Originally Posted by
Ed Harley
I know this rumor comes and goes on here and it's usually debunked, but I've heard recently from some mid level tech ops guys that delta and southwest are engaged in serious talks about a deal involving us getting their 717's for some of our B737's and some gate swaps in atl. Again, just rumor but this seemed interesting.
Ed I heard this last fall and one thing for sure it's been a consistent rumor from high up people, including higher ups in the 88 program. Now why would they let DAL get their hands on them? Well, they may beat the 735 and probably 733 but not the 737-7 and SWA has more on order now then AAI has 717s. Among other reasons to off load them.
You know who else talks about this? sWA management in their crewroom road shows. Which is what ive heard from DAL management folks in that it is not DAL who wants 717s per se but SWA who wants them out.
The SWA management types recently told their pilots that there is no plans to "sell 717s to Delta... In 2011."
If I were SWA and DAL, I'd look at swapping all of DALs D gates to C gates and moving SWA out of C to D, that way they have the whole terminal and we can condense our domestic ops.