Don't forget the webcast at 9 AM Eastern this morning.

Investor Relations - Event Details

I will take that bet! How about a small ($100) donation to the Delta Pilot's Charitable Trust in our screen names?:D

Looks like we missed, again :(

We are told to like the merger, we needed the merger, synergies are better than expected, but the results thus far have been a continuing trend vector which has us pulling out capacity, while the demand for our product has declined even faster. Even with adjustments for fuel hedges, we need a profit.

While this is old news, thee comments provide additional color to what we were discussing on fleet "growth."

Delta to buy used MD-90 jets


By Kelly Yamanouchi

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Delta Air Lines is buying 11 used MD-90 jets to add to its fleet, although the added capacity will be offset by cuts among other models.

Atlanta-based Delta is buying nine of the twin-engine planes from China Eastern Airlines and has another two used MD-90s on order from Boeing Capital.

All of the planes will join Delta's fleet this year, adding to the 17 MD-90s the airline already has. It was the launch customer for the model in 1995. Delta did not say how much it is paying for the aircraft.


The orders will make Delta the second-largest operator of MD-90s, behind Saudi Arabian Airlines. Delta's MD-90s have 150 seats, including 12 in first class and 138 in coach.

Despite the additional planes, Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter also said the company is not adding flight capacity amid slow travel demand. That's because it is pulling so many other aircraft from its fleet, including DC-9s inherited from Northwest Airlines and regional jets. Delta has nearly 800 mainline aircraft in its fleet.

"It's not a growth decision," Banstetter said. The addition of more of the efficient MD-90s, is "much more a fleet management type of move," he said.

"It's certainly a lot more affordable for us than if we were to, say, buy a new 737," Banstetter said. He said the MD-90s will get new interiors.

Yeah, they nailed the number that management told the analysts to expect at investor day December 15, so I don't think it should come as too much of a surprise. Still, with as much as the sector's run the last couple of months...

Good point and they'll need to remind the market of that (since a lot of us forgot :o )

As you point out, many of us had expectations of a rebound and most of us have been flying out butts off with full airplanes everywhere we go. My expectation (and I was not alone based on the run up in our stock price) is that things had turned a corner.

With debt at 20 times equity (gulp) ... .

Thanks! My wife liked what I bid, glad I bid a long time ago because frankly I forgot.

Funny.

I had a Captain say the other day growing old was hard because you don't know whats going to happen when you fart.

Funny Captain, former C-5 guy and a riot.

From Delta.com:
Webcasts

Delta Air Lines to Discuss 4Q09 Financial Results

You are invited to listen to a live webcast of Delta CEO Richard Anderson, President Ed Bastian and CFO Hank Halter discussing Delta's 4Q09 results at 9am EST, Jan. 26, 2010. The replay will be available until Mar. 1, 2010.

How about we give either way?

Point Slow is:

In the eyes of Wall St. RA and co have done an awesome job, they can get anything done. They know how to deal with labor, wall street, foreign governments, local and state governments, et al. They are the Supermen of the airline industry. They made the world's largest airline merger go off without a major burp. That alone will allow them to command at least double their salary. Will the BOD here cough it up?

They will need to pay and pay a ton to keep anyone who is a VP on up. Change in inevitable with a success like this. It is the problem about being good. The team never stays together.

I will submit that if the core team does stay intact, the cash is flowing and RA is the boss of the century.

They changed how they report the fuel hedges.
Harder to tell if it was a gain or loss. ??

So much for the billion dollar profit that was projected for 2009. They were only off by 2.4 billion....... I know economy stinks, just sayin.....:eek:

You know women say the same thing about when they laugh!!!! :eek: