We weighted cost a lot in our survey because that is what people care about.”
The full list is available here.
Alexandra Talty is a columnist and writer, with a tendency for nomadism. The founding Editor-in-Chief of StepFeed in the Middle East, she is also on Twitter.
Forbes

Jet2.com has created 100 jobs at East Midlands Airport as it continues to grow its presence in the region.
The low-cost airline and package holiday supplier is recruiting for fixed-term and permanent vacancies in ramp agent, baggage loader and dispatch positions for summer 2017 after it took all ramp-handling services, which were previously operated by Menzies, in-house.
Working as part of the ground operations team, recruits will be responsible for ensuring that flights depart safely and on time.
It follows a period of growth for the travel company, which currently employs about 300 people at the Castle Donington airport and will launch its biggest ever flights and holidays programme this summer.
This includes four new destinations from the East Midlands – Costa Brava, Naples, Split and Paris – taking the number of Jet2 hotspots to 32.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: “We have continued to grow since starting operations from East Midlands Airport in 2009, with this summer representing our biggest ever flights and holidays programme.
“To support this and to provide Jet2.com and Jet2holidays customers with the best possible experience, we are investing significantly into our operation ahead of the summer season.
“This will enable us to build on our award-winning service and deliver an even better end-to-end customer experience for our customers at East Midlands Airport.”
Last year, Jet2 took on 80 staff in a recruitment drive after it purchased 30 new Boeing 737-800 airplanes and created about 1,000 jobs nationwide.
Meanwhile, East Midlands Airport started the year with a 15 percent increase in passenger numbers.
Last month, almost 220,000 people travelled through the airport, compared to about 190,000 in January 2016.
It said 2016 was a successful year as it welcomed 4.6 million through its doors, while there was a significant investment in a new runway and airfield infrastructure.
The most popular winter destinations were Tenerife, Alicante, Lanzarote, Dublin and Malaga.
In preparation for what it expects to be its busiest summer every, the airport recently hosted a job
fair with 350 new positions available to the 2,000 people who attended, to help with the increase in travellers.
With 2017 set to break records again for passenger numbers, it has extended the Castle Rock bar in the upstairs food court and has planned other new catering outlets to open.
East Midlands Airport managing director Andy Cliffe said: “We have started the year well with big increases in the number of people using the airport in January, new routes for the summer and a very successful job fair.
“We are preparing for our busiest summer on record with new routes to Barcelona, Naples and Budapest as well as increased frequency to Malaga, Tenerife and Alicante.
“To ensure that new and existing customers have the best start to their holidays we have invested in terminal facilities including; refurbishments to our retail outlets, new restaurants and cafes.”
Nottingham Post