More pressure on Comair....

[MedFlyer]

Hey dumba$$,
So, if it were not a dollar issue, then why hasn't Comair expanded much lately? Can you answer that?

You make yourself look like a real fool when you keep saying this.

Comair's domestic ASM's are up 25.3% this year (through Aug 31).
ASA's domestic ASM's are up 15.3% this year.

Let me repeat say this again, since you seem a little slow:

COMAIR has grown FASTER than ASA so far in 2004.

Just for comparison, Southwest's ASM's are up 5.3% year to date. So if Comair hasn't expanded much (as you claim), you must think WN is really weak.

 

[bvt1151]

When Fred Butrell spoke with Comair Pilots earlier this month,

He said that DELTA as its OWN ENTITY the last quarter:
LOST MONEY ON EACH INDIVIDUAL Delta Connection partner. He said basically they lost money on not just Comair but CHQ, Skywest, and ASA also.

He said that the amount that DELTA brought in through REVENUES on EACH INDIVIAL DELTA CONNECTION partner was less than they PAID TO EACH INDIVIDUAL DELTA CONNECTION partner(CMR, ASA, CHQ, Skywest).

So DAL definitely LOST MONEY on CHQ and Skywest. He admitted this.

THE ONLY QUESTION is: CMR as an individual entity showed a profit and so did ASA. So is the amount of the profit that CMR and ASA made
MORE OR LESS THAN THE LOSS DAL's INDIVIDUAL internal books showed on their FLIGHTS?

IF THE PROFIT IS MORE than the LOSS DAL showed on their internal books then Comair is truly profitable for DAL, more so than CHQ and Skywest, SINCE THE MONEY for the WOs IS REALLY GOING FROM ONE POCKET TO ANOTHER.

The only problem is that DAL has said they are going to pay ALL of the DC carriers less next year. This is bad for Skywest and CHQ, but really WHO THE HECK KNOWS FOR COMAIR AND ASA??????

What Fred Actually said was that DCI broke even(barely under, actually), Which means DCI division made $22 million on Comair because they consider fees for departure paid to Comair as lost, which obviously they are not. The $22 million easily eclipses the $16 million "lost" on DCI in the second quarter. He also said that Comair is the cheapest alternative to DCI. Straight from Fred, and even Randy had a few things to say about it.

What this means is that, yes, Comair is profitable for Delta, but it would not be if Delta did not own them.

Remember that DCI includes a horribly unprofitable ACA operation which without, DCI would be easily profitable. There's also some speculation that Delta did not include ASA's revenues with DCI but did include their costs. Then bored reporters like this one don't do their research, eat it up and...well you see the product.

The numbers for Comair and ASA are bogus, I'll admit. Comair and ASA could be losing FISTFULLS OF MONEY or MAKING FISTFULLS for Delta. They like keeping it secret so they can WHIPSAW everyone to death and say since Comair's employees are paid too much
THEY'LL NEVER GROW AGAIN!! and instead will WITHER ON THE VINE!!

If they're bogus then somebody better run and tell Bombardier, GE, and all of the financiers, because these are the numbers they're basing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of financing on. I'll trust that their accountants know enough to distinguish bad numbers from the good ones.

 

[On Your Six]

You make yourself look like a real fool when you keep saying this.

Comair's domestic ASM's are up 25.3% this year (through Aug 31).
ASA's domestic ASM's are up 15.3% this year.

Let me repeat say this again, since you seem a little slow:

COMAIR has grown FASTER than ASA so far in 2004.

Just for comparison, Southwest's ASM's are up 5.3% year to date. So if Comair hasn't expanded much (as you claim), you must think WN is really weak.

Medflyer, c'mon now. You know what I am talking about - more aircraft and a substantial increase in new routes. We are talking expansion opportunities. Has CHQ and Skywest flying increased as % of total regional flying for Delta over the past few years? Yes. Your increase in ASM could be due to the addition of CRJ-700s.

My understanding is that ASA will get 15 CRJ-700s this year and potentially more CRJ-700s taken from an order of 25 CRJ-200s that can be upgraded (from the RFP). Sounds like Comair is too expensive to share in the growth - and ASA benefits... Hmmmmm. Is that too slow for you to understand?

 

[chperplt]

I doubted that you could answer my original questions. I was right.

OY6

I think the only dumbass on this thread is you.

 

[chperplt]

My understanding is that ASA will get 15 CRJ-700s this year and potentially more CRJ-700s taken from an order of 25 CRJ-200s that can be upgraded (from the RFP

Is the fact that ASA will be losing their ATRs part of your understanding? Let's see... Take away airplanes with 70 seats and replace them with 50 seat airplanes. Is that expansion to you?

 

[On Your Six]

Is the fact that ASA will be losing their ATRs part of your understanding? Let's see... Take away airplanes with 70 seats and replace them with 50 seat airplanes. Is that expansion to you?

Sounds like ASA may get even more CRJ-700s given that the order for 200s could possibly be converted to 700s - the option exists (not sure about scope issues but it could happen). The RFP gave the option to swap 200s with 700s. Not sure about the ATR72 reduction schedule but it is likely to not happen all at once - perhaps you could enlighten me with the schedule.

Notice that ASA gets the expansion in terms of aircraft and Comair does not. Sounds like cost might be an issue in this case. Or do you have a better answer?

 

[chperplt]

Notice that ASA gets the expansion in terms of aircraft and Comair does not. Sounds like cost might be an issue in this case. Or do you have a better answer?

How many total aircraft does Comair have? What about ASA? How many aircraft will ASA have once the RFP exansion is complete?

 

[Pez D. Spencer]

Sounds like ASA may get even more CRJ-700s given that the order for 200s could possibly be converted to 700s - the option exists (not sure about scope issues but it could happen).

Are you guessing about this or do you have an actual source?

Notice that ASA gets the expansion in terms of aircraft and Comair does not. Sounds like cost might be an issue in this case. Or do you have a better answer?

Notice too that ASA is negotiating a new contract and Comair is not. That might just level the playing field.

 

[atrdriver]

ASA IS NOT losing it's ATR's. We are giving back 7 of them, to bring the fleet size to 12. So, We lose 7 66 passenger airplanes, and gain 25 50 passengers...not a math wiz here, but that sure sounds like a total gain in seats to me.

atrdriver

 

[On Your Six]

How many total aircraft does Comair have? What about ASA? How many aircraft will ASA have once the RFP exansion is complete?

Read ATRDriver's response. The current number of aircraft in your fleets doesn't matter. What matters is the additional aircraft coming in the future (expansion), and, as far as I know, Comair won't be getting too many next year vs. ASA which will be adding quite a few. That means fewer upgrades - right? ASA pilots are paid less than Comair pilots. Coincidence?

 

[chperplt]

Dude,

You need to read the entire thread again.

Who do you work for? Mesa wasn't it??

 

[sweptback]

Medflyer, c'mon now. You know what I am talking about - more aircraft and a substantial increase in new routes. We are talking expansion opportunities. Has CHQ and Skywest flying increased as % of total regional flying for Delta over the past few years? Yes. Your increase in ASM could be due to the addition of CRJ-700s.

My understanding is that ASA will get 15 CRJ-700s this year and potentially more CRJ-700s taken from an order of 25 CRJ-200s that can be upgraded (from the RFP). Sounds like Comair is too expensive to share in the growth - and ASA benefits... Hmmmmm. Is that too slow for you to understand?

Do you even know what an ASM is?

Hint... it's a somewhat a measure of an airline's size. It's really the measure of the "traffic" generated by that airline.

More ASMs could mean more larger jets coming online, or more ASMs could mean more flying being done with current airplanes. Either way that's growth, and that's good, right?

Think about it, I could have 1 airplane and run it 10 flights a day at 500 miles each, or 10 airplanes, but run each one flight a day at 500 miles each. The ASMs for both would be the same, no? Obviously there's a lot of room for growth in the second scenario, even though the number of aircraft stays fixed.

So it is possible for an airline to grow and expand without receiving new airplanes. All the airline has to do is use their current airplanes more effectively. This could mean pilot growth based on how thin they currently are.

 

[On Your Six]

Do you even know what an ASM is?

Hint... it's a somewhat a measure of an airline's size. It's really the measure of the "traffic" generated by that airline.

More ASMs could mean more larger jets coming online, or more ASMs could mean more flying being done with current airplanes. Either way that's growth, and that's good, right?

Think about it, I could have 1 airplane and run it 10 flights a day at 500 miles each, or 10 airplanes, but run each one flight a day at 500 miles each. The ASMs for both would be the same, no? Obviously there's a lot of room for growth in the second scenario, even though the number of aircraft stays fixed.

So it is possible for an airline to grow and expand without receiving new airplanes. All the airline has to do is use their current airplanes more effectively. This could mean pilot growth based on how thin they currently are.

Yes, I know what an ASM is - but the cause of growth, like you said, could be one of many variables. When I talk about growth, I am referring to aircraft and routes, not utilization in this case. Again, has Comair actually grown much in terms of aircraft or new routes? That's the question here - and the answer is NO - no significant growth in terms of aircraft. ASA will see more growth while Comair stagnates and the FOs sit in their seats for a long, long time...

We are getting caught up in SEMANTICS while the main point is being ignored - Comair is more expensive than ASA and most other regionals in terms of pilot costs. This could be detrimental to growth opportunities because of Delta's cash crunch and its need to reduce operating costs (including the cost of feed). The original article above talks about Comair's high cost structure vs. other regionals but you guys want to avoid the discussion. On an apples-to-apples basis Comair's costs are higher than other regionals, and its growth will likely suffer. But don't take my opinion - just read the article....

Can anyone at Comair tell me why they think they are being left out of the aircraft expansion that ASA is getting (why only ASA vs. both)? Let's focus on that vs. personal attacks and problems with semantics...

 

[FDJ2]

You make yourself look like a real fool when you keep saying this.

Comair's domestic ASM's are up 25.3% this year (through Aug 31).
ASA's domestic ASM's are up 15.3% this year.

How much will CMR's ASMs be up next year when compared to ASA? Who will see a greater increase in DCI ASMs in 2005 CHQ, SKWST, or CMR?

The heady days of 85% growth in the few years since your acquisition are coming to a skreaching halt.

 

[chperplt]

Can anyone at Comair tell me why they think they are being left out of the aircraft expansion that ASA is getting (why only ASA vs. both)? Let's focus on that vs. personal attacks and problems with semantics...

You didn't do very well with reading comprehension in school, did you? You say I'm not answering your questions, but you just aren't getting the answer.

Comair is being left out next year for aircraft expansion just like ASA was left out in 2002, 2003, and 2004. Comair as you say was more expensive then too. Comair has more airplanes than ASA and next years expansion will even those numbers out.