Airtran interested in Delta/USAir gates

[USARET]

AirTran interested in Delta/US Airways gates - WSJ

Fri Dec 1, 2006 2:37am ET

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NEW YORK, Dec 1 (Reuters) - U.S. airline AirTran Holdings Inc. (AAI.N: Quote, Profile , Research) Chairman and Chief Executive Joe Leonard said he is interested in acquiring airport gates sold by US Airways or Delta Air Lines if those carriers merge, the Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site on Friday.
Leonard said discount carrier AirTran, based in Orlando, Fla., would consider buying jettisoned shuttle operations as a way to gain access to gates at New York's LaGuardia International Airport and Washington's Reagan National Airport, the WSJ reported.
Delta Air Lines Inc. (DALRQ.PK: Quote, Profile , Research) said on Thursday it listened to a presentation by US Airways Group Inc. (LCC.N: Quote, Profile , Research) on US Airways' $8.5 billion takeover offer for Delta, but repeated earlier statements that it intends to emerge from bankruptcy as a stand-alone carrier.

 

[Lear70]

Well, uhhh,,, yeah.

Gates at coveted airports would likely spur a bidding war. airTran, which has always refused to buy anything unless it's at a steep discount would probably lose the gates to someone else.

Seems like someone just needed a little extra something to stoke the fires at deadline and got a pretty obvious answer to an obvious question.

Incidentally, I'd like to get more gates IN ATL. Would be GREAT to have ALL our operations on one terminal, especially with 25 minute connections coming from E 48 to C1.

Not to mention the whole hopscotch RJ thing on C-side gets a bit old. Takes 20 minutes just to get from Echo to the gate.

MORE GATES FOR AIRTRAN!

 

[On Your Six]

Merger doesn't look likely despite all of the media hype. I thought ATL was planning on building yet another new terminal?

 

[Lear70]

They WERE... broke ground, then stopped waiting on DL to exit BR and decide if they needed it. Nice big hole in the ground over there...

Agree about the merger, just thought it was funny they're still searching for stuff to talk about in the media about it.

 

[General Lee]

Wait.....listen for it.....looks like Virgin America, Spirit, Allegiant, and Sun Country are ALSO interested.....



Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[737 Pylt]

This is nothing new.....Air Tran has been asking / looking for more gate space in ATL for years.

737

 

[HA25]

Wait.....listen for it.....looks like Virgin America...


Bye Bye--General Lee

With the money VA is saving on crew costs, it most certainly should be able to afford to out bid anyone on those gates..

 

[IAHERJ]

With the money VA is saving on crew costs, it most certainly should be able to afford to out bid anyone on those gates..

Not to mention fuel!! I bet they have the lowest fuel consumption in the industry right now.

IAHERJ

 

[HA25]

Not to mention fuel!! I bet they have the lowest fuel consumption in the industry right now.

IAHERJ

and MX, and this and that.. but just like JB it's a house of cards and at some point, the new jets will need C checks, and the pilots at 5 years making $120K/yr looking at friends at SWA making $200K are going to clammer, etc.. give it time.

 

[Citrus531]

The gate planning is getting harder and harder as more 737's come. Parking terminators at E32 and 34 isn't fun for crews and pax making connections.

D con is becoming a joke too...these "common use" gates we operate out of can be interesting...having to bargain with TBI airport management about which D gate are available at which time is frustrating...no matter what happens it never seems the airlines that fly in ATL that use D have the same schedule 2 consecutive days in a row.

Come Feb when PHX starts it will get fun with 4 red-eye's all coming within an hour of each other and C2, C17, and C14 have 73's already parked in them.:erm: