Thread: Pinnacle
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Old 04-26-2013, 06:20 AM
  #361  
Bucking Bar
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Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: Douglas Aerospace post production Flight Test & Work Around Engineering bulletin dissembler
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Originally Posted by Pogey Bait
Consideration needs to be given to who's management team was running Delta at that time. Back then Delta was running "Delta" now Northwest is running "Delta". Then plan for Comair had been laid out prior to Northwest running things at Delta.
Pogey,

I think you are partially right. First, Delta mismanaged Comair:
  • Instead of giving them new orders to improve the value of their asset, Delta diversified to competitors, as a result ...
  • Comair's fleet got older
  • Comair's pilots got older
  • Old stuff is expensive stuff, especially when fuel skyrockets and the new stuff is so much better (CRJ-900 52% more revenue for 15% more cost)
  • Worse ... Comair was used as the accumulator to remove excess capacity resulting in very inefficient utilization of aircraft and crew
  • Meanwhile contracted carriers enjoyed relative stability which allowed them to schedule resources more efficiently.
When NWA's management came along they did not share any affinity for their spouse's adopted children. The special relationship with Comair was now a special relationship with Pinnacle. The fact Pinnacle was a bigger mess than Comair actually helped it shed legacy costs.

At least that's how I think we got here.
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