I want to add something here, and this is not flame/sarcastic, but serious based on observation.
I think Comair needs Delta to survive, as do most (not all) Regionals need their major counterparts. Why? How many of them do you think would still be around if it not for the mainline agreements.
Case in point: most passengers recognize Comair jets not by the name Comair, but rather by the term "Delta Connection". In addition, a lot of people who are booked tickets on Comair do not have a choice. Example: someone books a trip from LAX to SBN via CVG with a ticket agent. All they know is to go to the Delta ticket counter when they arrive at LAX.
Another example: I had some family come visit me from the West Coast. Before one of them booked the flights, she wanted to know if she would be traveling on "one of those little airplanes". She said she was nervous to get on one and didn't like the fact that they are so crammed. She also thought the RJ's were owned and staffed by Delta Air Lines. When I mentioned Comair, she had no idea who they were. They all ended up buying tickets on Southwest. Why? Because they were familiar with the name and they knew the airplanes are larger.
Final example: a lot of my friends who travel for business say they do not like flying on any of the RJ's. They trust the airplanes and the pilots, but they hate the lack of space. They complain about the lack of space for bags above and under the seats, cramped seating, and the long flight times on small aircraft.
Now, before the bashing starts, let me say something. I do not fly for any passenger airline, so I have no stake in this. Also, as a professional pilot, I know that these airplanes are safe and that all of you are professional and competent, and I have no problem boarding an RJ.
What I posted was based on observations from non-pilot folks. The non-pilot traveler in our society is more comfortable flying on larger airliners and on airlines with traditional brand recognition, such as Delta, United, Northwest, etc, etc.
I think it possible (albeit not very probable) for Comair to survive without Delta, but not without some very hard work. Not too many people outside of CVG know Comair when they hear it, and many will think Comair is a new airline and not be aware of it's long history if it branches out on it's own. It is going to need some serious marketing and advertising.
Also, what cities are you going to serve and can you do it profitably with the RJ's? I'm not a financial guru on airline ops, but I've heard the RJ is more expensive to operate than a larger airplane on a given route. Would Comair branch out and possibly start operating Airbuses or 737's?
It appears that the trend is for the majors/legacies is to get out of operating the regionals as a separate entity and begin working with them on a contract basis like they have in years past. This helps keep a lot of the costs down and puts the burden of profitability on the regional airline itself.
I think what we are going to see is some of the regionals to exist only as code-sharing partners. Others are going to leave the mainline completely and attempt to operate as an independent low-cost airline.
Over time, two things are going to happen: ALL airlines are going to get very competitive and only the strong willl survive. Then, the remaining players will strengthen and some degree of stability will show itself in the industry. Until then, there are still going to be some rough riding ahead.
