DL adds SEA-SNA and ATL-HAV service

[WorldTraveler]

looks like DL is adding 4 daily SEA-SNA roundtrips starting next summer operating on Compass E175 jets.

http://airlineroute.net/2015/10/18/dl-seasna-may16/

SEA-SNA is a top market for SEA, gives DL its 2nd market in the LA basin from SEA, and shows that DL's desire to expand its SEA hub can be accommodated at SNA, an airport that is slot controlled but still has procedures for slot allocation - as the DOT and FAA intended.

With the addition, DL will be adding more seats on SEA-SNA than WN operates with their schedule of between 1 and 2 flights, depending on the day of the week.



DL also appears to be starting Saturday only 737-800 service to Havana. Schedules aren't published yet and don't show traffic restrictions that may be attached to the flight.

http://airlineroute.net/2015/10/18/dl-atlhav-s16/

 

[700UW]

They can fly charters to HAV, you can't have scheduled service yet.

 

[Kev3188]

It'd be nice if our gov't made that clearer to the traveling public. It's not quite as restrictive as it was, but you still need a stated purpose for visiting, and "working on my tan" won't be a valid one...

 

[WorldTraveler]

and it is possible that DL has been granted the right to operate the equivalent of public charters... the concept did exist at one time and there are very fast moving changes taking place. No one here including me knows what is taking place but DL has flown charters to HAV for quite some time... there is clearly something different going on that DL is publishing the schedules now.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

It'd be nice if our gov't made that clearer to the traveling public. It's not quite as restrictive as it was, but you still need a stated purpose for visiting, and "working on my tan" won't be a valid one...

 
I suppose genuine Cohiba's (not the Dominican Repbulic ones) aren't a good answer either ..... ..... ....
 

and it is possible that DL has been granted the right to operate the equivalent of public charters... the concept did exist at one time and there are very fast moving changes taking place. No one here including me knows what is taking place but DL has flown charters to HAV for quite some time... there is clearly something different going on that DL is publishing the schedules now.

 
Is this another WT Fabricated Fact?
 
It's amazing how defensive about DL you are.  Get some help dude.

 

[WorldTraveler]

the fabrication is from those who want to try to argue that DL can't carry traffic to HAV.

It has for quite some time... the onus is on you and others to tell us why DL can't do what it is doing.

better yet, don't post it here... call the DOT.

and then post the file number they assign your case.

 

[Kev3188]

I suppose genuine Cohiba's (not the Dominican Repbulic ones) aren't a good answer either ..... ..... ....

Probably not, but they should be...

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

I suppose genuine Cohiba's (not the Dominican Repbulic ones) aren't a good answer either ..... ..... ....
 

 
Is this another WT Fabricated Fact?
 
It's amazing how defensive about DL you are.  Get some help dude.

Wow.

One would think that if the almighty had been exclusively granted "the right to operate the equivalent of public charters" to Cuba, that would be news that would filter out from under the bridge.

One would think that would be newsworthy and even marketable from the delta newscorp?

Meh.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Delta hasn't even announced the flights... the data was found in the OAL schedule file... you noted in the VERY FIRST POST that I said that the traffic restrictions on it weren't known.... but instead of acknowledging that, we have had a page of stupidity and arguing.

wow, just wow.

meh WOULD BE so lucky.

 

[700UW]

US and Cuba don't have a bilateral agreement yet if I remember correctly

 

[WorldTraveler]

that is true but the US and Cuba have been negotiating a number of changes....no one here can know for certain what DL can and can't do but it is very likely that DL is selling a charter that has sales restrictions.

What makes this flight different from the other charters to Cuba that DL has operated? I don't know but something is clearly different for DL to publish the schedules.

 

[eolesen]

These are charters *only* sold thru MLT/DL Vacations.

Why they decided to publish the schedules in the GDS does seem out of place, but there are other airlines who've done that in other parts of the world to fill up space that they can't sell without a little more visibility. It also helps for booking the inbound and outbound connections while also honoring MCT's.

If having the schedules in the GDS drives a few incremental phone calls to sales, then it's worth it.

Based on prognostications here before, though, you'd think these charters would sell themselves without any advertising, since ATL has such a huge Cuban community and is also home to the CDC (they're geographically close to DL, you know...).

 

[WorldTraveler]

E got this part right....

These are charters *only* sold thru MLT/DL Vacations.

Why they decided to publish the schedules in the GDS does seem out of place, but there are other airlines who've done that in other parts of the world to fill up space that they can't sell without a little more visibility. It also helps for booking the inbound and outbound connections while also honoring MCT's.

If having the schedules in the GDS drives a few incremental phone calls to sales, then it's worth it.

he forgot to mention that humanitarian work is fairly freely allowed and just like with AA at MIA, DL carries an enormous amount of traffic to Latin America via ATL that is going to do humanitarian work. Given that MIA like ATL is a hub, flights from ATL work differently than the point to point traffic that constitutes most other Cuba flights.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

E got this part right....


he forgot to mention that humanitarian work is fairly freely allowed and just like with AA at MIA, DL carries an enormous amount of traffic to Latin America via ATL that is going to do humanitarian work. Given that MIA like ATL is a hub, flights from ATL work differently than the point to point traffic that constitutes most other Cuba flights.

 
WT.
Forget HAV for a second, and lets revert back to SEA.   Though you'll NEVER believe it in a million years, I hope and pray that DL squeezes the shite out of AS in SEA. (for selfish reasons)  If AS does find themselves in a corner with no way out (courtesy of DL) (in SEA), there is One and only One carrier that could solve ALL their problems and thats the BIG DOG......AA.
As you're well aware, UAL wants nothing to do with that SEA WAR, and no other US carrier, be it WN or HA or B6 or Spirit or anyother regional could fix that (hypothetical) problem for AS.
So, Have-at-it.  Squeeze Away  !

 

[700UW]

FYI, charters have been showing up by mistake in the OAG for about two months now.
 
Its a glitch in the system.
 
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/delta-expected-to-resume-charter-flights-from-atla/nmnkL/
 
 

In a sign of growing confidence that long-rigid relations between the United States and Cuba are easing, Delta Air Lines is expected to announce plans to resume charter flights from Atlanta to Havana as early as spring 2016, according to a company executive.
 
Tony Torres, Delta’s General Manager of Sales for the Caribbean and Central America, says the announcement could come as soon as this fall.



 

Delta Air Lines briefly operated charter flights to Havana in 2011 and 2012, but halted the service after about a year due to low profits.