This is JUST LIKE the JAL maneuver. Getting JAL would have driven American out of Asia. But, it would really have hurt us as I believe JAL would have then done most of our beyond flying out of NRT and HND.

Now we are looking at VA for the same reason IMHO. It won't kill American like the JAL thing would have........but it is a good shot to their already bruised rib areas.

Ferd

Actually I think the JAL deal would have been much better. It was my impression JAL was planning on cutting back their trans-Pacific flights so we could have been the ones flying wide bodies across the big pond to feed their Asian flights out of Tokyo. Plus it would have put a big hurt on AMR.

I don't think Virgin will be cutting back on the trans-Atlantic.

Could this then be a reduction in our codesharing/JV with Air France, only to be replaced by Virgin? Delta could send our pax to Heathrow to hub instead of Gay Paris?

Except that VAtlantic isn't really into the local flights. They only do long haul.
http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/conte...tions/original

Not true. Recently they have been adding short haul like MAN-LHR to connect to their international network.

Yep, you beat me too it, and those long haul flights would benefit greatly from AF/KLM European feed. Also, notice the big blank spot on their route map. If we picked up their US routes, they could redeploy some heavy metal to SA. Just thinkin'

That's not exactly a massive short range connection network, haha.

I agree!! Yes, I think we would have done the to/from Japan....which should /could have been an increase. Beyond Japan was what I was worried about. I remember sitting in the Spiral Staircase talking to a couple of United guys who were just giddy with what a great move it was and how it was going to run American out of Asia.........who knows. Shoulda/coulda/woulda:D

Ferd

After considering that angle, I think Boyd's missing a couple parts of the puzzle. We need an EU partner and Air France makes the most sense. Using Occam's razor to whittle away at the press reports it would seem that either:

A: Delta and Air France are interested in getting control of Virgin Atlantic and will both maintain a minority ownership interest while codesharing. In effect, making Delta and Air France a sort of Limited Liability Partnership in "SkyTeam Airlines." If it makes money for Delta, management is pleased, or ....

B: If Virgin continues to lose money, then we are defacto debtors in possession. If it goes out of business and we can get parts, or salvage and sell parts for more than we paid, well, that's good too.

Singapore Airlines has lost money in their investment and had to pump precious cash into Virgin to keep it going. Frankly, we are in the best position to run Virgin for a profit; or profit from Virgin if she dies. Probably the next best suitor would be Emirates or Etihad.

Kinda pales to this

http://worldairlinenews.files.wordpr...-route-map.jpg