DL to start LAX-LHR, VS to start ATL-LHR

[737823]

AA's aircraft will have powerports in every row or seat. VX's will have power and USB in every row or seat.

 
Not to be pedantic but its not at every row in Y on the 757 or 763.  The 738 has AC power at every row (or every seat on the AVOD birds). Of course the schedules may change between now and October and none of the USAIR fleet has power in either cabin domestically. Hopefully they will add power but I'm not holding my breath.
 
Josh

 

[eolesen]

The DAL-LAX flights were in Kayak as of 10 days ago. I posted screenshots, remember?...

Now they're not.

The DFW-LAX flights are nowhere to be found, including DL's website.

 

[WorldTraveler]

the DAL flights are still for sale on delta.com.

the DFW-LAX flights have not been released to the GDSs. they were picked up from DL's schedule load which proceeds sale by several days. They will likely be for sale by this weekend with a press release on Monday.

It is very possible that DL is giving up on at least part of its DAL plans. But they are still building their presence in N. Texas which is what I said they would do regardless.

further, DL's addition of flights to Dallas, regardless of the airport, from LAX, strengthens DL's position at the same time the LHR flight is being added.

 

[traderjake]

so, a little humility on the other side might make a big difference in how things play out on this site.

 
Pot meet kettle. 
 
Do you even read what you post?

 

[WorldTraveler]

yes, I absolutely read what is written on here.

I absolutely want to have market-based discussions with people about issues that matter to the industry - including the financial and network aspects which are really at the heart of whether airlines succeed or fail.

What I have consistently seen is that there are a handful of people who cannot stand to see the facts about their favorite airline discussed even though those same facts are readily available for anyone to see.

For those who are happy to recognize it, exactly as CE Woolman said and Kev cited, every airline has strengths and weaknesses.
The market/finance conversations that become so hostile on this forum almost always involve when DL decides to do something in a strength market involving some other carrier or when another carrier's fans (yes, I know some don't like that term and am open to another term if someone wants to suggest one) don't want to hear the facts about markets.

No one seems to be interested in starting threads about AA's expansion into new markets in Latin America where we know they will do well or at least they are going to serve based on their profitability in the region and their recognition of the strategic value.

On the same basis, there aren't many discussions about DL's additions to/from Europe - unless they step onto someone else's toes. Given that DL is profitable on a year round basis to/from Europe and generates profit margins of 25% or higher in the summer, there isn't a whole lot that DL is going to start that isn't going to stick.

thus, if everyone could take a deep breath and recognize that both AA and DL are going to expand into each other's key markets exactly as DL is doing from LAX-LHR then we'd have a better board.

I have no problems with someone debating that AA has an advantage at LHR - I've never doubted that - but the facts say that DL has successfully grown its presence at LHR despite AA's advantage.

so, pots can indeed sit side by side whistling together if both recognize they are doing the same job and by not trying to argue that one can do something the other cannot.


DL sees LAX-LHR as a strategic must have and DFW-LAX fits in the same category. AA is free to choose from what DL serves and develop its own to-do list and no one here is going to stop anyone.

Predictions of how well each side will succeed is based not only on each carrier's experience in similar markets but also in their track record competing against each other.

 

[yoyodyne]

Transcontinental Travel: United vs. Delta

http://savvystews.com/2014/05/transcontinental-travel-united-vs-delta/

 

[Kev3188]

Kev, here's the schedule. No need to decipher WT's shell game approach...

October shows 28 nonstops between DFW/DAL and LAX:

AA = 17 (averages hourly between 6am & 10pm, peak hours are on 30 minute separation with a few offpeaks at 90 minutes)
NK = 2 (some days, 1)
UA = 3 (on RJ's no less)
VX = 3
WN = 3 (going to 4 in Nov)

As of just now, the only DL service showing for November 18th on their website are the 5 flights DAL-LAX. There's nothing loaded in Kayak for either DFW or DAL.

Assuming that DL just moves the planned Compass flying over to DFW, it will be positioning a E75 against a narrowbody.

AA's aircraft will have powerports in every row or seat. VX's will have power and USB in every row or seat.

DL, UA, NK, and WN won't.

Thanks, E.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Transcontinental Travel: United vs. Delta
http://savvystews.com/2014/05/transcontinental-travel-united-vs-delta/

this highlights that DL does offer a very competitive onboard product.... which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has really flown them.

Most importantly, DL FAs deliver a consistently solid product esp. in the premium cabins. There are certainly FAs who excel from the norm but few that deliver less than what the company has developed as the standard.

DL does compete very effectively in some of the most competitive markets in the world; considering that pre-merger DL had a relatively small presence in some of the world's top markets.

The LHR expansion and DL's growth from JFK, growth in Asia, and development of DL's Latin America network have all provided more than enough opportunities for DL to prove it is up to the task.

Let's also keep in mind that DL is fairly consistently ranking above its other network peers in various types of service rankings, something that didn't exist in the past.

DL is widely perceived as delivering above average reliability and service compared to its US network peers.

Growth into key markets competitive with its peers isn't as difficult as it once was when DL had not bothered to invest either in the onboard program and wasn't running a terribly reliable operation.

 

[WorldTraveler]

and in another corner of DL's growing western US network, there is desire to see more of the competition from DL which is helping to bring airfares down

http://juneauempire.com/opinion/2014-05-21/support-delta-ensure-cheaper-juneau-airfare#.U36QfXkU_IV

By MARK S. JOHNSON

FOR THE JUNEAU EMPIRE


Delta Airlines (sic) is returning to Juneau after an absence of nearly two decades. Let’s welcome Delta and encourage it to expand from summer to year-round service. If Juneau-area residents fill its planes, perhaps Delta will consider providing more flights per day.
..

Before Delta announced it was resuming service to Juneau, the typical round-trip coach class airfare to Seattle on Alaska Airlines was $560. This summer, on most days, both airlines are offering round-trip tickets for less than $244. That is more than a 56 percent reduction from typical prices last summer.
..
If anyone doubts that round-trip fares will return to recent high rates if Delta discontinues service to Juneau, consider that round-trip coach fares between Juneau and Seattle in September 2014 are now priced at $568. That coincides with Delta ending its seasonal service this year.

 

[yoyodyne]

what was your fav before the 75 yoyo?  personally  I always love the 727.    as for LAX-LHR  I did not know that NZ does that route unless it is a continuation of flight from AKL      What aircraft will DL use.... 772 or 773

Robbed,
 
Sorry it took so long to reply, I don't get on here as often as I should, as a matter of fact, I still haven't replied to Kev as to why an in-house union is the way to go for DL.  My personal favorites are by far anything not made by Airbus, but I do prefer narrowbodies, cause that is where the sweat and blood of the ramper lives.  IMHO, widebodies are too mechanized.  To make my point, and I'm sure most rampers will agree, its not the same to load 10,000 lbs of mail on a 757, than to slide 3 or 4 cans off transporters into the FMC Commander, and watch them disappear into the plane (or bags for that matter).  That being said, my most favorite plane is the 757.  The 57 will make or break you as a ramper, case in point, loading or offloading bins 3 and 4 (with that damn incline), by yourself, as it takes willpower not to give up (specially right before thanksgiving).  My next favorite was the 727, as long as it didn't have the aux tank, that way we could play basketball while waiting for the bags (try that in a mad-dog), however, you had to be careful with its doors and those damn poles.  And lastly, the venerable and indestructible 737-200, those were some tough little planes.  I remember once doing the arrival walkaround on one coming from Floriduh (when they were DL Express), and evidently some pissed off person shot it a few times, cause it showed up at our station with a few holes on its belly.  The very first plane I pushed was N310DA, dressed up in her PowerPuff Girls livery.
 

 
Sadly, she went to rest in the desert with regular clothes on.

 

[eolesen]

Interesting that you're pointing out fare drops at JNU a day after taking someone else out to the woodshed for pointing out the same thing at DSM when WN added service...

Clearly, DL dropped fares to win share. Good for the customer, but both carriers lose when you don't cover your costs.

It's been a few years since DOJ has fielded a good predatory pricing claim. DL had better be careful, because I don't think they're the DOJ's favorite airline after the Love Field follies....

 

[eolesen]

Dupe

 

[WorldTraveler]

Interesting that you're pointing out fare drops at JNU a day after taking someone else out to the woodshed for pointing out the same thing at DSM when WN added service...

Clearly, DL dropped fares to win share. Good for the customer, but both carriers lose when you don't cover your costs.

It's been a few years since DOJ has fielded a good predatory pricing claim. DL had better be careful, because I don't think they're the DOJ's favorite airline after the Love Field follies....

I never said there wasn't a relationship between increased capacity and reduced fares. What I argued against is some kind of mythical reduction in fares that comes when a particular airline decides to add service. Increased service without a corresponding growth in the market always leads to reduction in fares.

DL has been very careful not be a fare leader in SEA as a result of its new service - which means that the dominant carrier there as well as others affected by DL's additions have to take the steps to reduce their inventory settings to accept more low fare traffic.

Since DL's complaint with AS was that they were unwilling to relax inventory controls in order to accommodate DL flow traffic, they are having to make those adjustments now - but in the local market.

And as much as some here want to believe that DL is the predatory, there are people who see DL as breaking the monopoly that AS has had on lower 48 to Alaska service esp. during the winter.

Competition is good and it is something that any airline can do - with corresponding effects on market pricing.

 

[robbedagain]

thanks for the pic yoyo.   I remember that plane.    I hated our F-100s and did not care too much for loading md-80s either

 

[700UW]

Winning!
 
 

AA made a deal with UA to take over their 4 gates in T6. Supposed to close in the 3Q. This is a good sign. We still technically have one gate in T3 as well. Local management made no comment about that gate. Looks like there is going to be some shuffling going on soon. I hope the first thing they do is refresh that dump known as the UA gates. Also included in the deal is counter and office space.