Originally Posted by
gloopy
I hope you are right. I know we are pushing for "less" charity to be given to them as a result of the two mergers since the original filing/rejection. But I would be shocked if SWA and maybe even JB didn't walk away with at least some very valueable LGA/DAC slots in what will obviously be a flat out bribe/appeasement. Of course I doubt [hope?] their days of being treated like Air Force One by every ATC facility are coming to an end. Oh that's right, "ATC knows they can get it dunn and no one else can" or whatever
If the deal stays the way DAL/LLC counter proposed, the part with JB, Spirit, Westjet and AAI getting slots, then in a way both JB and SWA will be getting something. Nothing more should be given.
This should be on Delta and LLC's terms and if not they should sue and pants the DOJ/DOT's for all the world to see.
I just don't see Delta budging on any more. To do so would justify what SWA has done which is to make some sort of deal that had the government doing their bidding for them and demanding for free what everyone else earned over decades of effort.
SWA did the right thing buying AAI. If they're willing to pay then congratulations you get in to new markets... and years and years of financial and operational headaches.
But having the government run interference on some lousy argument that other airlines can't make deals that don't benefit them because that's anti-competitive, well, to that idea I say:
