Skyone

Just like ATL. Moving the subcontinent around the world. When a country that will soon have the largest population in the world is basically next door, I don't think they will have to worry about O/D traffic. Their aviation industry in a mess, and their population would rather fly on just about anybody other than a national/local carrier. The FAA just downgraded all the carriers in India via the regulatory agency. Can keep the flights they have but unable to add any to the US. And that is where Qatar, EK and EY come in. If you need to concern yourself, concern yourself with the unlimited money EY has thru their oil. They aren't expanding like EK, but rather buying into carriers, such as JetAirways and rumored Alitalia next.

How much O/D traffic does the busiest airport in the world have?

Skyone

Funny you don't seem too worried about KAL and SAUDI, two true subsidized carriers. But they're in SkyTeam, so it's ok.

Had to chuckle about your "chickened out" comment. I would say it took some nerve for the 2000+ that retired early into an unknown future and leave the mother Delta nest. Besides when JG says in an LCA meeting, basically there is no reason for anyone not to retire early with the unknown future of the airline, ya gotta take the man at his word.

But don't see any cabotage issues in any of this. Can't blame these carriers for getting below market loans for their fleets. That's our own gubment at work. Can't disagree with you on that one. Maybe if DL had decided to to buy massive Boeing wide bodies.....who knows. Gotta support Airbus. But if any of the ME carriers do a point to point in the US and board pax at the first stop....I promise I will ST#U and actually take up the banner.

80ktsClamp

It ranks 4th in O/D. Not an insignificant amount.

Skyone

80, the 2013 ranking I found was ATL 13th in the US.

dalad

Quite a bit, actually. Oops, just saw 80 beat me to it.

tsquare

Actually I despise Saudi much more than I do your "little" airline. And I don;'t think KAL is long for Skyteam either.

Grinstein was a senile old man that was asleep at the switch when he hired Leo the CEO. If you believed anything he said, you didn't do your homework. No, I don't give him a pass at all. He was directly responsible for the damage, and tried to save face with his donations and contributions. He did nothing for this airline.

Of course once the sand fleas DO a point to point, picking up the banner will be a little late. I am sure the bribes are already flowing in DC. After all, a country that can display the biggest fireworks display in history has lots of money to burn, right? Can't wait to see how generous they are at the next natural disaster.... oh wait.... nevermind.

Readback

"Chickened out"? Let me guess, Mr. Dead Zoner, you "voluntarily" said, "I'll forego the million + cash and ride the Widget through BK".

Yea, Right!

Readback

"Asleep at the switch", hardly! Hiring Leo was not his finest hour. He did shepherd the Widget through BK, AFTER getting a 35%+ pay cut from the MEC courtesy JM and company.

THEN, after terminating the pilots' pension plan (as promised) with the support of DLM, and all your buddies, he puts together a merger that should have occurred 25+ years earlier. The result, he golden parachutes back to SEA with his name left behind on a 757.

Not the work of a "senile old man", me thinks.

Dirtdiver

You need to look into the definition of a Delta deadzoner!

Tsq, like so many of us, was under 50 at the time of the bankruptcy and was not eligible for early retirement.

Readback

You are correct sir! That is the definition of "Dead Zoner" I referred to.

In other words, calling someone "Chicken" because they made a choice you never had is disingenuous at best. Hypocritical at worst!

But in Tsqs' case, it's more typical than anything else.