Originally Posted by shiznit

Trainer isn't necessarily owned for pure profit motives. It is a leverage tool that is used in many other aspects of the DAL operation that Wall St. doesn't seem to pick up on:

Refineries make jet-A and other distillates, but they also produce propylene gylcol, when negotiating with suppliers around the country at other airports, we use our "self-supply" option to leverage better prices than the competition on everything from de-ice fluid, diesel for GSE, and jet-A. Give us the price we want or we will ship in our own. Lots of those deals end up hidden in other aspects of the enterprise.

Trainer is supposedly on track for a $100m profit this year, all the gross profits (and resultant net losses) from the last two years have been because of infrastructure and repairs. Now that those big ticket items are squared away it "should" actually be a benefit in its own right going forward.

They are also getting the Bakken crude at a better quantity now, which cuts crude acquisition by about $12/bbl. That will benefit the DAL bottom line a lot, the Nigerian cruse is much more expensive, however the market price for jet fuel isn't decreasing by that same $12/bbl on the open market.

I like that DAL is on the road to insourcing:
Trainer = Fuel Expenses
DCI = shrinking and DAL 717's (and maybe even more 717's)
ALK = cutting ground handling, shrinking CS routes, growing SEA via DAL metal
Intl. = more 333's, WB RFP, threatening to kick Alitalia out of JV/Skyteam, fighting MEA's instead of retreating