Final Delta MD-88 Flight

[regis9 3,999]

Feeling a bit nostalgic today as Delta flew their final MD-88 flight IAD-ATL.  Of course I recreated the flight and took just a few shots:

At the gate, IAD

Love those reverser buckets!

Mission accomplished at the gate, ATL.

I've always had a fascination with the Douglas/McDonnell Douglas T-tails that started with my love of Air Canada DC-9-32's as a kid...to the point that I'm probably going to end up paying to have the Leonardo Maddog painted in the 1980's Air Canada DC-9 scheme.  Sad to see these aircraft heading off to pasture but they've had a great career, and time marches on.

Thanks for having a look.

Dave  

Edited June 3, 2020 by regis9

[Patco Lch 1,463]

Have a lot of fond memories of the DC9 as well. I remember living in Columbus GA. in 1967 I think it was when Delta started DC9 service to Atlanta, a trip of about 90 miles. Headlines: Columbus enters the jet age! IMO the 9 ties the 747 as one of the most geometrically pleasing jet liners to look at and watch.

From the lighting and sky I'm guessing those pics are from version five, no?

Edited June 3, 2020 by PATCO LCH

[regis9 3,999]

Indeed it is v5 with Active SKY and ASCA.

[MarkW 1,490]

I am actually surprised they have completely removed the fleet.  Obviously with the pandemic and drop in airline traffic they don't need them today but I thought it was going to be a few years before all of the replacement aircraft are delivered and given how many of the MD-88's they have I would have thought they would need them once the pandemic is over.  Luckily I have done a lot of travel in the past year on Delta and got to fly on the MD-83, 88 and 717.  

[regis9 3,999]

I think they were slated to leave the fleet next year anyway?  Some 717s are staying.  Delta has said they are going to emerge a much smaller carrier so it probably just lined up to remove this capacity to meet expected demand.

Luckily I also had some business for a few weeks in the southern US a couple of years ago that had me making numerous connections through Atlanta on Maddogs and 717s, fun flights!