You love that metric. You like to measure from Delta's position as a stand alone airline to prove your point. Your measurement is as relevant as a housewife telling her children to "eat all of your dinner because children are starving in Africa."

We are Northwest airlines in all but name. The people running the show are doing the job exactly as they did at Northwest and we are continuing along Northwest's capacity trend.

Move your metric (and your projections) to the end of 2009 and measure again.

If you are comfortable stagnating where you sit, or got a left seat before the music stopped, good for you.

( FWIW ... my request for leave was refused three times ... need longer than 10 months to get a contract gig overseas ... this is just my usual post merger fall displacement pattern ... displacement bid ... leave request ... displacements ameliorated by holding more pilots at higher levels than projected ... stay for another year ... get older & stagnate )