Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
08-11-2009, 04:08 AM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: LAX 350 A
Posts: 564
It's tough anywhere you go. I guess I just don't see how the fight on the East is worth it but not the West as well. I'm probably biased because I'm from there..
Jet Blue, United and Virgin have a small presence on the North/South West coast traffic. From a life long West coaster, there is only one airline doing the majority of the work and its AS.
Jet Blue, United and Virgin have a small presence on the North/South West coast traffic. From a life long West coaster, there is only one airline doing the majority of the work and its AS.
My wife has been in PDX for two days now. Not one seat out to SLC was open.
There are opportunities and O & D population out west. The problem is DAL is still picking the low hanging fruit and hasn't exploited those opportunities yet. West coast flying (besides N - S) involves large distances to the hubs and low yeilds.
With that said, Bob Crandall stated years ago that some markets you have to serve even with a very low yeild because those pax will eventually travel on a high yeild flight. Delta just hasn't figured that out yet.
You should have seen the routing from LAX - SFO when I had to deadhead a few months back. The World's Premier Global Airline doesn't fly between the two most popular (and I'm guessing populous) cities in CA.
PATHETIC
08-11-2009, 05:11 AM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2008
Posts: 309
It's not like DL just has planes lying around doing nothing (at least ones that would be suitable for the domestic market).
With moves like re-tooling the DCA-LGA shuttle. Putting 319's on the low-yield summer NY-FL season, etc,etc I believe they are doing their best to put airplanes where they will make us the most money.
Once we get that all figured out then maybe we can start filling in the blanks. I'm actually very impressed with how things have been materializing and am glad we don't have our fingers in every market out there, especially one as over saturated as LAX-SFO (UA, AA, Southwest and Vir America)
With moves like re-tooling the DCA-LGA shuttle. Putting 319's on the low-yield summer NY-FL season, etc,etc I believe they are doing their best to put airplanes where they will make us the most money.
Once we get that all figured out then maybe we can start filling in the blanks. I'm actually very impressed with how things have been materializing and am glad we don't have our fingers in every market out there, especially one as over saturated as LAX-SFO (UA, AA, Southwest and Vir America)
Last edited by FlyinPiker; 08-11-2009 at 05:23 AM.
08-11-2009, 05:26 AM
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Joined APC: Mar 2007
Position: 88B - Loud Pipes Save Lives
Posts: 1,597
FWIW, the central valley CA city I live in is nearing 1M people. We serve it with 3 RJs to SLC.
My wife has been in PDX for two days now. Not one seat out to SLC was open.
There are opportunities and O & D population out west. The problem is DAL is still picking the low hanging fruit and hasn't exploited those opportunities yet. West coast flying (besides N - S) involves large distances to the hubs and low yeilds.
With that said, Bob Crandall stated years ago that some markets you have to serve even with a very low yeild because those pax will eventually travel on a high yeild flight. Delta just hasn't figured that out yet.
You should have seen the routing from LAX - SFO when I had to deadhead a few months back. The World's Premier Global Airline doesn't fly between the two most popular (and I'm guessing populous) cities in CA.
PATHETIC
My wife has been in PDX for two days now. Not one seat out to SLC was open.
There are opportunities and O & D population out west. The problem is DAL is still picking the low hanging fruit and hasn't exploited those opportunities yet. West coast flying (besides N - S) involves large distances to the hubs and low yeilds.
With that said, Bob Crandall stated years ago that some markets you have to serve even with a very low yeild because those pax will eventually travel on a high yeild flight. Delta just hasn't figured that out yet.
You should have seen the routing from LAX - SFO when I had to deadhead a few months back. The World's Premier Global Airline doesn't fly between the two most popular (and I'm guessing populous) cities in CA.
PATHETIC
On the east coast we do those high density cities to FL and they're not exactly profit centers for us. Delta is figuring out how to connect low yield to high yield for the most part. The big glaring exception is what's been done to the Shuttle product. That said, they are making changes but they also must balance the cost to make these changes with the horrible revenue market right now. Sometimes saving money and sitting on the sidelines and saving yourself is better than leaving your 1st string players in the game when you're leading 51-10 in the 4th.
08-11-2009, 05:26 AM
Can't abide NAI
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: Douglas Aerospace post production Flight Test & Work Around Engineering bulletin dissembler
Posts: 12,037
We gave a huge concession to the company when we allowed the Alaska codeshare to be brought over. Those were jobs that could have broken the cycle of the endless upgrade to Capt here. No dominant carrier at LAX looks like a huge opportunity, not a reason to not grow there.
If we tightened our scope it would force the Company to merge.
08-11-2009, 05:33 AM
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Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: Flying the SEC
Posts: 2,350
I wonder how much we paid out in vouchers and fines for over booking flights? Every flight I have seen domestically as asked for volunteers due to over booking. I was in BUF yesterday trying to get my wife home to SAT. I had to buy tickets on Airtran to get her home. Every DAL flight was oversold both legs to all destinations.
Airtran had seats and sold me a business class seat for $365! They can't be making money on that seat. SWA was completely booked too so I couln't use a Zed faire. Checked the web and DAL, AA, USair all wanted over $700.
So come September does the traffic drop off a cliff? It seems to me that right now we could put a bigger airplane on almost every leg. Will that change next month?
Airtran had seats and sold me a business class seat for $365! They can't be making money on that seat. SWA was completely booked too so I couln't use a Zed faire. Checked the web and DAL, AA, USair all wanted over $700.
So come September does the traffic drop off a cliff? It seems to me that right now we could put a bigger airplane on almost every leg. Will that change next month?
08-11-2009, 05:41 AM
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Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: LAX 350 A
Posts: 564
No offense, but Hauenstein and Cortelyou are much smarter than all of us combined on "The Latest and Greatest" thread at revenue and network opportunities. Why go against UAL, SWA, and the others on LAX-SFO right now in the worst revenue market in recent history. Perhaps its better to leave the plane parked in the desert and return it to service when yields do improve.
On the east coast we do those high density cities to FL and they're not exactly profit centers for us. Delta is figuring out how to connect low yield to high yield for the most part. The big glaring exception is what's been done to the Shuttle product. That said, they are making changes but they also must balance the cost to make these changes with the horrible revenue market right now. Sometimes saving money and sitting on the sidelines and saving yourself is better than leaving your 1st string players in the game when you're leading 51-10 in the 4th.
On the east coast we do those high density cities to FL and they're not exactly profit centers for us. Delta is figuring out how to connect low yield to high yield for the most part. The big glaring exception is what's been done to the Shuttle product. That said, they are making changes but they also must balance the cost to make these changes with the horrible revenue market right now. Sometimes saving money and sitting on the sidelines and saving yourself is better than leaving your 1st string players in the game when you're leading 51-10 in the 4th.
When Delta tried to make PDX work as the asian gateway, we had like 1 or 2 RJs running from SFO - PDX. SFO - aisia is a hudge market. Bottom line is nothing can compete with the profits we gain domestically from ATL; it's the most profitable hub in the world. DAL gets caught up in that and while picking the low fruit maybe misses some already on the ground.
Every time there is a leadership change we hear "we're gonna grow LAX and the west coast." Take a look at the current AE. We took the brunt of the surplus considering we're only 400+ strong.
But what the hay, I've got a job and flying to places I like. Not trying to p.ss anyone off, just making conversation.
Cheers.
08-11-2009, 05:44 AM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: LAX 350 A
Posts: 564
I wonder how much we paid out in vouchers and fines for over booking flights? Every flight I have seen domestically as asked for volunteers due to over booking. I was in BUF yesterday trying to get my wife home to SAT. I had to buy tickets on Airtran to get her home. Every DAL flight was oversold both legs to all destinations.
Airtran had seats and sold me a business class seat for $365! They can't be making money on that seat. SWA was completely booked too so I couln't use a Zed faire. Checked the web and DAL, AA, USair all wanted over $700.
So come September does the traffic drop off a cliff? It seems to me that right now we could put a bigger airplane on almost every leg. Will that change next month?
Airtran had seats and sold me a business class seat for $365! They can't be making money on that seat. SWA was completely booked too so I couln't use a Zed faire. Checked the web and DAL, AA, USair all wanted over $700.
So come September does the traffic drop off a cliff? It seems to me that right now we could put a bigger airplane on almost every leg. Will that change next month?
The system is very close to breaking. All in all though, besides our buddies at SkyWest, the agents are doing a damned good job.
08-11-2009, 06:12 AM
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2007
Position: Flying the SEC
Posts: 2,350
Yes, agreed, the Delta agents I have seen have been doing a good job of remaining cool. The contracted employees of the "partners" seem to be less patient. It's hard to remain calm when you have people in your face all day angry that they missed their flight.
BUF to ATL was 5 Mad Dogs, not one RJ yet every flight was oversold Airtran had two flights and both had seats available. I bought a business class refundable ticket while sitting in the airport on the web for $365. We must be kicking their butt in that market.
BUF to ATL was 5 Mad Dogs, not one RJ yet every flight was oversold Airtran had two flights and both had seats available. I bought a business class refundable ticket while sitting in the airport on the web for $365. We must be kicking their butt in that market.
08-11-2009, 06:38 AM
Happy to be here
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Position: A-320A
Posts: 18,563
Yes, agreed, the Delta agents I have seen have been doing a good job of remaining cool. The contracted employees of the "partners" seem to be less patient. It's hard to remain calm when you have people in your face all day angry that they missed their flight.
BUF to ATL was 5 Mad Dogs, not one RJ yet every flight was oversold Airtran had two flights and both had seats available. I bought a business class refundable ticket while sitting in the airport on the web for $365. We must be kicking their butt in that market.
BUF to ATL was 5 Mad Dogs, not one RJ yet every flight was oversold Airtran had two flights and both had seats available. I bought a business class refundable ticket while sitting in the airport on the web for $365. We must be kicking their butt in that market.
All I have to say is patience. Things will start to take shape next year. They have plans to change the way we do business, but it is going to take time to make sure these plans are rolled out correctly.
08-11-2009, 06:42 AM
Moderator
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: DAL 330
Posts: 6,991
[quote=DAL4EVER;659702]
No offense, but Hauenstein and Cortelyou are much smarter than all of us combined on "The Latest and Greatest" thread at revenue and network opportunities.
I sure hope so - our future depends on it.
Scoop
No offense, but Hauenstein and Cortelyou are much smarter than all of us combined on "The Latest and Greatest" thread at revenue and network opportunities.
I sure hope so - our future depends on it.
Scoop
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