uh,
you do realize there are computer programs that instantly count the number of words, don't you? in fact, it is called WORD.
you two do use technology to allow people to do more things and go farther, don't you?
Sidebar: if you haven't seen it, the movie Jobs has a scene in which Steve Jobs chews his Apple team up for their lack of creativity in designing a word processor, only to show them what Microsoft has done with Word. Apple customers may be very loyal and their computers may have some unique features, but Microsoft dominates the market with Office, regardless of the platform it runs on.
Perhaps you can tell us what Herb's point of telling us (which you reported) that he would move WN's offices etc from DAL. If that wasn't a threat that if he didn't get all the gates at the airport, he would take his airline's HDQ elsewhere, then it sure looked that way - even if you later qualified it. If he really thinks that two gates are enough to push him to move his HDQ, then I'm not sure any city really wants to be subject to that kind of continual threat.
The fact that an airline REALLY, REALLY, REALLY needs something such as gates at DAL doesn't at all meant that they are 1. going to get it or 2. that the airport is allowed to give it to them.
DAL is a federally funded airport and there are laws regarding access for other carriers. If no other carrier wants to serve DAL, then WN is lucky enough they can dominate the gates, but that is not the case at least as far as DL is concerned. And it still doesn't say that the laws would allow WN to lay permanent claim to all of the gates even if no other carrier expresses interest now.
I still believe that DL is the one of the few if not the only airline that is willing to take on WN at DAL and as has been noted, DL will be serving DAL based on the schedule that is for sale.
As I have repeatedly said, I am glad that the day is coming for WN to announce its schedule from DAL and I don't think they are planning a few flights. This will be a shock and awe moment for N. Texas and WN will serve all of the top markets that are also served from DFW in the continental US. While WN might not operate at a full enough schedule that they have to start pulling back flights on their existing DAL network to accommodate new flights, but I believe that day will come.
I'm not wishing for anyone to get laid off at any airline... but there were all kinds of people including AA/US mgmt who touted that AA/US would be the world's largest airline etc etc. At the same time, many people including me said that AA/US would have way more employees for similar amounts of revenues, even adjusted for types of networks/work done in house vs outsourced etc. Add in that the divestitures at DCA and the fall of the WA (or modification thereof) would create an unprecedented amount of new competition on AA's network unlike any other carrier has ever faced, and it is absolutely a given that there will be cuts - if even one of those things had occurred. Given that there are just two legacy airline hubs - ATL and DEN, neither of which are AA or US' - that operate side by side with a LCC operation as large as will exist at DCA, and there will be enormous revenue effects to new AA's network.
I'm not wishing for anything. But I'm also not blind to the reality of what will take place as a result of the merger divestitures and the change in air service in N. Texas and it does make me wish for anyone's demise by talking about it.
I still say that those who have celebrated keeping DL out of the process in order to save slots for WN and other LFCs will be in for a very rude awakening about how aggressively WN will work to make these markets succeed and expand their network; the same can be said for every other LCC that is involved. DL would look very tame in comparison.
