acl65pilot

Not a new rumor, but as I see it a valid one.

HND slot, similar flying, and a very strategic HNL Hub.

Would make sense to buy them and see if AMR goes after AS allowing us to get one or both of these carriers with full government approval. Also HA could just be a good head fake to make AMR jump after AS. Either way the end game is AS.

KC10 FATboy

Can we afford loosing the AS codeshare? I really don't want the government deciding who wins that battle. I'd rather we go after it first. If we don't get it, fine, we keep the codeshare. If AMR tries after we were denied, we cry foul and sue.

maddogmax

And more 330's and positions on 350's

acl65pilot

This is my personal take.

If we go after AS first, we will not get approval. It we go after HI and AMR then goes after AS, we will be "compelled to protect our feed" with AS. It gives us a very rational position with the DOT in regard to this course of events.
DAL just going after AS give the government some wiggle room, and I do not see that happening.

The way that our code share is set up with AS, the other code shares that AS has are capped. We can grow ours but they cannot grow the others. The poison pill for ending our agreement is also a good deterrent for AMR. Because that cannot be paid with a stock swap, it provides a deterrent for AMR and B6 by itself. (lack o cash) It may allow AS to stay independent which is their desire, and for them to continue to feed us. It has been stated in many of the chats that RA has had, that we do not desire to buy AS unless we need to. If RA and co play their cards correctly we may be able to get HI and keep AS independent with the option to buy if need be. That IMO is the desire to date.

HA is important for our Asian route network and for our RASM out of HNL. If we can get that other HND slot, it bodes very well for DAL.

Dash8widget

Since when does a "very rational position" have any impact on what the DOT actually does?

Free Bird

Im thinking that our competition would try and get the DOJ to have us divest that HND slot if this were to play out. Weather or not we would have to, who knows. It should be interesting to see how UCAL integrates CAL's Guam flying with UAL's Narita ops. HNL/HA could potentially be our answer to Guam.

Bucking Bar

Alternatively, we could perform our own flying. As a pilot, I would prefer to work for an airline than a travel agency.

Alaska and Delta are fairly intertwined. We provide ground handling for them. Since their staffing requirements are more stringent than ours, Station Managers complain that we shift a lot of resources to ensure Alaska's flights get out on time to the detriment of Delta flights.

IMHO we need to always keep focus on OUR operation. A problem with losing AS codeshare is that arguably, their product is preferred by our customers.

I would sure like to say "Delta is the best" and we can take that fight anyplace in the market. Who's with me?

acl65pilot

It was always a backup depending on what happens with the talks with Japan on the Okinawa base.

acl65pilot

Bar;
Agreed, that that is where the pilot group needs to be. I am discussing a management perspective. We can try to message their view to mimic our position, but their is based on RASM and a desire no to dilute the market share out there. We may have to eventually do that, but it will be widely unprofitable for us.

Bucking Bar

Yep. As you know I bought HA stock figuring this was how the HND slot would play. It would be nice to get our 767's back and maybe revisit the 717 question. A pair of CF34's might fix what ails that jet.