The NRT hub is not dying, its evolving. This current downturn may be permanent or not. Overflight will take on more importance, but DAL does not have the metal to do it, and won't unless we get a large WB order very soon. Even then this will play out over the next decade, not over the summer.

It you look at what we have done with AMS and CDG and our previous European point to point it speaks in favor of a long future for NRT connections even if Japan O&D shifts towards HND. While the Japanese want to get rid of 5th freedom, they can't for the time being and can only bypass by de-leveraging NRT through HND. ALPA is smart to evaluate and plan, but it is not some do or die emergency action item as some are suggesting.

Any claim that NRT is dead or on life support is fear mongering. DAL would no sooner pull the plug on NRT than they would LHR. If they are changing the NRT frequencies its because yield management is driving it. It can drive it back the other direction as well. Time will tell.

With the percentage of revenue that comes from our Asia operations I would expect the company to look at every opportunity to protect and build that revenue. The suggestion that they would kill NRT if we don't give them a (permanent?) exemption and that the MEC is protecting the pilots from the company drawing down NRT is preposterous.

Look at the official MEC response vs. who is yelling fire. I'm surprised we haven't heard from the usual suspects yet that the NRT slots are the reason we are not hiring. Why as are they trying to de-leverage ALPA's position?

Fly the airplane - cancel the warning - read the checklist - do not hurry