I know it doesn't make you feel better, but Alaska's LAX base hasn't grown as a result of the codeshare.

 

No, but their LAX flying sure has......

 

Can you site examples? I haven't flown out of the LAX base in a few years, but I don't think we have any new flying out of LAX. In facts, we dropped LAX-CUN and put our code on DL's flight.

 

I took a quick glance at Delta's timetable. All the flights between LAX and SEA, PDX, and most of Mexico is done by Alaska.

 

Alaska did all of that anyways via the purchase of jet america...

 

The point that they are making is when you look at all the flying up and down the west coast that DAL used to do, it's now almost exclusively done through the Alaska code share. Not that AK didn't already do it for themselves, but now they do ours as well.

 

Which is why they are planning to add 20% to their list while DAL stagnates. If I wanted a job in LAX I would get an application in at Alaska. Your chances of career progression there are much better than at DAL (and even more so if we merge).

 

Good point. If ALK got status quo for category, they'll be about 1/3 to 1/2 way up the Delta list, which would be equivalent to a 1998' ish NWA hire.

If DAL were to offer voluntary leaves for the 2012 schedule, it might be worth a try to get on at ALK so as to be senior to yourself.

 

I find it interesting that DAL now is code sharing with Alaska on the west coast, especially since Western Airlines had a huge west coast operation...before Delta bought them in 1987.

I went through 727 right seat school back then, just after the merger, and since I was based in BOS for DAL, of course they sent me to LAX for a week to do my 727 sim time, in the Western 727 sim.

At that time Western was using at least 2 complete concourses of gates in LAX, with about a zillion 737's and lots of 727's flying up and down the west coast, an hourly shuttle to SFO, etc. and they had DC10's, flying to Hawaii. Later, DAL had MD11's based in LAX as well. So, at one time, LAX was a pretty good sized base. Not any more.

In typical mo'Ron Allen mentality, he ran away from the west coast when the economy tanked in the early to mid 90's., got rid of just about all the west coast flying Western was doing, got rid of the MD 11's, etc. and started code sharing.

Now it seems the "new guys" in charge want back into the west coast, and Richard Anderson has said there will be more consolidation in the industry. Richard never saw a Code Share he didn't like, so I doubt Delta will see any LAX growth, until after they buy Alaska...then he will shrink it, and code share the flying with the next lowest bidder, again.

Wash, rinse, repeat. Nothing new in this industry.

 

Timbo,

The reason this repeats is because airlines (not just us) can't figure out how to grow organically with legacy cost structures. Even SWA hit this limit. The new market entrants come in and kick butt until they also reach apogee.