Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
12-03-2012 | 06:02 AM
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From: Short Bus FO
Yes, this will be great for Alaska pilots as they fly Virgin pax all over the U.S. and Delta continues to shrink the LAX base.
12-03-2012 | 06:05 AM
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12-03-2012 | 06:13 AM
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From: 767er Captain
12-03-2012 | 06:23 AM
Runs with scissors
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From: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
12-03-2012 | 06:28 AM
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From: Douglas Aerospace post production Flight Test & Work Around Engineering bulletin dissembler
An interesting take ....
Michael Boyd thought of a take that I'm embarrassed that I did not consider. We know there has been friction between Delta and Air France over capacity restraint.
Originally Posted by Aviation Planning HotFlash
Delta - Virgin Atlantic
Harbinger of Alliance Decline?
The potential acquisition of Virgin Atlantic by Delta may well set off a chain of events within the airline alliance world that will resemble a gigantic rugby scrum gone trans-Atlantic.
On first pass, it would appear that it would give SkyTeam an enormous leap at the British Airways/oneworld dominance of LHR. Add all the SkyTeam slots, including the Virgin Atlantic access, and SkyTeam will have 650 slots. A pittance to the BA 4,900, but still enough to be in a strong second place.
But appearances are not always what is real. In this case, Delta may be planning for a future that most folks aren't expecting - at least not yet. And that's the collapse, or near-collapse, of the we're-all-one-happy-family alliance system.
Two years ago, it appeared that alliances and JV's would be the order of the future. It looked like pooling of metal and capacity under the alliance brand was inevitable. That's sure how it appeared.
But things have changed. Alliances are not the Good Ship Lollypop, anymore - if indeed they ever were. The individual members are not all one big beer-drinking fraternity. They are now starting to fight over turf . The oneworld Alliance is in real difficulty - no real Chinese partner, and some promiscuity among some of the members - such as Qantas. Star Alliance is starting to see territory-squabbles - such as the Lufthansa-Turkish issue. Both are chasing much of the same feed. SkyTeam? There's heartburn, likely over major North America -Asia/EU flows between members.
Delta, gaining an additional 304 LHR slots (less whatever the EU would invariably force them to give up) will make DL a lot less vulnerable to any diminution in the cooperation within the SkyTeam Alliance. It would also put them at an advantage over AA at LHR, at least in regard to US-UK flows. A brilliant, futurist move.
It's no certainty that Delta will pull off a deal with Virgin Atlantic. What is certain, however, is the Alliance system we saw as recently as two years ago has changed. Whether it continues in that direction or not, Delta apparently is looking over the horizon.
These changes could come with a bang, or maybe just evolve over time. One thing is now certain: the alliance system isn't as ironclad as it once appeared.
This is just the start of carriers playing more musical chairs - and some may not want to play at all. The pecking order in the herds is going to change.
Give it 30 days. We may see some other fun in the alliance system.
Harbinger of Alliance Decline?
The potential acquisition of Virgin Atlantic by Delta may well set off a chain of events within the airline alliance world that will resemble a gigantic rugby scrum gone trans-Atlantic.
On first pass, it would appear that it would give SkyTeam an enormous leap at the British Airways/oneworld dominance of LHR. Add all the SkyTeam slots, including the Virgin Atlantic access, and SkyTeam will have 650 slots. A pittance to the BA 4,900, but still enough to be in a strong second place.
But appearances are not always what is real. In this case, Delta may be planning for a future that most folks aren't expecting - at least not yet. And that's the collapse, or near-collapse, of the we're-all-one-happy-family alliance system.
Two years ago, it appeared that alliances and JV's would be the order of the future. It looked like pooling of metal and capacity under the alliance brand was inevitable. That's sure how it appeared.
But things have changed. Alliances are not the Good Ship Lollypop, anymore - if indeed they ever were. The individual members are not all one big beer-drinking fraternity. They are now starting to fight over turf . The oneworld Alliance is in real difficulty - no real Chinese partner, and some promiscuity among some of the members - such as Qantas. Star Alliance is starting to see territory-squabbles - such as the Lufthansa-Turkish issue. Both are chasing much of the same feed. SkyTeam? There's heartburn, likely over major North America -Asia/EU flows between members.
Delta, gaining an additional 304 LHR slots (less whatever the EU would invariably force them to give up) will make DL a lot less vulnerable to any diminution in the cooperation within the SkyTeam Alliance. It would also put them at an advantage over AA at LHR, at least in regard to US-UK flows. A brilliant, futurist move.
It's no certainty that Delta will pull off a deal with Virgin Atlantic. What is certain, however, is the Alliance system we saw as recently as two years ago has changed. Whether it continues in that direction or not, Delta apparently is looking over the horizon.
These changes could come with a bang, or maybe just evolve over time. One thing is now certain: the alliance system isn't as ironclad as it once appeared.
This is just the start of carriers playing more musical chairs - and some may not want to play at all. The pecking order in the herds is going to change.
Give it 30 days. We may see some other fun in the alliance system.
12-03-2012 | 06:43 AM
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Sure hope this proposed deal does not become another fiasco like the JAL deal!
12-03-2012 | 06:43 AM
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From: 767er Captain
12-03-2012 | 06:52 AM
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From: 737A
49% of VA cost Singapore about $960,000,000 in 2000 (at current exchange rates)
12-03-2012 | 07:06 AM
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I didn't even think it was legal for a US carrier to buy a foreign airline. I know the reverse is illegal at this time.
12-03-2012 | 07:11 AM
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