On April 9, 2025, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said the airline would defer aircraft deliveries carrying tariffs rather than pay those charges. The statement came during a fast-moving trade-policy dispute; it describes Delta’s position at that time, not the confirmed outcome for any particular aircraft.
What Delta said about tariffed aircraft deliveries
During Delta’s Q1 2025 earnings call, Bastian was asked whether the airline was considering deferrals until the tariff situation became clearer or because it was slowing growth. He answered: “We will defer any deliveries that have a tariff on it.” He added: “we will not be paying tariffs on any aircraft deliveries we take.” (Delta Q1 2025 earnings-call transcript)
Bastian said Delta was working closely with Airbus to minimize the impact and hoped trade discussions would resolve the issue. He described the tariff as having taken effect that week. He also cited a 20% incremental aircraft cost as an example of a level that made the economics difficult. That percentage was his scenario on the call, not a universal or continuing tariff rate.
What the statement did—and did not—mean
Delta’s announced approach was conditional: defer deliveries that carried a tariff, and do not pay tariffs on aircraft it accepted. It was not an announcement that Delta had canceled Airbus orders or stopped taking aircraft altogether.
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The transcript and later company statements cited here do not identify specific 2025 aircraft deliveries that Delta deferred, nor establish when any affected aircraft were ultimately handed over. A stated procurement position should not be treated as proof of an individual delivery’s status.
How later trade-policy statements changed the context
June 2025: US-UK aerospace tariff statement
On June 17, 2025, Delta welcomed the US-UK trade agreement announcement, saying it would preserve a reciprocal zero-tariff policy on aerospace products. Delta said it hoped the approach would serve as a model for future agreements. The statement describes Delta’s view of that agreement; it does not establish the treatment of every aircraft or resolve the status of specific deliveries. (Delta statement on the US-UK trade agreement)
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Airbus’s H1 2025 comments on civil aircraft
Airbus also welcomed a political agreement between the US and EU to return to a zero-tariff approach for civil aircraft. In its H1 2025 results, Airbus said its 2025 guidance continued to exclude tariff impacts. These were company statements about the policy outlook and Airbus’s guidance, not confirmation of the tariff treatment or delivery date for each Delta aircraft. (Airbus H1 2025 results)
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Delta continued to plan Airbus fleet purchases
On January 27, 2026, Delta announced an order for 31 more Airbus widebody aircraft: 16 A330-900s and 15 A350-900s. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2029. Delta said its commitments at the time included 232 narrowbody and 85 widebody aircraft on order. These figures are Delta’s January 2026 totals; they show continuing fleet plans, but do not reveal what happened to the tariff-affected deliveries discussed in April 2025. (Delta’s January 2026 Airbus order announcement)
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What to take away
- The headline refers to Bastian’s April 9, 2025 statement, not a new October 2026 announcement.
- Delta said it would defer deliveries subject to tariffs and would not pay tariffs on aircraft it accepted.
- Bastian’s 20% figure was an example of an incremental cost he considered economically difficult, not a rate established for every aircraft.
- Later Delta and Airbus statements welcomed agreements or policy developments involving zero-tariff treatment for aerospace products or civil aircraft, but do not document individual 2025 deliveries.
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