Originally Posted by
atpwannabe
JP:
Isn't Delta reducing the amount of flying that Skywest does for them? I'm not sure what the total percentage of the reduction is and how it may affect hiring at Skywest.
With that reduction, an increase must occur somewhere else. The post that I'm referencing says that Delta is increasing its international service and reducing its domestic routes. Not quite sure how all of this will play out. My guess is that either that flying will go to Comair or Pinnacle. JMO.
atp
You're reading way too much into the SKW reduction in DAL flying. DAL is reduction SKW flying by a measly 600 hours. Just to put it in perspective, that’s only about 14 pilots worth of flying. (600 / 85 hrs per pilot = 7.06 x 2 pilots per a/c = 14.06 pilots) That's nothing seeing we're already understaffed. Also our contract with DAL requires us to maintain a % (% varies per base) of their regional departures through 2020.
For numbers sake (means I don’t now the exact #s) lets say its 85% (not saying it is), which is very likely in SLC & ATL (for ASA). If DAL has 1000 regional departures from SLC, SKW contract demands they fly 850 of those departures. Now if DAL wants to reduce those departures to 900 then SKW much still fly 85% of them and no less. Yes that means SKW has 85 fewer departures but some one else took a hit as well. Now if SKW has 87% of the SLC departures then DAL has 2% to work with.
If DAL drops SKW departures below that listed in the contract they stand to lose well over $100M which was all negotiated with the sale of ASA to SKYW Inc.
So as far as another regional getting SKW flying it can’t happen until 2020 and with SKW being one of their cheapest carriers with industry leading performance, I don’t see it happening. Comair and E9 won’t see a bit of SKW departures without SKW being justly compensated. As for as E9 taking our flying in ATL, not happening seeing we were temporary in ATL from the beginning and as we loose one departure in ATL we gain one out west (not necessarily SLC……..LAX).
Mark my words, EVERY DELTA CONNECT CARRIER WILL BE AFFECT BY A REDUCTION IN FLYING! It just happens to be that DAL started in SLC, which is SKW territory, but soon it'll be extended to CVG, ATL, etc. Remember that the reduction in flying has nothing to do with the carrier just the profitability of certain routes. It’s just a matter of time before they start cutting flying with other regionals.
BTW, yes DAL is increasing their international flying, but no one wants to fly on Comair to Europe! LOL! Remember that Comair and E9 are domestic operations not international. Yes they can fly to Mexico or Canada but that's not really what DAL's talking about, they're talking about long haul with heavy iron.
Also, SKW has many new destinations in Mexico.