What did Ed Bastain, new NWA CEO, say about MEM? Here it is...

[Raskal]

DET will take a direct hit, because of the economy. Read today's WSJ. Chrysler is in talks to sell itself to either GM of Renault/Nissan. GM's market share is it's lowest since the great depression, they say that thay only have enough cash to make it to the end of the year and need access to the gov's $700 billion bailout. Ford stock is selling for $2 a share and they are no better off then the other two.

One of the big three if not two of the big three will not be here this time next year. That is huge for the DET market.

Everyone looks at DET's pax traffic over the past few years with NWA mgt and a thriving economy.

Try and look at it over the next few years with a nations economy in a recession and DET's econmy in a depression and DAL mgt in charge.

DAL mgt is foaming at the mouth to move Asia routes to ATL. Where do you think that they will come from? Look for DAL mgt to use the economy (DET's and the nations) as an excuse to shift the routes.

Still feeling warm and fuzzy about DET's future?

I think George Costanza said it best, "shrinkage"

Keep the fences high and long and then look for an NWA pilot base in ATL

As far as CVG and MEM. With such a close proximity, does anyone other then the General really think that both will remain in their current size? If you were running the airlie would you leave them status quo?

I don't know, a lot of your points make very little sense to me-but I've certainly been wrong before. Look at the following:

1. The numbers from 2007 (according to the FAA's site) have more takeoff/landing ops than JFK at DTW. You state that this is during a 'thriving economy' in MI. Michigan's economy has been about dead last in the nation for a number of years now. Local economy does not feed DTW.

2. ATL has no room to grow...at all. Add as many runways as they like, they still have massive gate problems and absurd delays. DTW still has more room to grow and, unlike ATL, has been built with future expansion in mind.

3. It has become basically an asian hub over time and has handled it with no problems, why on earth would anyone change what is arguably one of the most successful airport expansions in history? Especially to a complete disaster of a situation in ATL?

I don't get it, if anything I would think DAL would be foaming at the mouth to get more of their aircraft into DTW rather than out, location and local economy mean little to nothing for the location of a hub. I mean, who cares where HQ is located in today's technological and intstant communication environment?

 

[SKYWRJGUY]

How can you go transcon from nearly halfway across the country? I like the VOR post regarding aliases, if true, that's pretty sad, but what would you expect from somebody with self-esteem issues?

 

[Voice Of Reason]

General Lee, aka Heavy Set, aka Tanker Clown, aka 737pylt, aka Scoop (on alpc)

How can you go transcon from nearly halfway across the country? I like the VOR post regarding aliases, if true, that's pretty sad, but what would you expect from somebody with self-esteem issues?

Oh, it's absolutely true...that's why he obsesses over all my posts except those that point out his OBVIOUS other screen names. Take the Heavy Set screen name....click on that link I posted that proves it. I did a sort of all posts which reference General Lee by that screen name (which was pretty much ALL posts by Heavy Set since that screen name started. That name exists ONLY to defend General Lee...no other reason. Scoop on Airline Pilot Central forums is also OBVIOUSLY him. Same writing (complete with same smiley face at the end) and MO and cutting and pasting of articles that he uses to interpret in new rumors, etc.
I'm guessing when FI decided to go with a fee, he created several screen names.
It is doubtful he even works for DL as he claims and doubtful he is a pilot of any kind, but rather a DL flight sim fanboy. Just has a screen name for every facet of the industry he wants to play "Cliff Clavin" about at the time...and a pretend harem to back up his rumor starting.

Pathetic

 

[Heavy Set]

Oh, it's absolutely true...that's why he obsesses over all my posts except those that point out his OBVIOUS other screen names. Take the Heavy Set screen name....click on that link I posted that proves it. I did a sort of all posts which reference General Lee by that screen name (which was pretty much ALL posts by Heavy Set since that screen name started. That name exists ONLY to defend General Lee...no other reason. Scoop on Airline Pilot Central forums is also OBVIOUSLY him. Same writing (complete with same smiley face at the end) and MO and cutting and pasting of articles that he uses to interpret in new rumors, etc.
I'm guessing when FI decided to go with a fee, he created several screen names.
It is doubtful he even works for DL as he claims and doubtful he is a pilot of any kind, but rather a DL flight sim fanboy. Just has a screen name for every facet of the industry he wants to play "Cliff Clavin" about at the time...and a pretend harem to back up his rumor starting.

Pathetic

Voice of Treason,

It's great you think I am General Lee. In some ways I wish I did fly for Delta, but alas I left the airline world years ago after Tower Air went away. I do know a lot of Delta pilots down here in FLA, and I enjoy General Lee's posts, finding them entertaining and a view into what some Delta pilots think. If I agree with him most of the time, it is because he makes sense, whereas you are a fool. You still believe in DOH, and other things the NWA MEC lays out there, which are totally ridiculous. But keep believing, because that will make it true.

 

[Voice Of Reason]

Voice of Treason,

It's great you think I am General Lee. In some ways I wish I did fly for Delta, but alas I left the airline world years ago after Tower Air went away. I do know a lot of Delta pilots down here in FLA, and I enjoy General Lee's posts, finding them entertaining and a view into what some Delta pilots think. If I agree with him most of the time, it is because he makes sense, whereas you are a fool. You still believe in DOH, and other things the NWA MEC lays out there, which are totally ridiculous. But keep believing, because that will make it true.

WRONG, "General"! You got caught for sure this time, too bad.

Everyone else: Since my original search link no longer goes to the result I got, just hit "search" and do POSTS (not threads) by screen name "Heavy Set" with keyword term Lee in there.

By the 3rd page you will see what I mean. Every post from the beginning of posting started for that screen name involves stating how "smart" "right" or agreeable he is with General Lee. Literally HUNDREDS of posts that prove that screen name was created solely for that purpose or paratking in the same propaganda General Lee is trying to put out there.

That's just one name of many, but the most blatant.

People can disagree all they want, but to CREATE a whole pretend team to promote your views, disruption between various groups and cause chaos on the boards is downright despicable.

 

[poppi]

Voice
You are and Idiot

 

[poppi]

let me change that

Voice you are AN
Idiot

 

[Voice Of Reason]

Voice
You are and Idiot

Yet another illiterate poster who has a history of stopping in here every few months ONLY to troll.

 

[TZtoSWA]

My prediction is MSP won't be the last DAL/NWA hub we (SWA) start service into within the next couple of years.

My prediction #2...CVG, MEM, or both will be closed or at the very least gutted and left to the Commuters as a result of this merger.

 

[G4G5]

I don't know, a lot of your points make very little sense to me-but I've certainly been wrong before. Look at the following:

1. The numbers from 2007 (according to the FAA's site) have more takeoff/landing ops than JFK at DTW. You state that this is during a 'thriving economy' in MI. Michigan's economy has been about dead last in the nation for a number of years now. Local economy does not feed DTW.

Not so sure about your numbers, when I do a check of the world busiest airports. JFK handles 25% more traffic then DTW. As far as the econmy, the nations current unemployment rate is 6.1% is 8.7%. In 2004 the US was @ 5.4% and Michigan's was 6.8. So yes, Michigans economy is bad but it still continues to get worse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic

2. ATL has no room to grow...at all. Add as many runways as they like, they still have massive gate problems and absurd delays. DTW still has more room to grow and, unlike ATL, has been built with future expansion in mind.

ATL has plenty of room for Asian expansion. How many flights a day are we talking? 15-20, at most, Delta can find room for 15-20 flight out of how many daily departures?
Most of the US to Asian departures leave around Noon east coast time, not anywhere near the peak hours of operation for ATL.

3. It has become basically an asian hub over time and has handled it with no problems, why on earth would anyone change what is arguably one of the most successful airport expansions in history? Especially to a complete disaster of a situation in ATL?

Just look at the history. How many European destinations did ATL/DAL have prior to the purchase of Pan Am? They didn't buy NWA for DTW.

I don't get it, if anything I would think DAL would be foaming at the mouth to get more of their aircraft into DTW rather than out, location and local economy mean little to nothing for the location of a hub.

Local economy means a lot to the location of a hub. Why is DTW such a hub for Asia? Answer, the auto industry. In 2001 GM had a market cap of close to 52 Billion, today it's 3.2 Billion.

I mean, who cares where HQ is located in today's technological and intstant communication environment?
O&D traffic still counts for something.

This is all my opinion, I could be wrong.