SWA now getting involved with slot (s) possibilities

[WorldTraveler]

because DL, like every one of the legacy carriers, had to restructure its business model from a regulated era which included many benefits such as defined benefit pension plans that WN has never offered. Some carriers like US and UA dumped them completely on the PBGC, while DL and NW retained responsibility the majority of theirs and AA will retain some.

The whole reason why DL is not the largest airline in every Florida city is because DL made the business decision to move its widebody aircraft from flying ATL-Florida runs every hour to flying int'l flights... and that process started in the summer of 2005, before DL entered BK. By pursuing higher revenue, DL improved its revenues to match its costs.

DL's 112% domestic revenue premium to the US industry alone - on top of DL's revenue premium across the Atlantic and Pacific shows that DL has achieved its goals of improving its revenues.

And while you want to tout how highly paid WN employees are, keep in mind that FL is now a WN subsidiary and they aren't coming anywhere close to achieving the levels of pay that WN employees have traditionally had.... and WN employees are not getting the pay raises at the speed they once did either.

The industry moves on... WN has done a lot of things right but so has DL and the other legacy airlines including US. Trying to hold the airline industry in what it looked like 10 years ago is a big mistake.

would you like to share a date for the article you found? DL now has the lowest CASM among the network carriers and within a percent or two of WN, including FL.

The fact that DL has costs on the absolute low end of the spectrum and revenue on the top end is why DL is making as much as they are.

 

[700UW]

Wrong again, the former AirTran employees all got raises and are working under the WN CBAs.
 
And WN is still the highest paid in the industry, those are facts.

 

[WNMECH]

And while you want to tout how highly paid WN employees are, keep in mind that FL is now a WN subsidiary and they aren't coming anywhere close to achieving the levels of pay that WN employees have traditionally had....

How about you explain that?

 

[700UW]

 

[WNMECH]

LaGuardia Flights on AMR Said to Go to Southwest, Virgin
 
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-12-04/laguardia-flights-on-amr-said-to-go-to-southwest-virgin.html
 
I wouldn't bet the farm on first reports by unnamed sources, but here you go.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Wrong again, the former AirTran employees all got raises and are working under the WN CBAs.
 
And WN is still the highest paid in the industry, those are facts.

I have a feeling there are some FL captains that will disagree with you.

 

[700UW]

http://youtu.be/6-oHYYaw9jA

 

[WorldTraveler]

Let's say that the FL captains have more than a feeling....they have the certainty in their paycheck that they aren't being treated like WN employees.

 

[Kev3188]

That's all pretty awesome, but I'd still like to know just how large (or not) the other carriers in spots 3/4/5/etc. for the local DFW market are (or were).

 
 
I'm still waiting.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Don't lose any sleep over whatever you think you are owed.....

There is big money to be made tomorrow.

 

[Kev3188]

I'll take that as a refusal to answer. Bummer.

Nobody said anything about being owed.

You've used the "DL is #2 at DFW" talking point before. I'd just like to know some of the background behind it.

You know, "exchanging ideas" and all that.

 

[robbedagain]

How many flights does DL have total just mainline flights in DFW

 

[swamt]

WT, here's an article that might interest you very much:--
 
 





Bloomberg News


LaGuardia Flights in AMR Accord Said to Go to Southwest, Virgin
By Mary Schlangenstein December 05, 2013
 

Winning LaGuardia access would let Southwest Airlines Co., the biggest discounter, expand at the airport closest to central Manhattan and give Virgin America Inc. a toehold there. Photographer: Jin Lee/Bloomberg




Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV:US) and Virgin America Inc. will gain flight slots at New York’s LaGuardia Airport as American Airlines and US Airways Group Inc. retrench there under the settlement of the U.S. antitrust lawsuit against their merger, two people familiar with the matter said.
The low-fare carriers are acquiring rights to 34 takeoffs and landings a day after an American-US Airways accord with the U.S. Justice Department, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the terms aren’t final. Details such as the allocation weren’t immediately available, the people said.
Talks are under way on how American and US Airways will divest slots for 104 daily flights at Washington’s Reagan Airport, the people said. The Justice Department has to approve buyers of the slots, which were a focus of the Nov. 12 agreement paving the way for the airlines’ $17.8 billion merger as regulators sought to make room for discount rivals.
Story: Meet the Mega-Airline: Regulators Roll Over for American-US Airways Merger
“We are working through it now,” US Airways Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker said in an interview yesterday, while declining to say what airlines would receive the New York and Washington slots. “It’s our process to manage, but the DOJ has to approve.”
LaGuardia, Reagan, New York’s Kennedy and New Jersey’s Newark Liberty are the major airports with U.S. flight caps to help damp congestion, making takeoff and landing rights a prized commodity. LaGuardia slots would let Southwest expand at the airport closest to central Manhattan and offer a toehold there for Virgin America, which serves Kennedy and Newark Liberty.

Largest Airline
The new American will become the world’s biggest airline once the merger closes on Dec. 9 as American parent AMR Corp. exits bankruptcy. American Airlines Group Inc. will be led by Parker, 52, while American CEO Tom Horton, 52, steps aside to become chairman until the merged carrier’s first annual meeting.
Story: Virgin America to Merging Airlines: Let Us Into Your Hubs
Whitney Eichinger, a spokeswoman for Southwest, said she had no comment on the slots. Madhu Unnikrishnan, a spokesman for Burlingame, California-based Virgin America, also declined to comment, as did Mike Trevino, a spokesman for American.
Among the flight slots being sold at LaGuardia are 10 that already were being leased by Dallas-based Southwest from American. At Reagan National, JetBlue Airways Corp. is leasing rights to 16 daily flights from Fort Worth, Texas-based American. The post-merger American would have controlled 67 percent of daily departures there without the divestitures.
U.S. regulators sued to block the deal on Aug. 13, saying the combination would boost fares and hurt consumers. Slots, which give the right to one takeoff or landing, rarely become available in large numbers.

 

[swamt]

Here's another one for you WT, please take note of the quote; "Large carriers Delta airlines and United were believed to be excluded from the sale" Sad but true. Here you go, HAPPY READING WT:--

Southwest, Virgin America to buy LaGuardia slots: sources
.
Reuters
6 hours ago


By Karen Jacobs and Diane Bartz

Related Stories


Airline Merger Settled: Let the Fighting Begin Motley Fool
3 Important Numbers from the American-USAir Settlement Motley Fool
JetBlue, Southwest Gain From Settlement Terms On Big Airline Merger Seeking Alpha
5 Cities That Could See New Low-Cost Carrier Service to DC Motley Fool
New Super Airline to Trade on the Nasdaq Wall St. Cheat Sheet

ATLANTA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines (LUV) and Virgin American will buy the take-off and landing slots at New York's LaGuardia Airport that US Airways Group Inc and American Airlines must sell as part of their agreement to merge, three sources said on Wednesday.

Last month, US Airways (LCC) and American (AAMRQ.PK) agreed to divest 17 pairs of slots at LaGuardia, a busy airport with limited capacity, as well as certain other assets, as part of a settlement of an antitrust lawsuit by the U.S. Justice Department.

The sources, who asked not to be named to preserve business relationships, did not say how many of the 17 pairs of slots each airline would purchase. Terms of the sales are not known.

Southwest, US Airways and American declined to comment on the question of LaGuardia slot pairs. Virgin America did not return calls or email requesting comment.

In the deal made in November the two airlines also agreed to give up 52 pairs of takeoff and landing slots at Reagan National Airport, just outside Washington, D.C.

JetBlue (JBLU) has been expected to be interested in the slots at Reagan National that it is currently leasing from American.

US Airways and American announced in February that they planned to merge. The Justice Department sued to stop the deal, saying it would lead to higher fares. The sides settled on November 12 after the airlines agreed to a long list of divestitures.

In addition to slot sales, the airlines also agreed to give up gates at five key airports: Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Dallas Love Field, Los Angeles International Airport and Miami International Airport.

The Justice Department argued that the slot and gate sales would give low cost competitors better access to some of the country's busiest airports. Analysts, however, said that a relatively small number of flights would be affected and any change would be incremental.

The Justice Department selects which airlines are eligible to buy the assets that the airlines must sell. It has said that the gates at the five airports will be transferred on "commercially reasonable terms: to the acquirers.

Large carriers Delta Air Lines and United were believed to have been excluded from the sale.

In a side agreement with the Department of Transportation, the airlines agreed to dedicate their commuter slots at Reagan National to medium, small and non-hub cities.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz, editing by Ros Krasny and David Gregorio)

 

[eolesen]

DL now has the lowest CASM among the network carriers and within a percent or two of WN, including FL.

Hmmm, I think FWAAA gave conflicting information on that earlier today to prove you wrong.

http://www.airlineforums.com/topic/56441-southwest-virgin-america-to-buy-laguardia-slots/page-2#entry1043514

But hey, I'm sure you'll be back with some sort of a disclaimer to make the case for DL being lower.