Sounds like the United operations in IAD, a big cluster f#&@

When are these thick headed idiots going to get it? Ok we understand, once upon a time Comair struck, its over, has anyone hurt Delta since then? No, Putting 6 or 7 regionals in one base hurts all of us. It makes for less efficient schedules at every company. Crappy 4 days worth 15 hours and things like that. It seems like Skywest is the least affected because all they have is Mesaba out there but the rest of us, especially ASA because they are only based in ATL for now......... have to deal with this.

Yep. Looks like DAL is following UAL's lead on this one. Why have wholly owned, or a few express carriers when you can have multiple and have them all bid against each other. Then when the contract is up, (and the contracts are getting shorter), throw them out on their arse and hire another one (see UFS, Air Wisconsin, ACA, Mesa, Chautaugua). You can always find someone cheaper. Not to mention the whole strike hedge thing (Comair). If one goes on strike, the others can fill in and you may even be able to sue/drop the carrier for breach of contract!! :mad:

That IAD operation is like the fall of Saigon!! :D

We all feel the frustration. There is absolutely no movement.

It's a safe bet that two of the six you mentioned above will be gone from DAL livery soon. The remaining 4 will be juggled anyway DAL sees fit to place them.

Looks like Compass, Comair, Pinnacle is being set up for extensive flying on the Eastern corridor and Mesaba throughout the Midwest and the West along with SkyWest.

I expect to see a major reduction of 50 seat RJs in the DCI system in the next couple of years so any DCI carrier with too many 50 seat RJs or turboprops will be feeling the pain, just like Mesaba is currently being punished for having way too many Saabs, which should have been retired a long ago.

Saabs should have been retired a long time ago? How do you figure. Last I checked they were and are still making money, most are probably younger than many CRJ 200 fleets out there.

UAX @ IAD:
-Colgan
-Mesa
-Chautauqua
-XJet
-Shuttle America
-TSA
-GoJet
-ASA (soon)

I do not have numbers to back this up, but I have a feeling the saabs do not make quite as much money as some seem to think. Combine that with expiring leases and the "image/passenger experience" factor, and it is not surprising the saabs are headed back across the pond.

Dear PinnacleFO,

Thank you for submitting your thoughts on the diversification of the DCI network, coming to an airport near you. Unfortunately, I could care less about your crappy 4 day trips worth 15 hours and 4 hour airport sits (hehehehe!). All I care about is dollars and cents. The more of that I save, the more I can put in my pocket, thanks to all of the performance bonuses I currently enjoy as CEO of Delta. Does your company offer fat bonuses? Ha! Didn't think so. Keep up the good work and enjoy the Biscoff cookies.

Sincerely,

Richard Anderson

It's not a really efficient operation, just a really efficient whip-saw. It's worth it for management to have all the redundancy just to keep the line employee's pay rate low.