What did Ed Bastain, new NWA CEO, say about MEM? Here it is...

[General Lee]

"The Memphis hub from Northwest will be "a very important part of our Southeastern strategy," said Delta president Ed Bastian. "When you look at Atlanta here, for Delta, we are constrained. We're out of room on the gates." "Memphis is going to be a great opportunity" for any growth in the region, Bastian said. Delta has committed that no frontline employees will be involuntarily furloughed as a result of the merger and that no hubs will be closed. Additionally, Delta will distribute an equity stake to Delta and Northwest employees shortly after the merger closes. The airline also has implemented a seniority protection policy that ensures that frontline employees of both airlines will be provided seniority protection through a fair-and-equitable process as the companies' workforces are combined"


You gotta love that last line, too. Anyway, looks like MEM will be around for awhile....


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[STL717]

It sounds just like American Airlines statements when they bought TWA. “ORD is constrained and we need STL for our third mid-west hub for continued growth of American Airlines.”

Two years later AA shutdown the STL hub.

Good luck, you may need it.

 

[General Lee]

It sounds just like American Airlines statements when they bought TWA. “ORD is constrained and we need STL for our third mid-west hub for continued growth of American Airlines.”

Two years later AA shutdown the STL hub.

Good luck, you may need it.

Did they really "shut down" the STL hub? Is there a crew base still there? How about transcon flights? How about RJ connections? I think so......sounds like what could happen to MEM and CVG, but there will still be something there. Right now MEM and CVG have about 45-50 mainline flights a day, and the rest are RJs. I would say the RJ guys have more to lose, since they have the majority of flights there.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[TZtoSWA]

Did they really "shut down" the STL hub? Is there a crew base still there? How about transcon flights? How about RJ connections? I think so......sounds like what could happen to MEM and CVG, but there will still be something there. Right now MEM and CVG have about 45-50 mainline flights a day, and the rest are RJs. I would say the RJ guys have more to lose, since they have the majority of flights there.

Bye Bye--General Lee

Have you even been to STL lately? I fly there all the time. It is a freakin ghost town compared to what it once was.

If you think MEM and CVG are immune from being closed or at the very least gutted you are extremely naive my friend.

 

[clippyrip]

Have you even been to STL lately? I fly there all the time. It is a freakin ghost town compared to what it once was.

If you think MEM and CVG are immune from being closed or at the very least gutted you are extremely naive my friend.

Dont worry, no one has ever accused the general of being a smart man.

The only thing he has going is that he will out post you 5 to 1. He thinks that makes him right.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

Remember, General. If Ed's mouth is moving- it's a lie.

 

[Heavy Set]

Dont worry, no one has ever accused the general of being a smart man.

The only thing he has going is that he will out post you 5 to 1. He thinks that makes him right.

Sounds like he has made you mad. Maybe he has been right and you don't like that for some reason. Oh wait, you are a NWA guy. Makes sense now.

 

[Heavy Set]

Have you even been to STL lately? I fly there all the time. It is a freakin ghost town compared to what it once was.

If you think MEM and CVG are immune from being closed or at the very least gutted you are extremely naive my friend.

Did the General say they were going to be busy hubs? I think he was comparing them to STL, which apparently still has a crew base and some transcontinental flights. Reading the General's post up top, doesn't seem to me that he said anything other than that. Yet, you try to tell him that he is wrong or naive. Did he say they were going to be as strong as they used to be? I don't think so.

 

[d.fitz]

Sounds like he has made you mad. Maybe he has been right and you don't like that for some reason. Oh wait, you are a NWA guy. Makes sense now.

I don't have a problem with the General and I am at NWA. Thanks for trying to drive a stake between NWA and Delta tho. We all appreciate it...

 

[ACL65PILOT]

I would watch and see what they do with MEM, CVG, and DTW. There is a significant opportunity here.
Remember, vacate CVG, or, MEM and a LLC will set up shop there are cherry pick all of your markets. The infrastructure is there are would be offered at fire sale prices. I think that the New DAL knows this

 

[Voice Of Reason]

Attention All Posters

Dont worry, no one has ever accused the general of being a smart man.

The only thing he has going is that he will out post you 5 to 1. He thinks that makes him right.

It has been pointed out here again and again that General Lee, as many posts as he has under THAT screen name, posts under a number of other screen names to agree with himself. I would doubt VERY highly that he works for any of the places he claims to work under any of his screen names.
General Lee a/k/a:
737 Pylt
Scoop (on Airline Pilot Central)
very probably TankerClown and ScopeOutRJs,

and most definitely the name
Heavy Set, a screen name that has existed for the sole purpose of backing up General Lee no matter what topic he posts on, from the beginning like his others:
http://forums.flightinfo.com/search.php?searchid=1965188

Whenever you figure out his new screen names, just block them as you go. Like an ignored child, he creates a new one when the current doesn't get attention. Likely he is a flight sim fanboy with too much time on his hands and a stiffie for DL.

 

[G4G5]

Did they really "shut down" the STL hub? Is there a crew base still there? How about transcon flights? How about RJ connections? I think so......sounds like what could happen to MEM and CVG, but there will still be something there. Right now MEM and CVG have about 45-50 mainline flights a day, and the rest are RJs. I would say the RJ guys have more to lose, since they have the majority of flights there.

Bye Bye--General Lee

Do some research. Saint Louis prior to the AA take over 30.5 million people, came through in 2000 (passenger traffic)

2006 numbers were less then 15.3 million people for 2006.

A 50% drop.

CVG, DET and or MEM will be ghost towns (2 of the 3 are DOA).

 

[General Lee]

Do some research. Saint Louis prior to the AA take over 30.5 million people, came through in 2000 (passenger traffic)

2006 numbers were less then 15.3 million people for 2006.

A 50% drop.

CVG, DET and or MEM will be ghost towns (2 of the 3 are DOA).

Do some research? STL is still a crew base for AA, and still has transcons. That is ALL I stated. You need to do some research too, and see that CVG has turned into the same thing. We had 200 mainline flights a day, and now have 50. Guess what? Status quo..... I never said CVG or MEM were going to grow into larger hubs than they are now, I just stated they may still be around in some way or another.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

Have you even been to STL lately? I fly there all the time. It is a freakin ghost town compared to what it once was.

If you think MEM and CVG are immune from being closed or at the very least gutted you are extremely naive my friend.

Never said that. I just stated STL is still a crew base and has transcons. Where did I say otherwise? I am not naive, you just read it wrong my friend.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

Dont worry, no one has ever accused the general of being a smart man.

The only thing he has going is that he will out post you 5 to 1. He thinks that makes him right.

Clippy is getting snippy! I must have struck a nerve. Hey, luckily we are on the same team now. Good times.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Jamis81]

Do some research. Saint Louis prior to the AA take over 30.5 million people, came through in 2000 (passenger traffic)

2006 numbers were less then 15.3 million people for 2006.

A 50% drop.

CVG, DET and or MEM will be ghost towns (2 of the 3 are DOA).

Why do you think that DTW will be a ghost town? If I could pick 1 NWA Domestic Hub to survive it would be DTW.. I could see CVG and MEM being reduced and/or gone completely.. but definitely not DTW, or really MSP either.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

DTW has the highest % of the main airline's flights dominating the airport (MSP is #2). The NWA's DTW terminal is ranked, by PAX, the #1 terminal in the world.

The only thing DAL might do in DTW is to make it bigger, and/or add more intntl flying.

cliff
YIP

 

[G4G5]

Why do you think that DTW will be a ghost town? If I could pick 1 NWA Domestic Hub to survive it would be DTW.. I could see CVG and MEM being reduced and/or gone completely.. but definitely not DTW, or really MSP either.

DET will take a direct hit, because of the economy. Read today's WSJ. Chrysler is in talks to sell itself to either GM of Renault/Nissan. GM's market share is it's lowest since the great depression, they say that thay only have enough cash to make it to the end of the year and need access to the gov's $700 billion bailout. Ford stock is selling for $2 a share and they are no better off then the other two.

One of the big three if not two of the big three will not be here this time next year. That is huge for the DET market.

Everyone looks at DET's pax traffic over the past few years with NWA mgt and a thriving economy.

Try and look at it over the next few years with a nations economy in a recession and DET's econmy in a depression and DAL mgt in charge.

DAL mgt is foaming at the mouth to move Asia routes to ATL. Where do you think that they will come from? Look for DAL mgt to use the economy (DET's and the nations) as an excuse to shift the routes.

Still feeling warm and fuzzy about DET's future?

I think George Costanza said it best, "shrinkage"

Keep the fences high and long and then look for an NWA pilot base in ATL

As far as CVG and MEM. With such a close proximity, does anyone other then the General really think that both will remain in their current size? If you were running the airlie would you leave them status quo?

 

[ACL65PILOT]

We have some good contracts for our flying in and out of CVG. We will see.

 

[Superpilot92]

Gotta love the armchair ceo's

 

[Raskal]

DET will take a direct hit, because of the economy. Read today's WSJ. Chrysler is in talks to sell itself to either GM of Renault/Nissan. GM's market share is it's lowest since the great depression, they say that thay only have enough cash to make it to the end of the year and need access to the gov's $700 billion bailout. Ford stock is selling for $2 a share and they are no better off then the other two.

One of the big three if not two of the big three will not be here this time next year. That is huge for the DET market.

Everyone looks at DET's pax traffic over the past few years with NWA mgt and a thriving economy.

Try and look at it over the next few years with a nations economy in a recession and DET's econmy in a depression and DAL mgt in charge.

DAL mgt is foaming at the mouth to move Asia routes to ATL. Where do you think that they will come from? Look for DAL mgt to use the economy (DET's and the nations) as an excuse to shift the routes.

Still feeling warm and fuzzy about DET's future?

I think George Costanza said it best, "shrinkage"

Keep the fences high and long and then look for an NWA pilot base in ATL

As far as CVG and MEM. With such a close proximity, does anyone other then the General really think that both will remain in their current size? If you were running the airlie would you leave them status quo?

I don't know, a lot of your points make very little sense to me-but I've certainly been wrong before. Look at the following:

1. The numbers from 2007 (according to the FAA's site) have more takeoff/landing ops than JFK at DTW. You state that this is during a 'thriving economy' in MI. Michigan's economy has been about dead last in the nation for a number of years now. Local economy does not feed DTW.

2. ATL has no room to grow...at all. Add as many runways as they like, they still have massive gate problems and absurd delays. DTW still has more room to grow and, unlike ATL, has been built with future expansion in mind.

3. It has become basically an asian hub over time and has handled it with no problems, why on earth would anyone change what is arguably one of the most successful airport expansions in history? Especially to a complete disaster of a situation in ATL?

I don't get it, if anything I would think DAL would be foaming at the mouth to get more of their aircraft into DTW rather than out, location and local economy mean little to nothing for the location of a hub. I mean, who cares where HQ is located in today's technological and intstant communication environment?

 

[SKYWRJGUY]

How can you go transcon from nearly halfway across the country? I like the VOR post regarding aliases, if true, that's pretty sad, but what would you expect from somebody with self-esteem issues?

 

[Voice Of Reason]

General Lee, aka Heavy Set, aka Tanker Clown, aka 737pylt, aka Scoop (on alpc)

How can you go transcon from nearly halfway across the country? I like the VOR post regarding aliases, if true, that's pretty sad, but what would you expect from somebody with self-esteem issues?

Oh, it's absolutely true...that's why he obsesses over all my posts except those that point out his OBVIOUS other screen names. Take the Heavy Set screen name....click on that link I posted that proves it. I did a sort of all posts which reference General Lee by that screen name (which was pretty much ALL posts by Heavy Set since that screen name started. That name exists ONLY to defend General Lee...no other reason. Scoop on Airline Pilot Central forums is also OBVIOUSLY him. Same writing (complete with same smiley face at the end) and MO and cutting and pasting of articles that he uses to interpret in new rumors, etc.
I'm guessing when FI decided to go with a fee, he created several screen names.
It is doubtful he even works for DL as he claims and doubtful he is a pilot of any kind, but rather a DL flight sim fanboy. Just has a screen name for every facet of the industry he wants to play "Cliff Clavin" about at the time...and a pretend harem to back up his rumor starting.

Pathetic

 

[Heavy Set]

Oh, it's absolutely true...that's why he obsesses over all my posts except those that point out his OBVIOUS other screen names. Take the Heavy Set screen name....click on that link I posted that proves it. I did a sort of all posts which reference General Lee by that screen name (which was pretty much ALL posts by Heavy Set since that screen name started. That name exists ONLY to defend General Lee...no other reason. Scoop on Airline Pilot Central forums is also OBVIOUSLY him. Same writing (complete with same smiley face at the end) and MO and cutting and pasting of articles that he uses to interpret in new rumors, etc.
I'm guessing when FI decided to go with a fee, he created several screen names.
It is doubtful he even works for DL as he claims and doubtful he is a pilot of any kind, but rather a DL flight sim fanboy. Just has a screen name for every facet of the industry he wants to play "Cliff Clavin" about at the time...and a pretend harem to back up his rumor starting.

Pathetic

Voice of Treason,

It's great you think I am General Lee. In some ways I wish I did fly for Delta, but alas I left the airline world years ago after Tower Air went away. I do know a lot of Delta pilots down here in FLA, and I enjoy General Lee's posts, finding them entertaining and a view into what some Delta pilots think. If I agree with him most of the time, it is because he makes sense, whereas you are a fool. You still believe in DOH, and other things the NWA MEC lays out there, which are totally ridiculous. But keep believing, because that will make it true.

 

[Voice Of Reason]

Voice of Treason,

It's great you think I am General Lee. In some ways I wish I did fly for Delta, but alas I left the airline world years ago after Tower Air went away. I do know a lot of Delta pilots down here in FLA, and I enjoy General Lee's posts, finding them entertaining and a view into what some Delta pilots think. If I agree with him most of the time, it is because he makes sense, whereas you are a fool. You still believe in DOH, and other things the NWA MEC lays out there, which are totally ridiculous. But keep believing, because that will make it true.

WRONG, "General"! You got caught for sure this time, too bad.

Everyone else: Since my original search link no longer goes to the result I got, just hit "search" and do POSTS (not threads) by screen name "Heavy Set" with keyword term Lee in there.

By the 3rd page you will see what I mean. Every post from the beginning of posting started for that screen name involves stating how "smart" "right" or agreeable he is with General Lee. Literally HUNDREDS of posts that prove that screen name was created solely for that purpose or paratking in the same propaganda General Lee is trying to put out there.

That's just one name of many, but the most blatant.

People can disagree all they want, but to CREATE a whole pretend team to promote your views, disruption between various groups and cause chaos on the boards is downright despicable.

 

[poppi]

Voice
You are and Idiot

 

[poppi]

let me change that

Voice you are AN
Idiot

 

[Voice Of Reason]

Voice
You are and Idiot

Yet another illiterate poster who has a history of stopping in here every few months ONLY to troll.

 

[TZtoSWA]

My prediction is MSP won't be the last DAL/NWA hub we (SWA) start service into within the next couple of years.

My prediction #2...CVG, MEM, or both will be closed or at the very least gutted and left to the Commuters as a result of this merger.

 

[G4G5]

I don't know, a lot of your points make very little sense to me-but I've certainly been wrong before. Look at the following:

1. The numbers from 2007 (according to the FAA's site) have more takeoff/landing ops than JFK at DTW. You state that this is during a 'thriving economy' in MI. Michigan's economy has been about dead last in the nation for a number of years now. Local economy does not feed DTW.

Not so sure about your numbers, when I do a check of the world busiest airports. JFK handles 25% more traffic then DTW. As far as the econmy, the nations current unemployment rate is 6.1% is 8.7%. In 2004 the US was @ 5.4% and Michigan's was 6.8. So yes, Michigans economy is bad but it still continues to get worse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic

2. ATL has no room to grow...at all. Add as many runways as they like, they still have massive gate problems and absurd delays. DTW still has more room to grow and, unlike ATL, has been built with future expansion in mind.

ATL has plenty of room for Asian expansion. How many flights a day are we talking? 15-20, at most, Delta can find room for 15-20 flight out of how many daily departures?
Most of the US to Asian departures leave around Noon east coast time, not anywhere near the peak hours of operation for ATL.

3. It has become basically an asian hub over time and has handled it with no problems, why on earth would anyone change what is arguably one of the most successful airport expansions in history? Especially to a complete disaster of a situation in ATL?

Just look at the history. How many European destinations did ATL/DAL have prior to the purchase of Pan Am? They didn't buy NWA for DTW.

I don't get it, if anything I would think DAL would be foaming at the mouth to get more of their aircraft into DTW rather than out, location and local economy mean little to nothing for the location of a hub.

Local economy means a lot to the location of a hub. Why is DTW such a hub for Asia? Answer, the auto industry. In 2001 GM had a market cap of close to 52 Billion, today it's 3.2 Billion.

I mean, who cares where HQ is located in today's technological and intstant communication environment?
O&D traffic still counts for something.

This is all my opinion, I could be wrong.