Moby, that is the question we're asking. Does it make sense in the long term?

Like Slow touched on, Alaska has thus far achieved a strong strategic position with respect to larger carriers at least partly by straddling the two code share agreements with American and Delta. It also appears that those tectonic plates are shifting as a result of recent merger activity.

Alaska as a takeover target is always discussed. I think some would say that Alaska has made themselves problematic for an acquisition because either American or Delta moving to acquire Alaska would end the other code agreements, immediately devaluing what was just purchased, right? (guys please tell me what I'm missing here). It would also invite the need for whoever lost the code agreement to step in and supply that feed for themselves, resulting in competition which would reduce profits on both sides (as Sailing pointed out in his Alaska example). A sort of poison pill for any potential acquiring party, no?

Slow said something will change WRT the American / Alaska codeshare due to the recent merger. Could Delta's added service be a strategic maneuver to try to compromise Alaska's west coast dominance in preparation for a takeover? Can we reasonably assume that the recent cycle of mergers is at an end?

Break Break... To try to answer Moby's question, why would we try to provide this feed that can be obtained via codeshare? I think a big part of the answer is that Alaska's codeshare agreements with other airlines have important strategic implications for the long term business plan at Delta.

Is Alaska's decision to code share with middle eastern carriers raising some eyebrows? Is this something that needs to be nipped in the bud?

Another thing- I don't think it is fair to dismiss offhand these added routes by Delta as not being indicative of something going on between our two carriers as just the fantasy of our LAX guys. Haven't a number of management types confirmed that Delta is unhappy with the recent codeshare expansion between American and Alaska, and that we are evaluating strategic alternatives?

It doesn't make sense to me to outright dismiss the significance of this added service when it seems we are doing the opposite in so many other places in the network.