ACL and an inebriated Scottsman had the same idea on roughly opposite ends of the planet at approximately the same moment. The idea resonated will all those followers who pray to God that Delta will reopen a Dallas base, reaching critical mass shortly after midnight on Friday the 11th. The concept reached self awareness the following Monday.

Given that "capacity reductions are our leverage" Delta is excited that they could acquire, and shut down, another airline, creating "leverage."

Technically, we have been de-leveraging the airline ... unless we plan on massive debt to acquire, then slowly destroy, the airline we acquired.

Reference:

• Northeast (aka US Air and Northwest)
• Western (aka Alaska and Southwest)
• Pan Am (aka Air France, KLM, Virgin & OneWorld)
• ASA ( aka Expressjet, Skywest)
• Comair (aka GoJets)
• Northwest ( aka capacity growth at Alaska, FedEx, Atlas, GoJets, and Air France)