Originally Posted by
NuGuy
As always, Slow's press releases are only part of the truth:
1) How many of those DAL aircraft on order are slated to replace airframes currently on the property?
2) DCI is 100 aircraft smaller....what was the change of gauge of the DCI makeup? How many of the smaller 50 seat RJs, which do not directly replace mainline flying, left the DCI property, in exchange for 70-76 seat airframes arriving, which DO replace mainline flying?
It's great if 200 50 seaters left the DCI property. Whats not so great is when they are replaced by 100 76 seat aircraft that parks 100 aircraft at the mainline.
Nu
The answers you seek are found in the 10-K that was released this past week.
1. The new aircraft orders are designed to be capacity neutral. Delta retains options on 737-900's, 777's and MD-90's for delivery in 2013 and thereafter.
2. DCI gauge has increased to an average of 58 seats per aircraft. According to Delta's 10-K, DCI capacity and traffic dropped 2% last year. Mainline traffic was flat on a 1% capacity increase. If you look at scheduled system departures from the OAG, DCI peaked in January 2010 at 60.4%. They are down to 57.4% of system departures in March, 2012. If you look at system ASM's (again from OAG) they were at 14.5% of system ASM's in January 2010, and will be at 13.8% of ASM's in March 2012. Your assertion that they are replacing mainline flying doesn't match with the math. DCI as a percentage of Delta flying got smaller.