Delta Announcement Soon?

[Matty4me]

Why yes, I do believe I am starting to see some writing on the wall now. Anyone have any more damage control to add to the possibility that Big D will announce ASA getting 30-35 of the new 45 DCI jets and CHQ getting the other 10-15 and CMR getting the DOJets??? Rumors are ashpyxiating me.....

 

[Tim47SIP]

Who knows?

If they don't cancel the RFP, I will be suprised. On the other hand, I really can"t see Chitaco getting any CRJ's. Maybe ERJ's but SB has publicaly stated the aircraft will be CRJ's. It would be very costly to set up a training center, pubs, parts supplies, add the aircraft to the certificate, etc.. It will more than likely be a split between Comair and ASA (just a guess). The WO's are the cheapest to run, and can accomidate a large influx of the aircraft. But so can Skywest, who can also set up their own financing saving a large amount of money for Mother Delta. It's anyones guess.
A recent article in an aviation news media stated that the RFP would be announced at the next Paris Air Show. I don't know when that would be, but if it is more than a month or two away, then the article is probably wrong.

 

[upndsky]

I don't think it'll be Paris since the next show isn't until 2005. Maybe Farnsborough? These two shows alternate every other year.

 

[RegionalFA]

Pretty much completely off topic... but not entirely.

Anyone else notice how hard Delta was toting the regional award CHQ received? Probably 95% of the press releases I saw were actually delta releases. They were really playing it up down in MCO... people were getting on the flights congratulating the crews, etc.

 

[MedFlyer]

DL is also in the process of "reviewing the business." This could have an impact on the RFP and very well may delay it.

 

[C210drvr]

Its pretty funny that everyone keeps saying that these new Delta RJ's HAVE to be CRJ's. When we were asked to bid on the airplanes at CHQ we were asked by Delta to bid on ERJ's. Our CEO made it very clear that we would be bidding on 45 new ERJ's.

C210

 

[WorldSeries]

I have seen on paper that Comair is to hire around 250 pilots this year. They have ground schools planned and sim slots already taken until late novemeber with new hire classes every month. Looks like things are getting better

 

[asarjfo]

Well I saw some guy with long white hair standing on top of our office, he had a couple tablets made of stone. One tablet had the number 4 and the other had the number 5..........wonder what it all means?

 

[storminpilot]

Rumors are flying that the other Wexford company is the operator of CRJs for Delta -- Shuttle America.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Worldseries,

You are the eternal optomist my friend.

 

[ERJDRVR]

Pretty much completely off topic... but not entirely.

You mean like all your other posts on here?

 

[RegionalFA]

You mean like all your other posts on here?

no, most other posts are entirely off topic! I hesitate to only somewhat depart from the original intent. I definately wouldn't want to stay on topic.

 

[N2264J]

You are the eternal optomist my friend.

Actually, I see new hire classes being escorted around Ops
during their indoc somewhat regularly. When I ask, they tell
me there are people in class behind them as well.

Personally, I don't think there will be an announcement now. Management always knew where those planes were needed and their "consessions for growth" sham didn't work so whatever planes we are alloted will just show up over time.

 

[RichO]

BINGO!!!!!!

 

[ACE]

Suddenly Comair is hiring more pilots than originally announced. I wonder why? (sarcasm)

 

[NoName]

Suddenly Comair is hiring more pilots than originally announced. I wonder why? (sarcasm)

to fill the void for when your current pilot group starts training on the dojet.

 

[Anaconda]

I have seen on paper that Comair is to hire around 250 pilots this year.

first time i've heard that, what's your source? i've only heard 130 about a dozen times already, including sources within the company

 

[ilinipilot]

Shuttle, Is that really true.

 

[Anaconda]

Delta may thwart Comair's growth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Alexander Coolidge
Post staff reporter

Some Wall Street analysts think Cincinnati-based Comair is unlikely to win a
bid to fly its corporate parent Delta Air Lines' newest small jets.
As it pares its fleet of large planes, Delta is expanding its use of
smaller, regional jets with 45 new 50-seat planes over the next two years.
The airline has used smaller aircraft to replace bigger planes on routes
with diminished passenger traffic.

Delta is expected to announce this quarter which regional carrier -- either
a subsidiary such as Comair or an outside airline -- it will contract to fly
the planes.

"SkyWest is a leading candidate to win growth, but so is Chautauqua," said
Robert Ashcroft, of UBS Investment Research in New York City. "We doubt
Delta subsidiaries (Atlantic Southeast Airlines) and Comair will score,
given the refusal of their pilot unions to reduce wages."

The downbeat handicapping of Comair's prospects echo worries by company
executives last fall when they asked unions to take pay cuts. Company
officials expressed concern that Comair's cost structure wasn't as lean as
other potential suitors for Delta's new planes.

Ashcroft said SkyWest and Chautauqua, which already are under contract to
fly routes for Delta, had lower costs. Also, Delta appears to be slowing the
growth of its regional fleet to 11 percent over the next two years, compared
to industrywide growth of 20 percent this year, he said.

Glenn Engel, an analyst with Goldman Sachs in New York, said he thought
Delta would look mostly outside its organization to contract the new jets,
although he speculated the airline might keep some of the planes at an
in-house carrier.

"Comair might get a small piece," he said.

If analysts' predictions come true, it would be a blow to Comair's growth
prospects as the regional segment of the industry continues to take off.

Government statistics say regional airlines' share of total scheduled
flights has increased from 10 percent of U.S. flights in 2000 to 25 percent
in 2003. Large jets' share of flights have declined during the same period
from 59 percent of U.S. flights in 2000 to 52 percent at the end of last
year.

Comair and Delta officials were not available for comment.

J.C. Lawson, chairman of the Comair chapter of the Air Line Pilots
Association, said the union wants the airline to prosper, but not at the
expense of pilots' salaries.

"Delta's hurting, but Comair is profitable," he said.

Lawson said he doubted Delta was concerned about the cost structure at
Comair. Still, he said the company should consider merging the Cincinnati
carrier with its sister regional ASA before asking pilots to work for less.
He noted ailing Delta rival US Air is consolidating its regional
subsidiaries to cut costs.

 

[General Lee]

Didn't I say something about this? I said that Delta wanted cuts from everyone---all of the pilot groups. It really is tough to hold on to the top pay category for your particular group. We, at Mainline, have a pretty large gap compared to the other Majors--and we will take some sort of a pay cut---no doubt. The Comair guys have a large pay gap with their peers--compared to their peers---it is true. We all will eventually give back some pay--because it is hard to justify such a gap. I am not blind to that at all. Now we just have to come up with the right numbers....

Bye Bye---General Lee