Originally Posted by Gundam

I would love for that to be true because it would mean nearly all my flying career aspirations could be achieved in 10 years despite not really thinking about it until 2 years ago.

Unfortunately, D's old fleet prints money and AA burns it. D's fleet renewal will just put it that much further ahead. Management also typically doesn't vary that wildly. Even if DL were to deteriorate, it would probably be slow, as it has been for AA. Unless AA gets extraordinarily good at hedging fuel (which they completely quit) I don't see any way for it to improve its position outside of a brutal restructuring, or getting extremely lucky and smart.

Another thing about the debt. AA just needed to stop buying back stock. It wanted to increase share price while also changing the fleet. Any other airline need only recognize the foolishness of doing stock buy backs while having a large debt obligation. Simply renewing a fleet doesn't put an airline in AA's position.

It would be great if AA ran away with it and anyone going there could just take great seniority, great bases, and the promise of great pay. Maybe that will happen and Isom will be on the cover of Forbes with an interview about how he "turned it around." Who knows.