Boy, I sure love gossip. I have heard Alaska is what Western was to DAL. Would I have to give up the leather coat and find a hat? Go Seahawks!!!

 

If there is a merger I wonder if they would change the name of the airline to "Eastern".

 

I seem to think DAL/UAL is a definite possiblity. I don't see how NWA would be any more seamless than UAL. United has a good Asian market as well.

 

UAL/DAL = Mega airline 1...NWA/CAL = Mega airline 2. Now america only has 2 airlines to chose from to go to either Asia or Europe.

 

American doesn't fly to Europe or Asia?

 

I don't think the mega mergers are in anybody's best interest.

I'm all for buying Alaska. I would love to ditch the commute from Seattle as a DAL FO! Not that my vote counts for anything.

 

Flew with a captain fresh back from recurrent...instructors at the school house stated Delta has stopped hiring, stopped painting airplanes and canx the next advance entitlement.

 

why would they stop painting airplanes if they were merging with NWA...unless they're changing the name?...which I wouldn't think they'd do due to brand value of the name "Delta."

NWA + Delta would be more seamless becuase Delta already codeshares into NWA cities overseas and vice-versa, and Delta and NWA codeshare with all the same foreign airlines, due to them both being in the Skyteam alliance. At least I was thinking that...I could be completely wrong on that one. Mergers are such complicated events in terms of legal footwork, financial analysis, and strategic considerations that most major corporations have to contract out an investment bank just to make sense of it all.

Bottom line--even if the rumors are true and DAL is merging/buying United or NWA or whoever else, we're all making the assumption that both parties agreed on terms, that the politicians/judges approved it, and the financial aspects are all set--any one of these things can (and often does) go south...so even if it's being strongly pursued, there are plenty of reasons why a merger or buyout might not proceed even if both parties want it to.

 

I guess someone forgot to tell Delta the news. They're hiring 70/month and the paint shop is going strong.

 

Yes, you are correct, I was not very thourough...