Originally Posted by
Gone Flying
I doubt it was larger than ATL like the poster claimed, but I think it was bigger than CVG. So the fact they closed DFW but left CVG as a skeleton would give credit to the idea that there were other reasons at play
DAL's operation at DFW peaked at 35% of total airport traffic, just a hair under AAL when you consider there were other carriers; by 2004 it was down to 16%. When DFW was big, DAL in ATL was only A and B Concourse, and half of T or E (international moved from T to E). My point, they closed a major mid-country base to toss an MEC Chairman. Ask some of the saltier SLC pilots about DAL threatening to close SLC as well if the LEC didn't get onboard with concessions or the BK itself. The result of these actions and threats? The pilots VOTED YES to terminate their DB plan, that saved the company tens of billions going forward. You need an MEC Chair and a fearful LEC to pull off a stunt like that.