Delta Message to Independence Air - Back Off from ATL...

[On Your Six]

Looks like Delta is making it crystal clear to Independence Air that it will get some heavy competition to ATL and places south (through the ATL hub) out of the DC area. We'll see what the Delta fares look like - they better be competitive. With all of these frequencies for DL and Indy Air (and any other UAL feeder flights - Mesa), how will the airlines cope once one of the runways is closed down soon for resurfacing? You can probably expect some delays at IAD for a while... Read below:


Delta Air Lines to Offer Hourly Service Between Atlanta and Washington D.C.-Dulles with Fifteen Daily Roundtrip Flights
Friday June 11, 10:00 am ET

Hourly schedule begins August 1

ATLANTA, June 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL - News) will begin offering customers hourly flights between Atlanta and Washington, D.C.'s Dulles International Airport on Aug. 1. With the addition of four flights to its current schedule, the airline now will offer customers 15 daily round-trip flights between its Atlanta hub and Dulles.

The new hourly service between Atlanta and Washington-Dulles (IAD) complements the hourly service Delta already offers between Atlanta and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) with 16 daily flights, and 13 daily round-trip flights between Atlanta and Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

"Customers can now choose the airport in the D.C. area that is most convenient for them, at a time that fits their schedules," said Doug Blissit, Delta's vice president-Network Analysis.

Delta's flights from Atlanta to Washington-Dulles will begin at 7:15 a.m. and depart hourly at 15 minutes past the hour, with the last flight departing Atlanta at 10:15 p.m. The hourly flights from Washington-Dulles will depart on the hour starting at 6 a.m., with the last flight departing at 9 p.m. Each flight is scheduled to arrive approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes after its departure time. The flights will be flown with a mix of Delta aircraft and regional jets, flown by Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines.

Tickets for Delta's new flights between Atlanta and Washington-Dulles will be available for sale on June 12.

Delta Air Lines is proud to celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2004. Delta is the world's second largest airline in terms of passengers carried and the leading U.S. carrier across the Atlantic, offering daily flights to 494 destinations in 86 countries on Delta, Song, Delta Shuttle, the Delta Connection carriers and its worldwide partners. Delta's marketing alliances allow customers to earn and redeem frequent flier miles on more than 14,000 flights offered by SkyTeam, Northwest Airlines, Continental Airlines and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. For more information, please visit delta.com.

 

[lowecur]

It's just 4 more flights per day. I don't see this as retribution, but rather a paper tiger trying to gum it's prey. Besides, most of the DL flights are either O&D out of ATL or connections from some smaller SE cities. Independence flights will be O&D from IAD or connections from smaller NE cities.

 

[avrodriver]

Northwest gets in on the action as well

Northwest Airlines Announces New Jet Service Between Lansing, Mich., and Washington-Dulles
Friday June 11, 2:22 pm ET Daily Flights to Begin July 15

MINNEAPOLIS, June 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Northwest Airlines (Nasdaq: NWAC - News) today announced that it is expanding service at Lansing, Mich., with new non-stop jet service to Washington's Dulles International Airport. Four weekday flights and three flights on Saturdays and Sundays will be offered beginning July 15.

 

[redflyer65]

It's funny how everyone just jumps to conclusions like "Delta is making a statement with more flying to IAD", the statement is that they are trying to make a profit, period. As they should be doing. As a matter of fact, Delta is painting some of the Indy Air CRJs! I'm sure they aren't doing that for free. Cheers.

 

[MedFlyer]

It's funny how everyone just jumps to conclusions like "Delta is making a statement with more flying to IAD", the statement is that they are trying to make a profit, period. As they should be doing.

Delta adding flights at IAD has NOTHING to do with making a profit. They are doing this to flood Independence out of the market. DL's going to add all this additional capacity and fill up the planes at a lower yield. There's nothing profitable about it. DL is just trying to knock Indy out which is how competition works.

 

[jtf]

I was at IAD today and the runway was closed- maybe until done, but they have started on the 32 side. It sure looks like everyone is going to try to jump on Independence with NW and Delta jumping in and Ted already starting to position itself for a fight. Looks like the majors are going to be proactive on trying to stop another LCC from taking more market share. I wonder if Continental and American will be jumping in soon also and how the other majors adding flights to UA's hub will affect them in the longrun.

 

[Indypilot]

"As a matter of fact, Delta is painting some of the Indy Air CRJs! I'm sure they aren't doing that for free."


Unless leading edge in greenville, mississippi is owned by delta, they aren't painting any of our CRJ's. All 87 will be painted there.