Delta realignment

[michael707767]

Not sure what it means for Delta pilots in CVG or for CMR, but CVG taking a 26% cut in flying.........




Delta Air Lines Strengthens Domestic Hubs, Offers Customers More International Choices with Winter Schedule
Wednesday September 7, 8:00 am ET

ATLANTA, Sept. 7, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL - News) will accelerate the pace of its transformation through changes to its winter schedule that realign service at domestic hubs to be more efficient, shift capacity from domestic routes to meet growing international demand, and reduce fleet complexity by accelerating plans to retire inefficient aircraft.

``Today, we are announcing the latest in a series of integrated improvements to further strengthen our network by continuing to right-size our hubs, increase international flying and simplify our fleet -- all key components of our transformation plan,'' said Jim Whitehurst, Chief Operating Officer. ``Together with earlier, major initiatives such as de-hubbing Dallas/Fort Worth, introducing SimpliFares(tm) and expanding point-to-point flying, these changes complement the service customers have come to expect from the world's second-largest airline in terms of passengers carried, while stepping up the pace of our customer-focused transformation.''

Effective Dec. 1, Delta will right-size operations at its second-largest hub at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport to better match service to local passenger demand and optimize the balance of local and connecting traffic. With the changes, Delta will reduce mainline and Delta Connection carrier capacity by 26 percent, while boosting the percentage of local traffic from 36 to nearly 50 percent -- well in line with other Delta and competitor hubs.

Additionally, Delta will replace service in nine markets currently served non-stop from Cincinnati by Delta Connection carriers ASA and Comair with connecting service through the Atlanta hub.

``In keeping with our customer-focused commitment, these scheduling improvements will have virtually no effect on the services the traveling public has come to expect from us as the No. 1 airline in the Cincinnati market. By consolidating flights into fewer flight banks and reducing flights in off-peak hours, we will increase customer choice during preferred travel times,'' Whitehurst said. ``Importantly, as an international gateway, the Cincinnati area also will retain the international service its customers enjoy to eight non-stop destinations in Canada, Mexico, Europe and the Caribbean, and its status as one of the country's top 10 airline hubs.''

Additionally, from the Atlanta and Salt Lake City hubs, Delta is expanding service to regional business destinations with new non-stop flights to 20 destinations, including between Salt Lake City and Columbus, Ohio, and between Atlanta and Bloomington and Moline, Ill.

And for leisure customers, Delta will add more flights to Hawaii with the first non-stop service between Atlanta and Maui, complementing existing non-stop flights to Honolulu and planned one-stop service to Kona via Salt Lake City (effective Dec. 1). The new Atlanta-Maui route begins Dec. 16 and brings to 11 the number of daily Delta round-trip departures between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii.

Increasing service to international destinations

With the fall and winter schedule, customers throughout Delta's global network will enjoy new or expanded service to 41 international destinations. New destinations served from Atlanta will include: Managua, Nicaragua (Dec. 15); Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Dec. 15); Antigua (Dec. 18); San Pedro Sula, Honduras (March 1, 2006); Roatan, Honduras (March 4, 2006); and Dusseldorf, Germany (April 3, 2006). On Dec. 1, Delta also will increase by two the number of daily flights between Atlanta and Cancun, Mexico, and expand to daily existing weekend-only service between Cincinnati and Montego Bay, Jamaica. Service to Latin America markets is subject to appropriate government operating approvals.

Delta's upcoming international expansion adds to the 21 new international routes introduced or announced since Jan. 1, 2005, including New York (JFK) to Chennai, India (via Paris); New York (JFK) to Berlin, Germany; Atlanta to Moscow; New York (JFK) and Atlanta to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Atlanta to Barbados; and Salt Lake City to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

These schedule enhancements maintain Delta's position as the leading U.S. carrier across the Atlantic and the No. 3 carrier to Latin America and the Caribbean.

Increasing efficiencies through fleet simplification

Part of Delta's ongoing transformation calls for the simplification of its fleet by up to four types in approximately four years to reduce fleet complexity, increase fuel efficiency and reduce capacity on routes where Delta offers more seats than necessary to meet customer demand.

Beginning this month, Delta will accelerate the removal from service of its Boeing 767-200 aircraft type -- the least efficient wide-body aircraft in its fleet. These aircraft are scheduled to be removed from service by Dec. 1, 2005, with the majority to be sold to ABX Air, Inc., through a transaction announced separately today.

Delta Air Lines 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 487 destinations in 88 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 carriers and other airline 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.

Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements regarding Delta's estimates, beliefs, expectations, intentions, strategies or projections, may be ``forward-looking statements'' as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, expectations, intentions, strategies and projections reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, our ability to maintain adequate liquidity, the possible imposition of a significant reserve or holdback under our credit card processing agreements, our ability to comply with financial covenants in our loan agreements, our debt and pension plan funding obligations, the cost of aircraft fuel, pilot early retirements, the effect of credit ratings downgrades, interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub airports, our increasing dependence on technology in our operations, labor issues, restructurings by competitors, the effects of terrorist attacks and competitive conditions in the airline industry. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in Delta's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including its Form 10-Q, filed with the Commission on August 15, 2005. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on Delta's forward-looking statements, which represent Delta's views only as of September 7, 2005, and which Delta has no current intention to update.

The Delta logo is available at: http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=1825

 

[michael707767]

and as referred to in the previous article........


Delta to sell 11 767-200 planes to cut costs
Wed Sep 7, 2005 08:22 AM ET
NEW YORK, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines (DAL.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on Wednesday said it will accelerate its turnaround plans by selling 11 Boeing 767-200 aircraft to ABX Air Inc. and changing service at its U.S. hub airports.
The No. 3 U.S. carrier also plans to shift capacity from domestic routes to international service to meet growing demand, the troubled airline said in a statement.

 

[JECKEL]

Delta announced today that, effective December 1, it will right-size operations at the Cincinnati hub to better match service to local passenger demand and optimize the balance of local and connecting traffic. The changes reduce mainline and DCI capacity by 26 percent.

"Going forward, we must continue to stay focused on operational integrity, customer service excellence and a winning growth strategy," said President Fred Buttrell. "To survive, we must also become one of the low-cost providers of Delta Connection flying. Doing that will give us the opportunity to secure a winning growth strategy while helping Delta -- our partner and parent company -- at the same time."
​

 

[dlredline]

Delta announced today that, effective December 1, it will right-size operations at the Cincinnati hub to better match service to local passenger demand and optimize the balance of local and connecting traffic. The changes reduce mainline and DCI capacity by 26 percent.​

​

Uh, oh. The last time I heard the term "right size" used was at USAir, where I went from 737 Captain to the street in just 2 years.

Red

 

[JECKEL]

Details of the December schedule must still be finalized, but based on an preliminary analysis of schedule impact and the reduction in operational hours, initial estimates indicate up to 350 Comair positions could be impacted. Most of that impact could be to Flight Operations, Inflight, Customer Services field locations and other operational support areas. To reduce that number as much as possible, the airline will use a number of measures, including leave programs, relocation (where applicable) and attrition. We will exhaust all options, but in the event that furloughs are necessary, we will work closely with the affected groups to minimize the impact.

The schedule utilizes all 174 of Comair's aircraft. However, our aircraft utilization - the number hours each aircraft flies per day - will be reduced. Unfortunately, because we are producing less hours with the same number of aircraft per day, it does create surpluses. We will have to manage this by finding ways to make the operation even more efficient. That is something that everyone at Comair must work together to address

Although we do not disclose detailed Comair-specific financial data, the schedule reduction will likely impact Comair revenues

 

[Otto]

I'm sure the General will be grinning with satisfaction now that it looks like Comair will have to furlough. Nevermind the fact that the individuals affected here weren't even at the company when the pilot group supposedly decided not to "help out" Delta furloughees (as if we had that power). A sad day indeed. So who's got their resume out?

 

[Pilotbob3]

I'm sure the General will be grinning with satisfaction now that it looks like Comair will have to furlough. Nevermind the fact that the individuals affected here weren't even at the company when the pilot group supposedly decided not to "help out" Delta furloughees (as if we had that power). A sad day indeed. So who's got their resume out?

Otto, I'm quite sure the General and anyone else will NOT be grinning at the prospect of any pilots getting furloughed. Quit talking out your asss. your last two sentences are the only things worth posting. sheesh...

 

[AAflyer]

I have talked to GL a little bit through emails, he is not the type to wish anyone getting furloughed ill will. What many at mainline had been saying after 9-11 was "we are starting to get it, WE are ALL in this together", however with explosive RJ growth, it was muted, and a more divisive line was drawn.

Does everyone GET it know. NO ONE is immune, and WE are ALL in this together. Why is this such a hard concept t grasp.

AA

Opps, That will probably bring Surplus1 out to explain it to me.

 

[JECKEL]

Among other changes announced Wednesday, Delta is expanding service to regional business destinations from its Atlanta and Salt Lake City hubs with new nonstop flights to 20 destinations.

 

[uba757]

I dont think GL will be that happy since most of us guys and gals getting the letter got hired this year and we were not around for the DELTA/ASA/CMR hiring fiasco. UBA757