Originally Posted by
Truman_Sparks
They probably already know that Delta plans to decrease ASA's flying. They have said that post-merger, the flying will go to the WO's, like Compass and Comair, due to their "cost structure". Couple that with the ATR's going, and no replacement announced for ASA, we have some tough times ahead. I have been one of the only ones saying that ASA will not be getting any 900's, they will continue to go to Pinnacle, Skywest and Comair.......so, ASA should remain stagnant now for quite some time, especially with attrition trickling to a halt in the near future.
Get real comfy in your seat......
Logically any further reductions in flying will come in this order:
1) Contractors with weak contractual protection (or poor performance negating contractual protections, ie mesa)
2) Wholly owned's, which have no protection.
3) Contractually protected flying, but only as a last resort or during bankruptcy.
With the exception of a couple of bottom-feeders, most regionals have pretty similar cost structures these days...so the real determining factor for reductions will be how easily can ma delta get out of the contract in question...