Originally Posted by
BlueMoon
I still feel ppas didn't help Comair much. Reasoning: DL pays for gas of all the regionals. So if you compare costs sans fuel. It costs comair more to operate any given leg due to the fact it took more time for us to complete the leg.
If you really wanted to split hairs you could argue how PPAS also increases airframe utilization in respect to inspections and depreciation. An extra .1 or .2 per leg eventually adds up towards hourly inspections. This extra time accumulates added costs Comair must eat in respect to time limited parts, such as overhaul of engines, and ultimately increases Comair's cost per flight.
If every regional in the Delta Connection network were forced to use the same rulebook, when it comes to PPAS, I would bet Comair's costs would more in line with it's competitors per flight hour.
PPAS is more efficient for Delta rather than for Comair. This is the double edged sword Delta likes to swing at Comair every time costs become an issue.