Following the Delta Air Lines takeover of Northwest Airlines (NWA), Delta Cargo now operates just four B747 freighters, says Neel Shah, vice president Delta Cargo.
That is a substantial capacity reduction for the carrier, down from the nine freighters that were available at this time last year.
By the end of the year, none of those main-deck cargo carriers will remain in service. "It's the right thing to do," is Shah's contention.
"They've reached the end of their useful life, though it's been a long, glorious run for these birds," he said.
The investment required to keep them airborne simply would not reap a financial return, Shah confirmed.