Airtran Magt. call employee meeting

[Lear70]

GL is correct. The actual OPERATING losses at NWA and DAL were almost identical, about $190 Million each.

Most of that was from fuel alone.

Most of that can be made up if fares come up between $10-20, which is what is being said more and more by senior management at airlines everywhere.

The sky is not falling... not great times, but certainly not as bad as it sounds on the surface.

 

[rhino3040]

Let me say for the record I'd screw her on the hood of my car while my wife was honking the horn... And then I'd let her drive me home.

If you'd rather watch Dale Earnhart Jr or Tony Stewart waddle around the track, good on ya'. But hot chicks driving fast are cool.

Amen brotha!

 

[Max Powers]

True, but I'd put the odds somewhere around 1 in 1,000. SWA won't be interested in buying an airline that has 141 airplanes and thousands of employees in the beginning of what is probably a recession. GK isn't that stupid.

This is a perfect time.....What happens when Delta merges and starts divesting some of their routes....The tranny is bound to pick up on some of these and will only increase in value. We are bound to get more ATL gates. Perhaps some ORD or DCA in there too. This point we are at right, in regard to company value(market cap), now could be one of the lowest we will ever be at. Perhaps things will get a bit worse but probably not too much and it would be best for SWA to hedge their bets, based on our future value, by buying NOW.

Of course this could be wishful thinking but think of the route monopolies we would have out of BWI-MCO-MDW and etc. Come on Kelly get out your pocket book. Then again I could be way off base and SWA knows, from their super secret highly accurate forcasting tools, that we will be dust in 8 months. And would rather wait until then to buy us off.

 

[PlaneDrvr]

This is a perfect time.....What happens when Delta merges and starts divesting some of their routes....The tranny is bound to pick up on some of these and will only increase in value. We are bound to get more ATL gates. Perhaps some ORD or DCA in there too. This point we are at right, in regard to company value(market cap), now could be one of the lowest we will ever be at. Perhaps things will get a bit worse but probably not too much and it would be best for SWA to hedge their bets, based on our future value, by buying NOW.

Of course this could be wishful thinking but think of the route monopolies we would have out of BWI-MCO-MDW and etc. Come on Kelly get out your pocket book. Then again I could be way off base and SWA knows, from their super secret highly accurate forcasting tools, that we will be dust in 8 months. And would rather wait until then to buy us off.

I do believe that Mr. Kelly will get out his 'checkbook' but not to buy Airtran, rather to buy 'gates' that DAL will be required to 'sell' to get the DAL/NWA merger approved.

As I believe that much to the dismay of DAL management, I believe that DOJ will 'require' them to 'give up' (sell) gates at ATL. As many have said, and I agree, that the Bush Admin. is very much 'pro-business' however, one thing that many forget is that they are also very, Very much 'pro-free market competition.' And, as a conditioon of the merger approval, to create this 'mega carrier' with larger market power, they will require the new company to 'open up competition' at their major 'protected' hubs; ATL, MSP, DTW.

I believe that Kelly and SWA will lobby very hard for this, has the 'cash' and will gladly pay good money for 8-10 gates at ATL. And, just how much damage do you think that SWA can do if they move into ATL and MSP, with 10 or so gates to use??

For what its worth.

PD

P.S. Just look at the recent history, when US tried to buy DAL in BK, the deal never even got as far as DOJ review and SWA stated; "if the DOJ requires the new merged company to divest of gates at CLT or ATL, that they would be interested in acquiring them.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

I forgot SWA is a GOD...barf

 

[Headfake14]

big D give up 8-10 gates in ATL???

NWA only has two jetways right now anyway right? On D concourse. I haven't opperated in Hartsfield in about 14 months, but thats what I remember.

I say the merger is minimal if ANY impact on da A T L

 

[scarlet]

What about slots at DCA,LGA?

DL/NW will close MEM, CVG within a year !

 

[PCL_128]

big D give up 8-10 gates in ATL???

NWA only has two jetways right now anyway right? On D concourse. I haven't opperated in Hartsfield in about 14 months, but thats what I remember.

I say the merger is minimal if ANY impact on da A T L

NWA has 3 gates in tha ATL. We can run a lot of profitable flights out of 3 gates, but I think they'll be required to give up more than that anyway.

 

[flying zephyr]

no one knows for sure what will happen, but one things for sure. CVG will not be closed, I believe if you look it up that CVG has had the highest average fares 3 of last five years. I don't think that Delta will throw that money away. More than likely, the IND and SLT will be phased down, anyone else see all the RJs in SLT lately. Wow... I actually have nothing to do with CVG, don't live there or work for NWA or DAL. Just the facts. I would be curios on CASM for CRJ 200, 700, 900 and the 9. Range also small factor, but $ & cents rule, unless fuel falls back to 90 or so. I am sure the first hurricane that forms will get oil to 125. Crazy stuff. Good luck to all

 

[Lear70]

CASM on the CRJ200 has been more than the RASM since its inception.

Most of those operators are getting paid on a fee-per-departure basis, so the operators (PCL, ASA, etc) are making money on their Air Service Agreements, but they lose money for the mainline operating them. Always have...

They were designed to feed the mainline and the overall ticket price to cover its operation but it never really has worked out that way.

The 700 is OK, the 900 is actually halfway decent in terms of CASM.

The DC-9 isn't as bad on CASM as some may think because the aircraft are paid for.

The Q-400 is actually a MUCH better aircraft than the 50 or 70 seater version of the CRJ or the Embraer for anything less than a 2 hour flight segment.

 

[roughneck]

More than likely, the IND and SLT will be phased down, anyone else see all the RJs in SLT lately. Wow...

If you are talking about Salt Lake, its SLC.