McDonnell Douglas DC-9 - Operators

Operators

A total of 129 DC-9 aircraft (all variants) were in commercial service as of November 2011, including Delta Air Lines (21), USA Jet Airlines (7), Everts Air Cargo (5), Aeronaves TSM (4), Aserca Airlines (4), LASER Airlines (4), and other operators with fewer aircraft.

Delta Air Lines has, since acquiring Northwest Airlines, operated a fleet of DC-9 aircraft, most of which are over 30 years old. With severe increases in fuel prices in the summer of 2008, Northwest Airlines finally began retiring its DC-9s, switching to Airbus A319s that are 27% more fuel efficient.

Because of the usage of the aging JT8D engines, as of late 2000s (decade) DC-9s are considered gas guzzlers when compared to other more recent airliner designs. Studies aimed at improving DC-9 fuel efficiency, by means of retrofitted wingtip extensions of various types, have not succeeded in demonstrating significant benefits.

With the existing DC-9 fleet shrinking, modifications do not appear to be likely to occur, especially since the wing design makes retrofitting difficult. Thus, DC-9s are likely to be further replaced in service by new Boeing 737, Airbus A320, Embraer E-Jets aircraft, or the new, emerging Bombardier CSeries airliner. However, it is probable that a modest number of DC-9s will continue to productively fly for many years to come. As the Northwest/Delta merger progressed, Delta pulled several stored DC-9s back into service.

One ex-SAS DC-9-21 is operated as a skydiving jump platform at Perris Valley Airport in Perris, California. With the steps on the ventral stairs removed, it is the only airline transport class jet certified to date by the FAA for skydiving operations as of 2008.