Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

[SteveD]

Only 18 of them and a claim for never more than an 18 second wait? Something's not adding up there. You'd need hundreds, if not thousands, of them at Hartsfield-Jackson. With 18 you'd build up a queue for miles in minutes...

[echinatl]

Originally Posted by SteveD

Only 18 of them and a claim for never more than an 18 second wait? Something's not adding up there. You'd need hundreds, if not thousands, of them at Hartsfield-Jackson. With 18 you'd build up a queue for miles in minutes...

It looks like its being used specifically for business passengers at a specific terminal. If they got 18 to work maybe they could make 100 work, or build 18 that can hold 10 people or so?

[smArTaLlone]

TIMELY ARRIVALS

Top on-time airlines in November:
Hawaiian: 92.4%
Aloha: 91.6%
Delta: 85.6%
Frontier: 84.5%
Southwest: 84.5%
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation

[smArTaLlone]

Delta Air Lines Inc. wants to begin merger talks with UAL Corp. and Northwest Airlines Corp., according to a Thursday report from the Wall Street Journal citing unnamed sources who have knowledge of the situation.

In a prepared statement sent to Atlanta Business Chronicle, Delta said: "Delta has said previously that its board of directors has formed a special committee to work with management to review and analyze strategic options to ensure Delta maintains its leadership position in the industry, including potential consolidation transactions. During this period we will not provide any updates on the board's process."

The Wall Street Journal story said Atlanta-based Delta (NYSE: DAL) will ask its board for the OK to begin merger talks.

The news comes just one day after the leader of Delta's pilots union sent a letter to pilots to warn them the airline may look to merge with another carrier.

Air Line Pilots Association Executive Committee Chairman Lee Moak told pilots Delta may consolidate and the union has retained legal counsel specializing in mergers and acquisitions. The union will meet later this week in a special session in Atlanta and the meeting will "focus on the fact that our company may soon be involved in some form of industry consolidation."

While Moak did not name any possible suitors for Delta, in November Hedge fund Pardus Capital Management LP sent a letter to Delta executives calling for a merger of Delta and United Air Lines Inc. parent UAL Corp. At the time, Delta denied any talks with United but formed the special committee to review and analyze its strategic options.

Delta's stock closed up 18.2 percent at $15.98 a share in Thursday trading.

[Behind_Phips]

Do we think the headquarters will stay in Atlanta? For the love of god, we can not take the loss of another major corporation.

[atl2phx]

Originally Posted by Behind_Phips

Do we think the headquarters will stay in Atlanta? For the love of god, we can not take the loss of another major corporation.

i'd like to hear strek777 or atlantaguy weigh in on this one.

i agree, it would be another emotional loss for the city to lose another major HQ, and loosing delta would be the most difficult to date. however, the real impact on atlanta and hartsfield would likely mean continued growth in operations and jobs as hartsfield would continue to be the major hub for any combined operations.

no doubt, mergers are coming and delta seems to be positioning themselves as leading the charge - and i'm somewhat encouraged by the proactive stance delta seems to be taking. on the other hand, i'm not sure there's alot delta can do during negotiations to maintain delta's colors or an atlanta HQ.

[atlantaguy]

In my humble opinion, if it's Northwet I think the HQ's and name remain.

If it's United, all bets are off. The hub isn't going anywhere, though.

[Fiorenza]

The feds would never allow a United-Delta merger. It's a non-starter. They didn't agree to the United-US Air deal a couple of years ago.

[Tombstoner]

Times have changed. That was before airlines started declaring bankruptcy like flies (to mix a metaphor) and it became crystal clear to all concerned that consolidation is going to happen the relatively "easy" way (mergers) or the hard way (failed airlines). Personally, I think NW is a much better fit.

[STrek777]

Originally Posted by Fiorenza

The feds would never allow a United-Delta merger. It's a non-starter. They didn't agree to the United-US Air deal a couple of years ago.

First they didn't allow the UA / US merger because they were never able to prove that they would not be a monopoly. At that time it wasn't a merger to simplify it was a merger for the sake of merging. They were not willing to cut the overlapping routs or aircraft. The merger was a mess.

Having said that DL and UA are two different beasts. Where DL is king east of the Mississippi and over the Atlantic UA controls the west and everything over the Pacific. Also all of UA's long haul aircraft are Boeing and they have a formidable 747 and 777 fleet. They also have the worlds largest Trans pacific rout structure.

Having said that they also have a Mount Everest of debt even after their bankruptcy, their management team sucks, and they are the founding member of the star alliance. Merging with UA would come with significant baggage.

While Northwest is also out of sorts they did eliminate a big chunk of debt in their bankruptcy. They would be far less expensive to buy out, they are already involved in SkyTeam and they have the worlds second largest rout structure over the Pacific. Any one keeping up with the Australian open skies knows that the governments are looking at allowing it by way of an Asian hub and we all know that NW is the second largest carrier into TYO.

Now while I have never been in favor of a NW merge between NW or UA I stand strongly behind NW.

FYI: if you are in the UA camp you might be sorely disappointed. It could still go either way but the hint hint wink wink that I got was in favor of NW. That's just what I hear from the little birdie that whispers in my ear from time to time. Also the announcement may be a LOT sooner than what people are thinking. Just smile and watch... this moth will be fun!

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by STrek777

First they didn't allow the UA / US merger because they were never able to prove that they would not be a monopoly. At that time it wasn't a merger to simplify it was a merger for the sake of merging. They were not willing to cut the overlapping routs or aircraft. The merger was a mess.

Having said that DL and UA are two different beasts. Where DL is king east of the Mississippi and over the Atlantic UA controls the west and everything over the Pacific. Also all of UA's long haul aircraft are Boeing and they have a formidable 747 and 777 fleet. They also have the worlds largest Trans pacific rout structure.

Having said that they also have a Mount Everest of debt even after their bankruptcy, their management team sucks, and they are the founding member of the star alliance. Merging with UA would come with significant baggage.

While Northwest is also out of sorts they did eliminate a big chunk of debt in their bankruptcy. They would be far less expensive to buy out, they are already involved in SkyTeam and they have the worlds second largest rout structure over the Pacific. Any one keeping up with the Australian open skies knows that the governments are looking at allowing it by way of an Asian hub and we all know that NW is the second largest carrier into TYO.

Now while I have never been in favor of a NW merge between NW or UA I stand strongly behind NW.

FYI: if you are in the UA camp you might be sorely disappointed. It could still go either way but the hint hint wink wink that I got was in favor of NW. That's just what I hear from the little birdie that whispers in my ear from time to time. Also the announcement may be a LOT sooner than what people are thinking. Just smile and watch... this moth will be fun!

I think NW would be a perfect fit for Delta. It would come at much less cost than UA, and the merger issues wouldn't be as significant because Delta is so much larger than NW. Delta needs NW's pacific routes, and it would have a much larger domestic structure that would feed its pacific routs. Delta could rapidly grow Pacific operations. Also, excess capacity at CIN and MEM could be reduced as more passengers are funneled through ATL and DTW. I doubt CIN and MEM would be eliminated because neither ATL or DTW could handle all the additional traffic. I think CIN would remain a hub while MEM would probably be reduced to focus city status.

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by smArTaLlone

TIMELY ARRIVALS

Top on-time airlines in November:
Hawaiian: 92.4%
Aloha: 91.6%
Delta: 85.6%
Frontier: 84.5%
Southwest: 84.5%
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation

10-28 is doing its job alright.

[atl2phx]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

10-28 is doing its job alright.

i assume 10-28 is hartsfield #5?

[Sulley]

I wish a DL/CO merger would happen.

[john3eblover]

Originally Posted by Optimus Prime

I wish a DL/CO merger would happen.

thats probably the sexiest of the possibilities

[GTviajero81]

Originally Posted by atl2phx

i assume 10-28 is hartsfield #5?

Yes, those would be the coordinates for the Fifth Runway.

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by Optimus Prime

I wish a DL/CO merger would happen.

CO does not have the Pacific route structure that Delta needs.

[atlantaguy]

They may also be one of the few that may not need to merge with anyone, but they probably will once consolidation starts.

[Trae]

Originally Posted by tennreb

CO does not have the Pacific route structure that Delta needs.

Oh I hope they don't merge. CO is a strong airline by itself.

[atlantaguy]

Yeah, but if there is a wave of mergers/consolidations like everyone is predicting, they may have no choice.