Delta eyes Virgin Atlantic swoop

[Muskycat]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012...2?feedType=RSS&feedName=innovationNews&rpc=43

 

[General Lee]

Hmmmm. I wonder if that would include Virgin America? Interesting deal, and of course I wonder if ALPA is watching this? Fingers crossed!



Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[dicko]

Good point General; maybe they'll throw Virgin America into the deal as well, since they all kinda have the same name. like a Men's Warehouse sale.

 

[General Lee]

Good point General; maybe they'll throw Virgin America into the deal as well, since they all kinda have the same name. like a Men's Warehouse sale.

I don't know if that is true or not, but it COULD give Branson an "out" of a so far money losing operation. Who knows? It's all speculation, but obviously if this is true, the slots at Heathrow are the main goal. They could throw VA into the current Joint Venture with AF/KL/AZ and toss out unprofitable routes out of LHR and add new ones. But, I am sure ALPA would make sure some of that possible growth would come DL's way. They did bolster DL's share in the last contract. (With AF/KL/AZ----DL got a higher percentage of the overall trans Atlantic flying in the JV)


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Flyer1015]

Hmmmm. I wonder if that would include Virgin America? Interesting deal, and of course I wonder if ALPA is watching this? Fingers crossed!



Bye Bye---General Lee

Fingers crossed as in hoping it does or doesn't happen?

 

[Full of LUV]

Good point General; maybe they'll throw Virgin America into the deal as well, since they all kinda have the same name. like a Men's Warehouse sale.

DAL / VA / VA SLI....now that would be crazy complicated.

 

[IBNAV8R]

\But, I am sure ALPA would make sure some of that possible growth would come DL's way.

That's funny right there.

 

[bri5150]

DAL / VA / VA SLI....now that would be crazy complicated.

What's complicated? Straight relative. Number 1 on list Delta, number 2 Atlantic, number 3 America!!

Joke of course.

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Hmmmm. I wonder if that would include Virgin America? Interesting deal, and of course I wonder if ALPA is watching this? Fingers crossed!



Bye Bye---General Lee

GL....you really are a monkey! Fingers crossed? Really?

More money out the window for something OTHER than Delta Air lines or pilot salaries!!!

Welcome to the virtual airline.......and I am getting sick of it!! Is SWA hiring?

 

[IBNAV8R]

Curious how that would work. JAA licence requirements vs. FAA. Non-RLA v. RLA. GBP v. USD. Has there ever been an SLI between a foreign and U.S. carrier?

 

[blade230]

The title is mis-leading. Delta would not be buying Virgin At., they would be buying 49 percent. Due to Euro laws, Delta would not be able to hold controlling interest because they are a foreign entity. Air France/KLM would theoretically hold controlling interest.

 

[Full of LUV]

The title is mis-leading. Delta would not be buying Virgin At., they would be buying 49 percent. Due to Euro laws, Delta would not be able to hold controlling interest because they are a foreign entity. Air France/KLM would theoretically hold controlling interest.

Wait.... Euro lands bar US from owning more than 49%, yet they are begging US to open up US to foreign ownership???

 

[nwaf16dude]

If DAL buys 49%, AF/KLM buys 25%, and sir Richard is left with 26%, then DAL has controlling interest. Those numbers are completely made up, and I have no idea if the EU would let that happen.

 

[Flybywire44]

Wow—will this give additional pressure for an AMR/LCC merger?

 

[KarmaPolice]

I don't know if I should be indifferent, excited or worried about this news

 

[KNOTS]

I don't know if I should be indifferent, excited or worried about this news

I'd be concerned if I was a Delta pilot...(but I'm a glass empty kinda guy)

 

[Flybywire44]

This really is astounding news.

Delta will at the very least setup some tremendous code sharing.

It'll be fun seeing VA possibly come to Atlanta!

 

[Monster Buck]

So if we did I would assume that it is an ownership and not any sort of merger....ie no combining pilot groups? Own 49% of Virgin.
As owners we could take Virgin America routes and shut them down. no merger?

 

[Muskycat]

So if we did I would assume that it is an ownership and not any sort of merger....ie no combining pilot groups? Own 49% of Virgin.
As owners we could take Virgin America routes and shut them down. no merger?

We would be interested in more flying to LHR, we wouldn't get all. And no combing of pilots list, not a merger, far from it. JV and code share and LHR are the biggest gains.

 

[Golden Falcon]

I don't know if I should be indifferent, excited or worried about this news

I would most certainly be concerned, int'l flying could be shifted to Virgin, most certainly their labor costs are lower....