Who wants Airtran?

[pipejockey]

$280 million will buy you airtran. You might get a couple of hundred million in cash with the deal. The convertable notes aren't due for years to come.

Any bidders?

For that price it would be worth it for DAL, AA and the like to just buy them and shut them down just to get rid of the LCC competition. With the air fares these days we really do not need LCC's anymore.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

You know, I was thinking that the other day. This would be a great combo. Very little overlap, except EWR-ATL. Airtran could feed more Continental international stuff, both companies have been hiring recently so integrating labor groups wouldn't be too bad.

I'm sure AAI management has looked this over before but with Continental out of the UAL game, this combo might get more interest.

Time for some more PBRs

 

[BSkin]

For that price it would be worth it for DAL, AA and the like to just buy them and shut them down just to get rid of the LCC competition. With the air fares these days we really do not need LCC's anymore.

You're a ****************************** -- wish the best to you too!

 

[SkiFishFly]

For that price it would be worth it for DAL, AA and the like to just buy them and shut them down just to get rid of the LCC competition. With the air fares these days we really do not need LCC's anymore.

Thanks. My wife and kids appreciate your good wishes for our future success...

 

[Max Powers]

For that price it would be worth it for DAL, AA and the like to just buy them and shut them down just to get rid of the LCC competition. With the air fares these days we really do not need LCC's anymore.

Good thing we don't live in China or that could actually happen. DOJ hasn't lost all their teeth in the bush admin. .....yet

 

[Lear70]

For that price it would be worth it for DAL, AA and the like to just buy them and shut them down just to get rid of the LCC competition. With the air fares these days we really do not need LCC's anymore.

And just shy of $1 Billion in debt... Nice try, pipe

Too bad it doesn't work like that... or maybe I should say "Good thing it doesn't work like that".

 

[Wesb737fo]

For that price it would be worth it for DAL, AA and the like to just buy them and shut them down just to get rid of the LCC competition. With the air fares these days we really do not need LCC's anymore.

Dude.....you are quite the flame baiter......or you live on some other planet.

 

[Ty Webb]

Crack Pipe Jockey!

For that price it would be worth it for DAL, AA and the like to just buy them and shut them down just to get rid of the LCC competition. With the air fares these days we really do not need LCC's anymore.

Au Contraire, mon frere . . .

What the traveling public is saying is, "We are digging the LCC thang . . . . .".

Look around you, Chief. How many Macy's, versus how many Wal-marts?

Don't worry, though . . . . we LCC pilots are made of better stuff than you . . . . we don't wish ill will upon you. . . . we hope you make it, Pole JOckey . . . . err . . . CrackPipejockey .:laugh:

 

[Max Powers]

Au Contraire, mon frere . . .

What the traveling public is saying is, "We are digging the LCC thang . . . . .".

Look around you, Chief. How many Macy's, versus how many Wal-marts?

Don't worry, though . . . . we LCC pilots are made of better stuff than you . . . . we don't wish ill will upon you. . . . we hope you make it, Pole JOckey . . . . err . . . CrackPipejockey .:laugh:

Wal-Mart? Naw dawg the Tranny is at least a Target.....dem boys gots da leather in da front of dat nice beyatch

 

[Lear70]

Dayum, Ty,,, I didn't know you spoke French.

Must be that part-cajun thing you got going...

 

[Ty Webb]

Dayum, Ty,,, I didn't know you spoke French.

Must be that part-cajun thing you got going...

Heh-heh . . . . I've been accused of being a lot of things before, but being called "Cay-jone" is a first!

What's next . . . . . being called a "Canuck"?

TW

 

[pipejockey]

Can anyone tell me that they disagree with my comment about not needing LCC's? I mean come on, look at the air fares. Everyone is an LCC thanks to our governments protection of everything and anything that even smells of LCC.

 

[fletch717]

Can anyone tell me that they disagree with my comment about not needing LCC's? I mean come on, look at the air fares. Everyone is an LCC thanks to our governments protection of everything and anything that even smells of LCC.

Yes, thanks to our government for keeping USAIR and UAL in business after 9/11?

 

[Just thinking]

Can anyone tell me that they disagree with my comment about not needing LCC's? I mean come on, look at the air fares. Everyone is an LCC thanks to our governments protection of everything and anything that even smells of LCC.

Sorry pal,
Ask the kind people traveling out of Charleston what kind of ticket prices they were paying before AirTran stared service and what kind of prices they are paying today? Ask the traveling public what kind of prices they are paying out of Cincinnati? DAL execs have been quoted that they will raise their fares in all markets except those where they face competition from LCC's.
A Low Cost Carrier has low costs thereby allowing them to charge less for their seats. A legacy carrier that charges the same (or less) than the competition's fare is throwing away money trying to hold on to market share. An RJ company would have a difficult time making money if their fuel costs were not paid for or augmented by the legacy carrier they are working for.
Bailouts, PBGC, tax breaks on fuel, etc.... protection of the legacy carriers has been well documented. The incentive money that some of the LCC's receive to provide service pales in comparison.

 

[Ty Webb]

It's also a two-edged sword. LCC's offer lower fares, but Legacies respond by "dumping seats" into the marketplace to try to "hold on to market share". That keeps the price low.

Pensacola (FL) is a textbook example. Before AirTran began service, Delta offered 4 or 5 flights a day, half of them RJ, the rest DC9 or MD80.

Now, Delta has 8 flights a day; a 757, MD88, 737-800's and maybe one RJ . . . .

I think AirTran could probably raise their fares out of Pensacola, except for all the "excess capacity" in that market, courtesy of Delta trying to "holf on to market share".

If you can't serve that passenger at the going price, and still make a profit, it ain't your market to keep.