If the Pacific Routes are the only thing DAL wants from NWA...why not take over the NWA routes from Seattle? How?
Merge/Buy ALK, deploy 777's out of SEA, LAX, PDX and fly the Pacific routes. No DC9/747/A330/A320 headaches. A common fleet of Boeings!. SLI would be a non event. Nobody would feel it with the small number of pilots on ALK seniority list.
NWA would probably redeploy their SEA based heavies back to MSP or DTW. No feed from ALK anymore. This would be great for the majority of NWA pilots (junior to mid seniority), since only the super senior guys fly out of SEA anyway.
This sure would make most pilots happy. NWA can do their own thing, DAL can get the Pacific routes without giving up massive seniority to NWA pilots. ALK pilots can choose international or domestic flying while still living in SEA.
Merge/Buy ALK, deploy 777's out of SEA, LAX, PDX and fly the Pacific routes. No DC9/747/A330/A320 headaches. A common fleet of Boeings!. SLI would be a non event. Nobody would feel it with the small number of pilots on ALK seniority list.
NWA would probably redeploy their SEA based heavies back to MSP or DTW. No feed from ALK anymore. This would be great for the majority of NWA pilots (junior to mid seniority), since only the super senior guys fly out of SEA anyway.
This sure would make most pilots happy. NWA can do their own thing, DAL can get the Pacific routes without giving up massive seniority to NWA pilots. ALK pilots can choose international or domestic flying while still living in SEA.