deltawatch
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
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Delta Air Lines has ousted longtime leader US Airways as the dominant carrier at Norfolk International Airport.
September and October passenger counts show Delta in the No. 1 spot for market share. Delta wanted to review the figures before commenting.
This is exciting news, said spokeswoman Peggy Estes.
US Airways had commanded the local skies since 1989. But the airline has fallen on hard times. In the past year, it has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, slashed flights and laid off workers.
The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks only amplified the financial and operational problems that already plagued the airline.
In October, Delta carried 27 percent of passengers at Norfolk International compared with US Airways'' 23.5 percent. Delta first squeaked past US Airways in September with 25.37 percent of travelers versus US Airways'' 25.33 percent.
But US Airways'' stronger numbers during the previous months will likely keep the airline on top for the year, said Charles W. Braden, the airport''s director of market development.
Over the past year or two, Braden has watched Delta''s numbers creep up while US Airways slowly slipped. Delta''s been coming on for some time now, he said.
Still, Braden does not downplay US Airways'' importance to the area. The carrier, he said, goes to major hubs that we need.
Another thing to watch in the rankings, Braden said, is whether Southwest Airlines, the low-fare leader that stimulated unprecedented air travel growth at Norfolk, will overtake US Airways and slide into the second position. Southwest now has a 17.5 percent market share.
Braden said Delta has been fairly aggressive in offering discounted fares to compete with Southwest, as well as AirTran at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.
For beleaguered US Airways, the news that it had slipped to No. 2 in Norfolk was not surprising.
We''ve been reducing capacity across the system since 9/11, said David Castelveter, an airline spokesman.
He said that in August 2001, a month before the attacks, US Airways had 42 daily departures out of Norfolk. Last month, it had 31.
And it''s not over yet. As we speak, we''re trying to find ways to further reduce our expenses, Castelveter said.
Meanwhile, Delta has boosted its presence in Norfolk, increasing daily departures from 12 to 15 in the past year.
But what''s more telling is the number of available seats. Delta''s seat availability rose 14.2 percent from 1,634 to 1,866 from October 2001 to October 2002. US Airways seats dropped 21.4 percent from 2,767 to 2,176 over the same period.
September and October passenger counts show Delta in the No. 1 spot for market share. Delta wanted to review the figures before commenting.
This is exciting news, said spokeswoman Peggy Estes.
US Airways had commanded the local skies since 1989. But the airline has fallen on hard times. In the past year, it has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, slashed flights and laid off workers.
The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks only amplified the financial and operational problems that already plagued the airline.
In October, Delta carried 27 percent of passengers at Norfolk International compared with US Airways'' 23.5 percent. Delta first squeaked past US Airways in September with 25.37 percent of travelers versus US Airways'' 25.33 percent.
But US Airways'' stronger numbers during the previous months will likely keep the airline on top for the year, said Charles W. Braden, the airport''s director of market development.
Over the past year or two, Braden has watched Delta''s numbers creep up while US Airways slowly slipped. Delta''s been coming on for some time now, he said.
Still, Braden does not downplay US Airways'' importance to the area. The carrier, he said, goes to major hubs that we need.
Another thing to watch in the rankings, Braden said, is whether Southwest Airlines, the low-fare leader that stimulated unprecedented air travel growth at Norfolk, will overtake US Airways and slide into the second position. Southwest now has a 17.5 percent market share.
Braden said Delta has been fairly aggressive in offering discounted fares to compete with Southwest, as well as AirTran at Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport.
For beleaguered US Airways, the news that it had slipped to No. 2 in Norfolk was not surprising.
We''ve been reducing capacity across the system since 9/11, said David Castelveter, an airline spokesman.
He said that in August 2001, a month before the attacks, US Airways had 42 daily departures out of Norfolk. Last month, it had 31.
And it''s not over yet. As we speak, we''re trying to find ways to further reduce our expenses, Castelveter said.
Meanwhile, Delta has boosted its presence in Norfolk, increasing daily departures from 12 to 15 in the past year.
But what''s more telling is the number of available seats. Delta''s seat availability rose 14.2 percent from 1,634 to 1,866 from October 2001 to October 2002. US Airways seats dropped 21.4 percent from 2,767 to 2,176 over the same period.