I STILL have the United plus sticker on my bag, because it meant SETTING THE BAR HIGHER. Something you have never been in a position to do until now......so go get it, we can point fingers all day, but you are in the driver's seat, don't let us( pilots) down...I'd love to put on a "lower case a plus" sticker on my bag.
Slot restrictions?? Why?? So Airtran can use the government to compete??? Sounds like you long for the days of running to mommy, excuse me, the Clinton Administration, anytime the airlines commonly referred to as "legacy" carriers used market strength and size and hub position to compete. You guys wanted the people out of the bus terminals and on your jets, well congrats, you've done it!! But stop knocking the very same carriers that helped build many of the same terminals and airspace you now occupy. It's not my fault Delta was flying WELL before you were buying our old planes and painting cartoon jets on them. We compete (not always well, I admit) by our age, size and market share, you guys compete by knocking us on all of your crew busses with your cute "wave at us" messages painted on the side.
Keep buying jets, and when you have nowhere to fly them, be sure to blame Delta for having too many planes or whatever else you deem our fault.
Said it before, I'll say it again....good luck with the contract.