The "time of the low cost carrier" will always exist in the market. But from an airline perspective, it is impossible to remain a low cost carrier without the sort of creative destruction that Delta wages on its Connection Carriers.

Southwest is no where near a "low cost carrier." US Air is. Allegient is. GoJets is. Southwest's costs are higher than Delta's. The fact Southwest bought and is mostly dismantling AirTran should be a clear signal to you that they are out of fresh domestic markets and out of fresh ideas.

IMHO, leaving Delta for Southwest would be a mistake.

Caveats:

• Delta needs to make money if this career is going to work
• We need to stop outsourcing & turn that around
• Mergers ... who knows what might happen in another merger?

FedEx or UPS, Emirates, there are places to make more money than Delta. Not sure that SWA will remain one of them.

TEXT-Fitch raises Delta Air Lines' IDR to 'B+' | Reuters

Fuel hedge loss aside, seems like we are moving in the right direction.

The $20-$30 slide probably caught many by surprise.
I doubt we were the only ones who took it on the chin.

So how as a pilot group do we accomplish this? If this TA doesn't pass Management can still grow the dci carriers if they grow mainline. I don't see us coming to the table and saying stop flying DCI or we strike. The company doesn't make money flying small planes to small markets, however it makes money by outsourcing this small market flying to someone else. What kind of leverage would we need to be able to pull off the "we want all flying down by mainline?" I just don't ever see us recapturing this small market flying. Am I just naive? (Everyone can ignore this comment if this was already discussed somewhere on here)

Can you explain to me why RJs fly city pairs like ATL-DTW, DFW ATL, DFW _ DTW????:rolleyes:

Hence the question mark. Don't be so serious. The stock is making a nice run this morning too.

It'll be interesting to see where everyone else was hedged.

Can you explain to me why mainline flies city pairs like ATL-CAE and DTW-TVC? There's a time and a place for everything. Why would you use a 500lb bomb when a hand gun would work? Oh right. Ego ;)

I agree with your post 100%

Apparently someone with a bigger brain and more phd's has it all figured out

Just checked DTW-TVC. 7 flights today. All 50 seaters.

Not EGO at all, we have been sold regionals on the premise that it builds markets that someday will move to mainline. I don' see DFW-DTW as a market that needs to be built as other carriers serve the route with a mainline jet. So lets dig the company out of another big mistake,the 50 seater they want to dump now. How many millions have they lost on that great decision???