Alaska/Delta? Probably not

[General Lee]

General you have such a hair trigger to defend deltas greatness that you refuse to see the point..it has nothing to to with airmanship..is delta willing to spend the money and time to make operating in se workable? Build approaches..train pilots..keep qualifications year round for 4 months of flying..and yes buy and maintain their own anemometers to make 26 is JNU legal? The point is this is a hard place to dip your toe in the water and be successful.

Would DL spend the money to compete into JNU? It appears so. Does DL have the money to do that? It appears so. Does DL have the resources to figure out how to do it? Yes. What I don't understand is how YOU don't understand that. DL adds new INTL cities all the time, with not only interesting approaches, but with language barriers. This may not be INTL, but the same amount of effort will be put into this, and there is time to train before it is scheduled to start. DL allowed each FNWA 757 pilot to do 2-3 touch and goes in actual empty 767s to get used to them. How much do you think that cost? I have no doubt DL will figure it out.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[General Lee]

Spot on Moochild11.
I can't figure out why Delta would want to dip their toe into SE other than just a peeing match between CEO's. Delta's got tons of cash laying around right now, so they seem to be willing to waste some of it in SE. Those of us that have flown there for a decade or two know that they will not make any money, nor will they provide reliable service to the customers until they have the infrastructure in place that we have today.

Lets see, the snow should be gone by early to mid May on Mt Roberts, Eagle Crest and Sheep Mountain. When does Big D's first flight start? Late May or early June? That gives them at least 2 to 4 weeks, to hire the labor, buy the supplies, charter the helio to fly on up there to pour the concrete pads to begin building their own anemometers. What could possibly go wrong?

Even if they can get hill winds, can they build, certify and train the RNP in time? Also, I've notice several times this winter that JAWS limits, rather than the old hill winds limits, have improved our reliability. I made it into JNU three times last month on JAWS limits when I could not have made it in on hill wind limits. The (semi) new JAWS limits are great and an example of the good stuff our company does in an effort to improve our safety and reliability in SE.

Seriously, I'm sure that Delta will send some fine check airmen and line pilots to try to fly into JNU this summer. I'm sure that they will do a fine job and will keep their passengers safe. The problem will be when the weather does not give them VFR and they are stuck with the LDA to VFR mins. They will safely bingo to SEA or ANC and then Alaska will spend the next several days trying to clean up their mess of back logged tourists who have now missed their cruise ship departure out of JNU... It's going to be a mess and they won't make any money - but by golly their CEO can claim that his Johnson is a mm or two bigger than our CEO's!

Sounds like you won't make as much money while DL is doing it. And, with DL's SEA "hub" growing, it makes sense to increase flights to cities that DL's best customers want to go to. Looks like many want to go to Alaska, hence daily flights to FAI, ANC (3), and JNU from SEA. If DL flies those, they keep the revenue instead of handing it to you guys. Makes sense. And, I'm sure Tech Ops is going through all of the JNU procedures right now, developing "green pages" that give DL procedures to specific airports. They do it all the time. Ever been to Quito or Tegucigalpa? Take a look on YouTube. DL 737s go into both of those, with a language barrier too. Not saying JNU would be easy, but I think there is enough time to prepare and make sure procedures are in place.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[moochild11]

With FIFTY meteorologists on staff anything is possible!! With all that money and expertise over there it's no wonder your #1 in on time and service and baggage and profitability(7% behind little old Alaska on a gross % basis in your most profitable quarter ever)..oh wait..what..there not?? How is that possible..they are so much bigger than everyone else..

 

[msmb]

Delta?...good luck with that.

 

[dontpost2]

This thread is really starting to annoy me. Saying that Delta or Delta pilots somehow can't fly in SE Alaska would be like saying (10 years ago) that Alaska could never possible fly to the busy airports back east or fly ETOPS across the Pacific. This argument is silly.

If Delta really wants to operate to JNU they will in time develop procedures to do so. Personally, I think this is all smoke and mirrors and you won't see it. Nor will we see much of a big AS expansion in SLC. It should be an interesting summer nevertheless.

 

[Old School 737]

I think KTN would have been an easier choice for Delta this summer but ...

 

[Tarquinn]

This thread is really starting to annoy me. Saying that Delta or Delta pilots somehow can't fly in SE Alaska would be like saying (10 years ago) that Alaska could never possible fly to the busy airports back east or fly ETOPS across the Pacific. This argument is silly.

If Delta really wants to operate to JNU they will in time develop procedures to do so. Personally, I think this is all smoke and mirrors and you won't see it. Nor will we see much of a big AS expansion in SLC. It should be an interesting summer nevertheless.

I agree...

I'm also sick of hearing how Alaska has grown at the expense of the Delta pilots. I'm tired of hearing this foolish, egotistical crap but something tells me it'll never stop.

 

[Mamma]

This thread is really starting to annoy me. Saying that Delta or Delta pilots somehow can't fly in SE Alaska would be like saying (10 years ago) that Alaska could never possible fly to the busy airports back east or fly ETOPS across the Pacific. This argument is silly.

If Delta really wants to operate to JNU they will in time develop procedures to do so. Personally, I think this is all smoke and mirrors and you won't see it. Nor will we see much of a big AS expansion in SLC. It should be an interesting summer nevertheless.

I don't think anyone has implied Delta pilots cannot fly into JNU. Delta pilots could probably do it as well or better than many Alaska pilots. We send our new hires there. The point being made is not directed towards the pilots. Its about the decision to go to an airfield that has very high mins (LDA approach to 08), crappy weather, and will require additional training for all the pilots who fly there. For only 4 months of service. Sounds odd I guess. Anyway, I just go out and do what I have to do to bring home the bacon.

 

[General Lee]

I think KTN would have been an easier choice for Delta this summer but ...

Hopefully next Summer DL will add mainline service to Ketchikan, Sitka, Gustavus, Cordova, Yakutat, Kodiak(oh watch out, special Qual I'm sure...), Prudoe Bay, Barrow, St. Paul, and Dutch Harbor (SWA proved a 737-700 can stop in 3500 ft, thanks Redflyer!) ... Fannnntastic!



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Old School 737]

Hopefully next Summer DL will add mainline service to Ketchikan, Sitka, Gustavus, Cordova, Yakutat, Kodiak(oh watch out, special Qual I'm sure...), Prudoe Bay, Barrow, St. Paul, and Dutch Harbor (SWA proved a 737-700 can stop in 3500 ft, thanks Redflyer!) ... Fannnntastic!



Bye Bye---General Lee

Let's not go to far and get carried away now ....

Let's get this summer JNU going first