ASA LAX Flying
 

I said in a previous post that ASA has not lost their LAX flying, I apologize, come to find out they have. From what I heard SKW Inc. wasn't willing to operate ASA in LAX for the price DAL wanted so they backed out. It just didn't make sense to have a small ASA base there for the price DAL was willing to pay.

Obviously ASA’s cost isn’t as low as XJT, so XJT ended up with the contract.

Congrats XJTr's I wish you the best of luck with DAL in LAX, your branded flying and anything else XJT pursues.

To make matters worse for ASA, I'm guessing SkyWest Inc. will transfer 10 ASA 50 seaters over to SkyWest Airlines for the Midwest flying. I believe Midwest aircraft #5 is suppose to go into service in June. With an announced 14 total aircraft by September, these 10 plus the 4 already assigned add up.

Skywest had said they'd be shopping for the aircraft on the used market earlier.

As of today 2 mar 07, the aircraft are slated to return to atl and operate there. In a recent memo, it was mentioned that we get 80% of all DCI flying in ATL and that "adjustment to other DCI schedules would be made to comply with this agreement".

As for Xpress jet having lower cost? I don't know, but their pilot pay is actually higher. We have had major maintenance problems and our on time/ completion numbers were not good. Part of the problem was that the brain trust running ASA didn't bother to fill out the OSHA paperwork, so our mechanics who have been here for 2 months still are not legally allowed to touch our aircraft.
FED EX, take me away..........

The 15 midwest aircraft are already accounted for...I think two are coming from ASA. There was a SKW memo on this.

The last memo I recall said we'd be starting with 14 aircraft. The first four would come from inhouse, 2 each from SkyWest and ASA. The remaining 10 aircraft would come from the used market. I haven't heard of any purchases or seen any new aircraft yet. With a month or so to get an aircraft through the maintenance/painting process, I'd think they'd want to have their hands on them realatively soon.

They don't need all those planes for a while, it's going to be 2 a month starting in april, to a total of 15 by Oct. They've got time to find them.

Y'all are unbelievable. Don't let facts stand in the way of the rumor mill!

Here are the FACTS:

ASA was informed that we would be replaced in LAX due to poor operating efficiency. As it turns out ASA was never able to adequately staff LAX, and most of the flights were being operated with ATL based crews and airplanes doing 4 legs cross country or deadheading. ASA also never opened a mtc base and refused to base a spare in LAX. Delta had enough and replaced us with XJT.

All of the airplanes and crews will be returning to ATL.

Oddly enough, XJT's labor contracts are much better than ours, but their management runs the company efficiently, so they were able to give Delta a more competetive offer.

VERY WELL PUT! You are dead on.

Or maybe they were desperate to do something with those aircraft that won't be flying for CAL...

Good point. I'm sure XJT's management feels more comfortable putting these 10 airplanes in Delta colors than in the branded flying.
Having said that, we can't really speculate on the terms of this contract without knowing what price/projected profit margin XJT offered to DAL.