Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

[Fiorenza]

That's a wrap.

[ThrashATL]

It would make most sense to have your HQ where your dominant hub is and if you've seen MSP, it ain't a dominant airport.

[john3eblover]

Well i'm flying through MSP next week, so I'll be able to make a better assessment for myself in person. I'm looking forward to it.

[Trae]

Originally Posted by Neosoul

I answered this very question several posts above with a whole list. Atlanta is number 3 in the country for Fortune 500's. I'm not sure where you're getting that 19 number from either.

Atlanta definitely has a larger global presence than Minneapolis.

1. The fact that Atlanta is twice Minneapolis' size is one reason. Yes, population does matter. The more people that reside in your city, the more well known it is world wide. Of course there are small cities that are well known, but generally population is a good indication.

2. the number of brand names associated with Atlanta is has a far greater global presence. Delta, CNN, Coke, UPS, and Home Depot are some of the most well known companies in America. CNN and Delta are very well known around the world. And Coca Cola is the world's most well known brand.

3. Atlanta's airport has a major impact.

4. Even in literature "Gone with the Wind" is one of the most widely sold books ever.

5. Martin L. King, Jr. and the city's civil rights history is world knowledge.

6. the olympics, obviously.

7. even the Atlanta Braves as a brand is probably more well-known than any Minneapolis team.

8. Atlanta has well over twice the number of foreign consulates and/or embassies than Minneapolis

Atlanta is not New York, LA, or Chicago and no one here is saying it is more well known than those cities. Nor is it "better" or "worse" of a city than Minneapolis. But objectively, Atlanta is known a lot more around the world than Minneapolis.

That being said, I don't think that's enough to necessarily guarantee the HQ would stay here in a Delta/NW merger. Although I think I just made a good case.

The GAWC ranks them on the same level.

[whoDean]

In a potential NW/Delta merger the real losers are Memphis and Cincinnati anyway, aren't they?

[Andrea]

My guess is the location of corporate headquarters has more to do with convenience to executives and lower rents than with how the city ranks on some scale of global importance. Isn't that why most corporations tend to locate out in the burbs?

[megalopolis]

Originally Posted by Trae

The GAWC ranks them on the same level.

You're looking at the 1999 list. Take a look at the 2004 list. Atlanta is there, but no Minneapolis. There are a lot of great cities that are missing from the list though.

[Unity77]

Originally Posted by john3eblover

Well i'm flying through MSP next week, so I'll be able to make a better assessment for myself in person. I'm looking forward to it.

What terminal - Lindbergh or Humphrey?

[Trae]

Originally Posted by megalopolis

You're looking at the 1999 list. Take a look at the 2004 list. Atlanta is there, but no Minneapolis. There are a lot of great cities that are missing from the list though.

The 2004 list is lacking. Some cities are not on there that should be.

[john3eblover]

Originally Posted by Unity77

What terminal - Lindbergh or Humphrey?

No idea...its on NW though, but thats all i know.

[ThrashATL]

Originally Posted by john3eblover

No idea...its on NW though, but thats all i know.

If you're domestic only, you'll only see one. If you're transferring to an international flight, you'll see the other. Just don't get stranded there in a snowstorm.

[ATLonthebrain]

In MSP, ALL NW and NW Airlink flights are from the Lindbergh Terminal. The Hubert H. Humphrey (HHH) Terminal is for other airlines. Eventually all non-SkyTeam Alliance airlines will be housed in the HHH. That is the plan, to come along with an expansion of gates at that facility. There's typically no need to transfer between the two terminals. I think MSP has done a good job working with an older facility that has been expanded over time. Pretty decent concessions program, I think.

[whoDean]

House chairman gives 'hell no' vote to Delta merger

By MARILYN GEEWAX
Cox News Service
Published on: 01/29/08
WASHINGTON - "Hell no!"

So said House Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar on Tuesday as he bluntly stated he would vigorously oppose Delta Air Lines if it tries a merger with either Northwest or United airlines.

The Minnesota Democrat said he will fight "any merger," even if Delta promised to move the merged carrier's headquarters to his home state, where Northwest is based. "Mergers do not serve the best public interest," he said.

Oberstar, the longtime, powerful chairman of the House committee with jurisdiction over civil aviation, said greater industry consolidation would result in higher fares and less service for many communities.

Mergers provide top executives with "golden parachutes," but do nothing to improve aviation, he said.

Ever since rumors began earlier this month that Delta was seeking a merger partner, Oberstar has been making it clear he would oppose such a move. On Tuesday, at a press conference laying out his committee's agenda for 2008, he said he would make fighting mergers a top priority.

He said he has not heard any new information about the status of the proposed merger, but knows what he would do if it were announced.

First, he would try to influence the Justice Department to block it on antitrust grounds. Then he would "vigorously" pressure the Transportation Department to recommend that the Justice Department stop the deal.

And finally, he would hold hearings to drum up enough political opposition to pressure the Bush administration to have its Justice Department to kill the deal.

He said will refuse to see smaller communities "left out and left behind" by mergers.

[GTviajero81]

Originally Posted by Trae

The 2004 list is lacking. Some cities are not on there that should be.

I completely disagree with you. Have you ever seen these cities up close? From personal experience in a lot of those cities they are quite appropriate for inclusion and those that are left off do lack some inherently important amenities on a world scale. Many times oft there are many of us in the First World countries that tend to ignore the rapid development of Third World countries on the move. Also the 2004 survey indicates what makes those cities so special. Just remember one thing in your future assessments: just because one does not know the truth doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. The point is to research further until one finds out for themself what is true. It is VERY reckless to hand off wanton judgments sans research in the dearth of experience.

[Unity77]

Originally Posted by GTviajero81

I completely disagree with you. Have you ever seen these cities up close? From personal experience in a lot of those cities they are quite appropriate for inclusion and those that are left off do lack some inherently important amenities on a world scale. Many times oft there are many of us in the First World countries that tend to ignore the rapid development of Third World countries on the move. Also the 2004 survey indicates what makes those cities so special. Just remember one thing in your future assessments: just because one does not know the truth doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. The point is to research further until one finds out for themself what is true. It is VERY reckless to hand off wanton judgments sans research in the dearth of experience.

The 2004 list is questionable too. For example, Denver made the list over cities like Seattle and Minneapolis because of annual passenger air traffic. Having lived in Denver, I know it's not any more important or worldly than Minneapolis or Seattle. As a matter of fact, I'd say it's a tier below those two cities as Minneapolis is a tier below Atlanta.

[Unity77]

How many of you think a Delta - Northwest merger is good thing? Headquarters aside, will this merger really benefit the consumer?

[john3eblover]

Is it even supposed to benefit the consumer? Isn't it basically to help the airlines out? Save money for them in the long run? Its downright difficult to run an airline these days.

[STrek777]

Originally Posted by Unity77

How many of you think a Delta - Northwest merger is good thing? Headquarters aside, will this merger really benefit the consumer?

While I would love to see DL buy-out UA a DL/NW deal might not be a bad thing. The biggest glaring problem is NW fleet my god they have a mix matched grouping of Boeing, Airbus, and very old DCs. UA on the other had has mostly Boeing with some Airbus tossed in for flavor. But when the table is set I think the government will have a much easier time swallowing a DL/NW deal vs a DL/UA deal.

I want to see UA bought out for all the selfish reasons:
1) heaps of long range aircraft
2) hubs that would much better augment DLs system
3) the largest trans-pacific network of any single carrier in the world
4) the Star Alliance would be greatly crippled without their flag USA carrier
5) it would make Delta "THE" global carrier

Yeah NW has some game but they have spent decades not minding being at the bottom of the Legacy food chain. They have invested next to nothing in new aircraft but rather decided to keep the classic gas guzlers around. The go into bankruptsy and come out with what exactly... a mechanics union on strike, extremely low frontline employee moral, the exact same international destinations they had when they went in?!?!?!?!

If DL buys out NW it will be an easier pill to swallow initially. But oh my heavens it will be a minute before DL feels like the lean mean fighting machine it was before the buy-out. Both NW and UA have issues but at least UA already has this we want to rule the world mentality.

Just because something is easy doesn't make it the best! My personal favorite is "You get what you pay for!"

Have a fabulous day everyone!!!!

[Behind_Phips]

I think we can look to the auto industry and see that one ailing company buying another ailing company, does not make a better company, but a bigger ailing company.

[Fiorenza]

Maybe Michael Moore will come out with a movie about the airlines.