Originally Posted by CGfalconHerc

All good points with so many moving parts to consider.

I don't think the O/D traffic is as much of a factor as ensuring "local" political help to aquire 30 gates and a new customs facility that will compete directly with AS on the North side.

Remember the Juno fiasco..a little Birdie told me that the JNU FSDO was in bed with AS to keep us out of there..thus the removal of Cat D circling mins and their subsequent return but with an ADF requirement to define the FAF..gee, DL 73N's don't have an ADF, that will keep them out of there and make it too expensive for DL, and if we can't get into JNU, maybe DL will think twice and just forget about their whole plan for SEA.

Whether that's true or not, I don't know.. we put the 757 on it..no worries, but it'd be nice to avoid the potential for similar "local" manipulation as we ramp up SEA.

A 787 order, along with some appropriate marketing, would make us less of the "foreign" invaders and more of the home team willing to fill the sky with Boeing WB's on "our" new home turf. That gesture might apply enough pressure to keep the AS operatives in check to get the facilities in SEA and ensure that all the details are met. We don't want to get a surprise like "thanks for spending all that money to build a new customs facility, but the local head honcho has decided that it won't be be manned during the big DL arrival bank, so everyone will have to be bussed ala Bradley in LAX".

I've spent enough time waiting for a fuel truck in CentAmer chasing druggies to know a little grease goes a long way..and 787's may help us keep a level playing field in SEA.