DAL Dec 3rd Class Aircraft Assignments...

[General Lee]

Open skies will require that some of these slots be MADE AVAILABLE to other carriers. So, if OPEN SKIES allows others to get those coveted slots as well as encourage foreign carrier ops domestically in the good ole US of A, how will this affect the legacies?

No, Heathrow will be slotted and kept the way it is now, to protect Virgin and British Airways. That was part of the deal. You can still go out and try to buy a slot or two (CAL bought 4 for a lot of money), though.

OPEN SKIES is the same over here too. We aren't just going to give anyone slots or gates at JFK or ORD, they have to buy into it. Can British Air or Air France start daily service to Providence, RI? You bet. Will they? Probably not, but they will be able to if they want, and there are plenty of gates available there. We will also be allowed to go to Belfast, NI (like CAL does), but we may not want to for awhile. That is OPEN SKIES---the door is open, but you may still need a key at some airports, which protects local interests. But Lufthansa is free to go to Memphis or Little Rock any time they want to. (even from another originating country--Lufthansa (German) can start Paris to JFK if they want, as long as they have the slot/gate) Interesting stuff, and the carriers will pour on the service and try to gain any lucrative route they can.

Bye Bye--General Lee