Due to an ongoing delay in the certification of the new business class seats for its specially configured A321-200NX for premium transcontinental routes, Delta Air Lines (DL, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson) will temporarily operate up to seven of the A321neo with 44 business class seats out of a total of 164, starting in the summer of 2026.
The workaround will allow Delta to avoid leaving its fleet idle. The carrier will install 32 extra domestic business class seats (known as the first class in the United States) in place of the uncertified business class section, to be equipped with Safran Vue seats. According to reports from local specialised media outlets, up to seven aircraft will be deployed with this layout until the certification issue is resolved.
These aircraft will feature 44 first-class seats, 54 extra-legroom economy seats, and 66 standard economy seats, according to One Mile At A Time. Once the new seats are certified, the aircraft are expected to be reconfigured to the planned capacity of 16 in business class, 12 premium economy, 54 extra legroom economy, and 66 standard economy seats.
In a statement to ch-aviation, Delta Air Lines said it "continually explores new ways to make the most of our fleet to better serve our customers and support our business. Select A321neo aircraft are expected to begin their entrance into service next year with an updated seat configuration designed with comfort in mind."
ch-aviation data shows Delta Air Lines currently has eighty-three A321-200NX in its fleet, with 72 more to be delivered in the future. Of this total, eleven are inactive, including ten stored in locations such as Toulouse Francazal, Victorville, and Amsterdam Schiphol.
