We have options on 60 additional -900's. PT himself said the 16 are only an investment and are not to make money, they are to get options and additional bases. LAX and SLC were heavily discussed (and mgmt even said they thought it would be one of the 2 bases) and ATL ended up as the start platform.


Pinnacle Corp is trying to branch into every carrier with colgan flying for multiple carriers and now 9E flying for NW and DL. Obviously NWA is the main client and without that client the Pncl Corp is no more. With addition of 60 -900's and a reduction down to 104 CRJ's (if NWA pulls the 20 once we get the -900 options) it is still growth. Also in the ASA we can swap 1-1 -200's for 70 seaters and its only an OPTION to remove 20. With XJ trying to staff the -900s they currently have plus the issue of Compass and XJ owned by NWA and having staffing issues themselves (can't hire fast enough) I doubt we will see a loss in flying anytime soon. Plus Colgan is getting more tprops. Pinnacle Corp is growing- there are just some big pains on the horizon (staffing/contract).


Back on topic of a merger-

It is obviously just a rumor but I would see the 2 as a good fit. NWA does have 70% of the gates in IND's new terminal on lease. MEM has been dwindled down to mostly a regional hub in the later years. I could see IND being grown to the main hub with MEM being an RJ/saab base. Just my $.02