Delta Future- Crystal ball needed

[jetflyer]

Everyone please pull out their crystal balls.
There are so many questions as to what the future holds for Delta.

I was just wondering what people though DELTA would like like 5 and 10 yrs from now.

Will they be larger? smaller? Still in business? The strongest airline in the USA? #2 in ATL to Airtran? Or God Forbid #2 in CVG to Southwest? Still in Dallas? Twice the size they are now? WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK??

Jet

 

[On Your Six]

Strategic Plan coming out soon...

My $0.02:

Reduced presence in Dallas. Incorporate more of Song into the mainline (entertainment system and food purchases throughout the fleet - and hopefully better looking FAs - need to retire the old bag "Senior Mamas"). International flights will be increased given that they make a lot of money. Hopefully a 100-seater (EMB-190, A318, etc.) flying to mid-size and smaller markets.

Nobody will know UNTIL Grinstein releases his strategic plan and that should happen in the next couple weeks I think. Should be interesting...

 

[canyonblue]

Stupid Edit, see below

 

[canyonblue]

need to retire the old bag "Senior Mamas"

Some of the old bag "Senior Mamas" are many times the only F/A's onboard that still think of the customer first, at any Airline. I have seen far worse service from many of the "hot babe" F/A's that may be nice to look at, but forget we are in a service industry. We all need to retire the ones who will not provide the same level of service the company hired them for.

 

[FN FAL]

Some of the old bag "Senior Mamas" are many times the only F/A's onboard that still think of the customer first, at any Airline. I have seen far worse service from many of the "hot babe" F/A's that may be nice to look at, but forget we are in a service industry. We all need to retire the ones who will not provide the same level of service the company hired them for.

Good one. The customer doesn't really care if the service is old, just whether or not it was good.

 

[G4G5]

Everyone please pull out their crystal balls.
There are so many questions as to what the future holds for Delta.

I was just wondering what people though DELTA would like like 5 and 10 yrs from now.

Will they be larger?
No Chance.

smaller?
Most definatly. With ASA/Comair currently flyinf over 50% of the domestic market, I would look for that trend to continue. Eventually the Domestic market will either be flown by the legacy affiliates (ASA/Comair, Eagle, yada yada) or by main line pilots at LCC wages. Either way the current legacy carriers get smaller.

Still in business?
Absolutly, they still have the largest advantage of the Legacy carriers. Everyone is non union except for the pilots. This allows DAL mgt to move swftly vs having to negotiate every little thing.

The strongest airline in the USA?
No Chance. As the domestic airline market becomes more of a Greyhound market the legacy carriers will only shrink in size. Delta (AMR/CAL/NWA) as we know it will be relegated to becoming primarily international/transcon carriers. Once they have their fleet and cost structure adjusted to reflect their new size, then and only then will profit margins reflect those of the LCC.


#2 in ATL to Airtran?
No, not if you consider DAL to be a combination of Delta/ASA/Comair. Once the pilots reduce their pay rates, Airtran will now have to contend with lower cost DAL. Delta will continue to transfer lower yeild routes over to the regionals but the tails at the gates will still be red white and blue.


Or God Forbid #2 in CVG to Southwest? Still in Dallas?
ASA/Comair will be a huge presence in CVG/SLC and DFW. Mainline will continue to shrink.

Jet

.....

 

[House_X]

Some of the old bag "Senior Mamas" are many times the only F/A's onboard that still think of the customer first, at any Airline. I have seen far worse service from many of the "hot babe" F/A's that may be nice to look at, but forget we are in a service industry. We all need to retire the ones who will not provide the same level of service the company hired them for.

Yeah, but those senior mamas are getting more bitter each day. The level of service contiues to get worse at DAL...

 

[jetflyer]

Don't even think of asking a Delta Flight attendant for a pillow.

You'll either get the pillow greeted with rolled eyes and a go to hell attitude, or the rolled eyes with a "later honey, I'm busy" response. ONE out of FOUR I'd say are actually very good and accommodating with a smile.

I also love how they slam the SNACK on your table whether you want it or not. If you tell them you don't want the snack you get the ROLLED EYES again. Very professional. Is it too hard to ask if we want the cruddy Biscoffs or Delta snacks before slamming them down on our tray table? They also don't care at all about the MONEY they'd be saving by not giving out unwanted snacks.

How do you like this, I'm helping hijack my own thread. Any one else have any more ideas what DELTA will look like 5-10 years from now. Oh and will the pilots still have pensions? What do you guys think Delta pilots' pay will be like 5-10 years from now? Do you guys think Chapter 11 is a for sure thing in the future??

 

[On Your Six]

Hey Canyon,

Have you flown Song lately? I have. The FAs are younger, nicer, thinner, and much more enthusiastic (give them time to get jaded) than the older, fatter, jaded and far worse looking "senior mamas." I'll avoid DAL mainline if given a choice - Song has hired back a lot of the laid off DAL FAs who are still enthusiastic and customer oriented... Seriously, the older stews just can't hack it and they cost a lot more money with their chronic health care concerns. You just don't see the pervasiveness of older, crotchetier stews at SWA, JetBlue, AirTran, etc. (although I am sure they exist at those places - but not nearly as many...). Nobody likes to admit it, but DAL mainline service is a shadow of what it once was - just ask the passengers (like me when I have to use DAL for a repositioning flight).
Looking forward to Grinstein's new plan in the near future....

 

[canyonblue]

I have never flown Song , but that is sad if what you say is true. It is very hard to find a "jaded" senior F/A at SWA. As I posted in another thread, the senior F/A's at SWA would police each other and if you did not carry your weight, no pun intended, your were not well liked, and that behavior stood out. The F/A's at any airline can ruin any chance of repeat business by some of the sloppy service we have all witnessed. I would assume though at Delta, by being non-union F/A's that they could be sent packing. But if a mass butt kicking were to occur, then I imagine the F/A's would have AFA on the property quick. As we get bigger at SWA I hope we do not see any of the problems that many legacy carriers have. At SWA you still never hear "That's not my job". Still a great bunch of F/A's who continue to do a FULL beverage service on 30 minute flights.