Atlanta, GA - On Saturday, Delta Airlines is set to retire the 777 aircraft from their fleet. The Iconic aircraft was so common around major airports around the U.S. and the world will embark on its final revenue flight on Halloween, flying between New York's JFK Airport and LAX in Los Angeles.

On March 26th, 1999, the 3rd largest airline in the U.S. welcomed its first 777 aircraft to its new home in the airline's mega hub in Atlanta. The pilots performed a low flyover of the runway, giving spectators on the ground a phenomenal view of the brand new aircraft that rocked its wings as it arrived from the Boeing factory in Seattle. When asked about the arrival of the new aircraft to the fleet, the airline's then CEO said "this is obviously the new queen of our fleet", a sign of the excitement throughout the airline for the arrival of the 777. In the over 20 years since that day, Delta has flown a fleet of 18 777 aircraft.

As with many beloved airliners this year, the Delta 777 was yet another victim of the novel COVID-19 pandemic which has wreaked havoc through the entire aviation industry. As with all of these saddening retirements in the past months, the exit of the 777 from Delta's fleet will pave the way for a new aircraft to not only the U.S. but the world as well. This aircraft is the Airbus A350, a new, more fuel efficient aircraft, among other improvements from the 777. The A350 is also set to replace the 767-300 in the coming years, another mid-long haul aircraft that has been with the airline for decades. 

The last flight is set to depart New York's JFK Airport on Saturday at 1pm local time, and arrive in Los Angeles at around 4 pm local time. The flight number will ceremonially be DL8777. The aircraft operating the flight will be one of the airline's newer 777s that has just recently been outfitted in Delta's new Delta One Business class option. After arriving in LAX, the plane will de-board passengers to a suspected small, socially distant welcome party, before departing Los Angles one final time, flying to Victorville, California, where its life with Delta will come to a close. 

In the past, the Delta 777 would be found travelling throughout the world, most commonly to European cities such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Paris, among others. It would also be seen at airports throughout the U.S., operating transcontinental flights or charter flights for pro sports teams. In the years the 777 has served Delta, it has carried millions of passengers, connecting them all throughout the world, and will truly be missed by so many not only at Delta, but by the passengers who flew it, the aviation geeks that have seen it across the globe, and so many others.