AA/US continuation of good trend

[DCaf]

You mean, DCaf, that you don't really like hearing that US' future really isn't terribly bright, even if Parker and others have said it. I know that isn't the most delightful thing to hear but if it is the truth, then it would do you well to pay attention.
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It is always prudent to keep money in the bank... the advice to US employees is because their future long term is alot less certain than that of other carriers.
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Mocking others/other companies because they have got their act figured out does nothing but showcase the uncertainty of those doing the mocking.

etops, you better believe you'll get your gift certificate if I am proven wrong. We just might have to get together for a BIG LUNCH since no one else bellied up to the bar... I am quite interested in meeting about the only other person on here that will back up their convictions with a little hard earned bread.

Responding with a hair trigger to even the tiniest negative mention regarding Delta as you do seems a little insecure to me.
And when did Parker say "US' future really isn't terribly bright", whatever that means? I assume you can provide when and to whom it was said.

 

[WorldTraveler]

except this has nothing to do with Delta... it has to do with US and its business plan. US is the one whose mgmt is saying that it is at a disadvantage to the industry and doesn't have the network it needs to compete, even though it has closed a number of hubs over the past decade. US is the one that had to trade away 1/4 of the entire slots at LGA airport because it couldn't find a way to use them and, of the schedules that have been announced for their new slots at DCA, US will be offering LESS seats than the way those slots were used before. And unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that US people who along with UA employees suffered more during the first decade of the 21st century than any other groups of airline employees did before, are the lowest paid network carrier employees in the industry - and the company is happy to play the labor discord against each other to keep that pay as low as possible. Perhaps it is because UA employees have a good chance of seeing pay raises as a part of the merger integration and so US employees want to obtain the same thing- some US employees they think if they go after AA, then AA's higher revenue generating network and a merger might finally give US employees a chance at increased pay.
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So, no, the conversation is not about DL... it is about US and its ability to deliver what it said it was going to do years ago... and still has not delivered on- to the detriment of US' employees.
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Once again, I am sorry to be the one to bring you face to face with the reality of the situation you are facing - but as in all things in life, the sooner one gets a grip on what one is facing, the sooner it is possible to find real solutions to address one's own problems, instead of expecting others to solve your problems for you.

 

[AAviator]

A dream?? More like an opportunity or a smart business decision 😉

For who? You mean swimming towards the lifeboat..... Right?

 

[AAviator]

The training costs and associated fleet retooling and integration for the new planes will be quite costly not to mention the brokerage fees (probably paid to some exec.). So no revenue growth at AA while all this is happening combined with DL, UA/CO and even US eating a hole in AA's revenue base. If you are employee at AA you should probably be ready to take around a 40% hit to your salary and benefits without a merger and double BK. US would easily provide another 13 billion or so to AA's bottom line, a newer fleet (immediately), provide AA with market share to equal the other two. ...AArogance.

You forget that that 13 billion is generated, and made possible by LLC's bottom of the industry labor costs. Remove those and that 13 billion goes away real quick.... So where's the benefit?

Given that logic, LLC better snap up Frontier and add that market share and revenue to its portfolio... Right?

About the AA fleet.. We've been taking delivery of 2 737's a month. In a few months the 773's start rolling in at a clip of one a month. Just over a year from now the A319-321's start showing up at two a month, and more 737's.. In 2014 more 772's come on line @ 1/month.. Then there's the 787-900's 42 of them.... In 2017 the NEO's start.. And guess what.. Somewhere in there we'll be adding NEW HIRES at entry level compensation... And since we're taking about network strength, and fleet generated revenue, it would pay to get up to speed on what OneWorld is doing going forward, especially in 2012. BTW how old are the LCC 757's and 762's?

Given the current "U" logic, instead of hiring fresh blood, we'd be recalling the folks who got furloughed when LAS, PHX got shut down, PHL, and CLT downsized, and who knows what else tossed out the window.... B6 is a totally different story, as is AS. They SHINE when the possibilities are considered..

Any deal between LLC and AA is a bad deal for AA no matter how you slice it. Good luck to us all.

 

[AAviator]

except this has nothing to do with Delta... it has to do with US and its business plan. US is the one whose mgmt is saying that it is at a disadvantage to the industry and doesn't have the network it needs to compete, even though it has closed a number of hubs over the past decade. US is the one that had to trade away 1/4 of the entire slots at LGA airport because it couldn't find a way to use them and, of the schedules that have been announced for their new slots at DCA, US will be offering LESS seats than the way those slots were used before. And unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that US people who along with UA employees suffered more during the first decade of the 21st century than any other groups of airline employees did before, are the lowest paid network carrier employees in the industry - and the company is happy to play the labor discord against each other to keep that pay as low as possible. Perhaps it is because UA employees have a good chance of seeing pay raises as a part of the merger integration and so US employees want to obtain the same thing- some US employees they think if they go after AA, then AA's higher revenue generating network and a merger might finally give US employees a chance at increased pay.
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So, no, the conversation is not about DL... it is about US and its ability to deliver what it said it was going to do years ago... and still has not delivered on- to the detriment of US' employees.
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Once again, I am sorry to be the one to bring you face to face with the reality of the situation you are facing - but as in all things in life, the sooner one gets a grip on what one is facing, the sooner it is possible to find real solutions to address one's own problems, instead of expecting others to solve your problems for you.

Spot on WT. Green plus thingy clicked....

 

[johnny kat]

Thanks WT for addressing my question. I get what you are saying about US, all points well taken. But let's step away from all the emotion on this board and look at the possibilities for US and the bottom line for AA. Just today US announced the initial plans for the DCA slots. It appears the vision for US is becoming clearer, and that is to focus on running all flights into and out of hub and focus cities thus giving competitive advantage in all of those markets to and from. So, now we turn to AA which is going to be doing the same (AA announced this strategy a few days after US initiallly announced the strategy...coincidence?). Back to the crystal ball we go...AA-US merge.

The new AA-US now have strategic advantage on the east coast with competitive solution to DL by having a domestic/intl' hub in JFK and PHL while carrying a large market presence at LGA (now #2 behind DL). The combination has surrounded the DL northeast ops with intl hubs both in and south of the NYC metro area providing N.J. customers ease and convenient options for travel to Europe. Now AA-US have a strong well oiled and established southern hub a competitive response to both DL and WN out of ATL with natural south american flow thru MIA. So now DL is trumped and muted in the NE and SE...except AA still has the middle part of the country with hubs in DFW and ORD (DL does not). Moving westward now you have a direct competitive response to DL's SLC by the AA hub in PHX not to mention the LAX ops. Lest we not forget about the advantage AA now has in the Nation's capitol...This tie up would be most inconvenient for DL...Moving on....

Let's turn to UA/CO. JFK/PHL/DCA the perfect trifecta competitive response to UA's ops in EWR and IAD. MIA/CLT to UA's IAH and you get my drift where this chess game is going. Looking at all of the positives out of such a deal no wonder all the speculation.

Back to crystal ball: AA and US feud like the Hatfield's and McCoy's...no merger. Neither organizations assets are fully realized (as you pointed out about US at LGA) and revenue is lost to DL, UA and the rest. AA employees hate their company even more because they never get a break working under the wage and work rule set they accepted. Profits never seem to be as robust as was predicted. So enter JBLU, and AA finally gets some leverage out of the NYC market. Enter Alaska, AA finally gets leverage on the west coast. But at what price, inconvenience and headaches for the two mergers? Poor little slot rich US now has to fend for itself...Enter DL and UA and insert name of any other airline with a big check book and very quickly snaps up the good stuff for themselves. And all the US haters' scream hoo-ray for our side. So, Where does that leave AA? my guess would be in the same boat as they are now, at a competitive disadvantage. Who wins in this scenario? DL,UA,WN. Just my humble opinion.

 

[WorldTraveler]

good post... and the advice about stepping away from emotions to talk rationally and admit someone might be right is good advice for anyone.
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to summarize the competitive positions you laid out.... UA is the #1 airline in the NE as a whole because of its large presence at EWR and IAD. The problem w/ both UA and CO's network is that they are not near as strong in cities outside of their hubs - ie the region as a whole. Thus, UA's new network is very strong in all the top cities in the world but there is a whole lot of revenue that comes from medium and small cities. AA, DL, and US have all done a much better job at balancing their strengths in small/medium cities with their presence in medium cities. AA historically has been very strong throughout the US in top cities; DL is targeting AA's strength particularly in the large cities of the east coast - and AA/US combined still will not touch either DL or US in the top cities except for AA/US hubs. The real question is how big you need to
be in a city to get a revenue premium.... DL doesn't believe it is necessary to operate all of the extra flights that UA will have at EWR carrying connecting passengers; instead DL would rather balance flow vs connecting traffic.

Based on schedule data that is available as of right now, after the new schedules supporting the slot swap are fully loaded, DL will offer more seats and more seat miles than any other airline in the US - which means that WN's claim to being the largest airline by passengers carried could fall in the near future.... even when the FL merger is considered (remember that WN is shrinking ATL by about 15% and WN's system overall by a couple of percent - inline with what other carriers are doing).

US' east coast network is highly valuable and does have a large enough position that it could be an effective competitor when combined with someone else. No argument there.
As for other domestic regions, DL is the largest carrier in the midwest because of the dual hubs at MSP and DTW and no combination of any network carriers change that. ORD is a larger local market but is divided between AA and UA - and is also rapidly seeing lots of new low fare carrier service.
AA/US' strongest position will be in the southwest - because AA is already the largest carrier and it is doubtful they will lose that advantage. WN does have an enormous opportunity opening to them in 2013 w/ the fall of the Wright Amendment and they will not lose that; AA's ability to exit BK able to compete against WN to/from N. Texas is absolutely critical in determining AA's future - as well as the future of anyone that combines w/ them. AA's hub at DFW is the 2nd largest hub in the US.
Whether WN would pull back PHX in return for gaining a greater position at DAL remains to be seen... but WN has competed very effectively w/ US/HP so there is no reason to think they will pull back unless it comes down to not having enough resources - not terribly likely for any extended period of time.
UA remains the largest single carrier on the west coast now.
DL has focused most of its attention over the past 5 years on the east coast and esp. NYC... now that the slot swap is settled and DL's largest growth is completed in the NE, it is likely they will focus attention on the west coast which is their weakest domestic region.
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Looking B6 and AS and other partners is helpful but mergers involving multiple partners just don't work... and would be all but impossible to pull off given that other carriers have the ability to match what AA/US might do... that could happen even if AA or US act by themselves. AA is a long ways from being able to initiate a merger while US is much smaller than either DL or UA - who face it would rather keep the industry as highly concentrated among the fewest number of players as possible. DL, UA, and WN are happy to knock on all of the smaller weaker carriers - F9, B6, US, and yes AA in order to further concentrate power in the industry. There is little strategic need for DL, UA, or WN to fight among themselves given that about 1/3 of industry revenue is carried between carriers other than DL, UA, and WN.
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The real strategic comparison between AA/US and DL or UA comes internationally, though where AA/US would remain the #1 carrier only in Latin America - same as what AA has now - but #3 in every other global region. The domestic marketplace is not growing and likely will only see market share moved between carriers.... the international market is growing and that is where carriers have to win. AA/US could reshuffle their network to increase their size - but they still have to so while other carriers such as DL and UA and their partners can move just as fast if not faster.
The biggest competitive threat to AA remains if either DL or UA decide they want to develop MIA-Latin America service or acquire enough alliance presence to become a force in the one region where AA currently has a clear advantage.
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Successful niche airlines such as AS and B6 are really not likely to try to get involved in mergers or acquisitions w/ AA or US but will grow domestically where opportunities arise. Niche carriers know that they do what they do well and aren't going to risk losing it all in order to be someone else.

It is highly possible that either AA or US could be cut up as scrap between other carriers. The reality is that AA will get a chance to reorganize itself and does have a pretty good chance of making it work.
It is probably more possible than not that US will be the carrier that will be carved up.. but I wouldn't ask for it. Asset acqusiitions almost always result in a minority of the people and system surviving.
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All of this talk for now is in the future - which can change quickly - and also is out of the control of the vast majority of people.
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It's good to think about what might happen and think through options but it isn't change the way the world looks for most of us right now.

 

[USA320Pilot]

Harbinger of a US Airways-American Tie-Up?

Click here to read the story.

 

[signals]

Harbinger of a US Airways-American Tie-Up?

Click here to read the story.

From the article:
Neither airline has indicated it is pushing for such a combination.

American has until the end of February to file its own bankruptcy-reorganization plan before facing any potential offers.

So merger-wolf season ends at the end of February 😛

 

[DCaf]

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Once again, I am sorry to be the one to bring you face to face with the reality of the situation you are facing - but as in all things in life, the sooner one gets a grip on what one is facing, the sooner it is possible to find real solutions to address one's own problems, instead of expecting others to solve your problems for you.

I'm in my fifth decade in this business, so spare me your advice please. I'll be fine. But I do have a question. Was DL not able to figure out how to use their slots at DCA, as you say US was unable to do at LGA?

 

[diamondcutter]

good post... and the advice about stepping away from emotions to talk rationally and admit someone might be right is good advice for anyone.
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to summarize the competitive positions you laid out.... UA is the #1 airline in the NE as a whole because of its large presence at EWR and IAD. The problem w/ both UA and CO's network is that they are not near as strong in cities outside of their hubs - ie the region as a whole. Thus, UA's new network is very strong in all the top cities in the world but there is a whole lot of revenue that comes from medium and small cities. AA, DL, and US have all done a much better job at balancing their strengths in small/medium cities with their presence in medium cities. AA historically has been very strong throughout the US in top cities; DL is targeting AA's strength particularly in the large cities of the east coast - and AA/US combined still will not touch either DL or US in the top cities except for AA/US hubs. The real question is how big you need to
be in a city to get a revenue premium.... DL doesn't believe it is necessary to operate all of the extra flights that UA will have at EWR carrying connecting passengers; instead DL would rather balance flow vs connecting traffic.

Based on schedule data that is available as of right now, after the new schedules supporting the slot swap are fully loaded, DL will offer more seats and more seat miles than any other airline in the US - which means that WN's claim to being the largest airline by passengers carried could fall in the near future.... even when the FL merger is considered (remember that WN is shrinking ATL by about 15% and WN's system overall by a couple of percent - inline with what other carriers are doing).

US' east coast network is highly valuable and does have a large enough position that it could be an effective competitor when combined with someone else. No argument there.
As for other domestic regions, DL is the largest carrier in the midwest because of the dual hubs at MSP and DTW and no combination of any network carriers change that. ORD is a larger local market but is divided between AA and UA - and is also rapidly seeing lots of new low fare carrier service.
AA/US' strongest position will be in the southwest - because AA is already the largest carrier and it is doubtful they will lose that advantage. WN does have an enormous opportunity opening to them in 2013 w/ the fall of the Wright Amendment and they will not lose that; AA's ability to exit BK able to compete against WN to/from N. Texas is absolutely critical in determining AA's future - as well as the future of anyone that combines w/ them. AA's hub at DFW is the 2nd largest hub in the US.
Whether WN would pull back PHX in return for gaining a greater position at DAL remains to be seen... but WN has competed very effectively w/ US/HP so there is no reason to think they will pull back unless it comes down to not having enough resources - not terribly likely for any extended period of time.
UA remains the largest single carrier on the west coast now.
DL has focused most of its attention over the past 5 years on the east coast and esp. NYC... now that the slot swap is settled and DL's largest growth is completed in the NE, it is likely they will focus attention on the west coast which is their weakest domestic region.
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Looking B6 and AS and other partners is helpful but mergers involving multiple partners just don't work... and would be all but impossible to pull off given that other carriers have the ability to match what AA/US might do... that could happen even if AA or US act by themselves. AA is a long ways from being able to initiate a merger while US is much smaller than either DL or UA - who face it would rather keep the industry as highly concentrated among the fewest number of players as possible. DL, UA, and WN are happy to knock on all of the smaller weaker carriers - F9, B6, US, and yes AA in order to further concentrate power in the industry. There is little strategic need for DL, UA, or WN to fight among themselves given that about 1/3 of industry revenue is carried between carriers other than DL, UA, and WN.
.
The real strategic comparison between AA/US and DL or UA comes internationally, though where AA/US would remain the #1 carrier only in Latin America - same as what AA has now - but #3 in every other global region. The domestic marketplace is not growing and likely will only see market share moved between carriers.... the international market is growing and that is where carriers have to win. AA/US could reshuffle their network to increase their size - but they still have to so while other carriers such as DL and UA and their partners can move just as fast if not faster.
The biggest competitive threat to AA remains if either DL or UA decide they want to develop MIA-Latin America service or acquire enough alliance presence to become a force in the one region where AA currently has a clear advantage.
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Successful niche airlines such as AS and B6 are really not likely to try to get involved in mergers or acquisitions w/ AA or US but will grow domestically where opportunities arise. Niche carriers know that they do what they do well and aren't going to risk losing it all in order to be someone else.

It is highly possible that either AA or US could be cut up as scrap between other carriers. The reality is that AA will get a chance to reorganize itself and does have a pretty good chance of making it work.
It is probably more possible than not that US will be the carrier that will be carved up.. but I wouldn't ask for it. Asset acqusiitions almost always result in a minority of the people and system surviving.
.
All of this talk for now is in the future - which can change quickly - and also is out of the control of the vast majority of people.
.
It's good to think about what might happen and think through options but it isn't change the way the world looks for most of us right now.

You seem to contradict yourself in many post and speculate way too much.......getting creepy

 

[WorldTraveler]

You seem to contradict yourself in many post and speculate way too much.......getting creepy

perhaps you are not understanding what is being said if you believe there are contradictions... feel free to ask for clarification.

Was DL not able to figure out how to use their slots at DCA, as you say US was unable to do at LGA?

Yes, DL found uses for those DCA slots and here is a list of the markets and flights DL is cancelling...
It is noteworthy that based on the schedule that US has released so far, DL offered more seats using the slots they gave up than what US is planning.

http://airlineroute.net/2012/01/02/dl-dca-jan12/

DELTA Gradually Reduces Washington Reagan Operation from Jan 2012

by JL


Update at 0640GMT 02JAN12

As a result of slot exchanges with US Airways at New York La Guardia, DELTA is gradually reducing its operation at Washington Reagan. The reduction will be implemented by 3 phases, which sees the Skyteam carrier cancelling 17 routes out of Reagan Airport.

Details:

eff 05JAN12
Washington Reagan – Jacksonville FL 2 Daily
Washington Reagan – Miami 2 Daily
Washington Reagan – Omaha 1 Daily
Washington Reagan – Orlando 3 Daily
Washington Reagan – St. Louis 2 Daily
Washington Reagan – Tampa 2 Daily

eff 01FEB12
Washington Reagan – New Orleans 1 Daily

eff 05FEB12
Washington Reagan – Madison 6 weekly

eff 01MAR12
Washington Reagan – Jackson MS 6 weekly

eff 25MAR12
Washington Reagan – Boston 9 Daily
Washington Reagan – Columbus OH 3 Daily
Washington Reagan – Providence 3 Daily

eff 10JUL12
Washington Reagan – Charleston SC 6 weekly (Reduced from 2 Daily to 6 weekly eff 25MAR12)
Washington Reagan – Des Moines 6 weekly
Washington Reagan – Grand Rapids 6 weekly
Washington Reagan – Hartford 2 Daily
Washington Reagan – Indianapolis 3 Daily

Other notable reductions:
Washington Reagan – New York JFK Reduces from 7 to 4 Daily from 25MAR12
Washington Reagan – New York La Guardia Service by 25MAR12 reduces to 14 Daily, from current 15-16 Daily


It shouldn't come as a surprise that DL is gaining far more LGA slots than US is gaining at DCA - but the transaction is clearly a swap - so both see more value in what they are gaining than what they are giving up.
Given that the divested slots went for $4-5M a pair and DL paid $60M plus authority for US to operate to GRU (even though the US and Brazil will have full open skies by 2015 when DL must "pay up"), it seems like DL is not only getting more out of the transaction but US could have made far more money than if they had simply swapped an equal number of slots and then sold the rest - or perhaps they went w/ the SINGLE transaction that provided the greatest chance of getting approval.

From the article:
Neither airline has indicated it is pushing for such a combination.

American has until the end of February to file its own bankruptcy-reorganization plan before facing any potential offers.

So merger-wolf season ends at the end of February 😛

which also says that AA will be announcing a whole lot in the next almost 2 months and the viability of a merger w/ anyone will be determined... as long as AA executes on the plan it lays out.
It is also very possible - if not likely - that AA WILL NOT file their POR by Feb but will be given add'l time to do so and will be protected from unsolicited bids.

 

[diamondcutter]

perhaps you are not understanding what is being said if you believe there are contradictions... feel free to ask
ahhh now I understand .... Your Jesus you know everything.

Yes, DL found uses for those DCA slots and here is a list of the markets and flights DL is cancelling...
It is noteworthy that based on the schedule that US has released so far, DL offered more seats using the slots they gave up than what US is planning.

http://airlineroute.net/2012/01/02/dl-dca-jan12/

DELTA Gradually Reduces Washington Reagan Operation from Jan 2012

by JL


Update at 0640GMT 02JAN12

As a result of slot exchanges with US Airways at New York La Guardia, DELTA is gradually reducing its operation at Washington Reagan. The reduction will be implemented by 3 phases, which sees the Skyteam carrier cancelling 17 routes out of Reagan Airport.

Details:

eff 05JAN12
Washington Reagan – Jacksonville FL 2 Daily
Washington Reagan – Miami 2 Daily
Washington Reagan – Omaha 1 Daily
Washington Reagan – Orlando 3 Daily
Washington Reagan – St. Louis 2 Daily
Washington Reagan – Tampa 2 Daily

eff 01FEB12
Washington Reagan – New Orleans 1 Daily

eff 05FEB12
Washington Reagan – Madison 6 weekly

eff 01MAR12
Washington Reagan – Jackson MS 6 weekly

eff 25MAR12
Washington Reagan – Boston 9 Daily
Washington Reagan – Columbus OH 3 Daily
Washington Reagan – Providence 3 Daily

eff 10JUL12
Washington Reagan – Charleston SC 6 weekly (Reduced from 2 Daily to 6 weekly eff 25MAR12)
Washington Reagan – Des Moines 6 weekly
Washington Reagan – Grand Rapids 6 weekly
Washington Reagan – Hartford 2 Daily
Washington Reagan – Indianapolis 3 Daily

Other notable reductions:
Washington Reagan – New York JFK Reduces from 7 to 4 Daily from 25MAR12
Washington Reagan – New York La Guardia Service by 25MAR12 reduces to 14 Daily, from current 15-16 Daily


It shouldn't come as a surprise that DL is gaining far more LGA slots than US is gaining at DCA - but the transaction is clearly a swap - so both see more value in what they are gaining than what they are giving up.
Given that the divested slots went for $4-5M a pair and DL paid $60M plus authority for US to operate to GRU (even though the US and Brazil will have full open skies by 2015 when DL must "pay up"), it seems like DL is not only getting more out of the transaction but US could have made far more money than if they had simply swapped an equal number of slots and then sold the rest - or perhaps they went w/ the SINGLE transaction that provided the greatest chance of getting approval.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Based on schedule data that is available as of right now, after the new schedules supporting the slot swap are fully loaded, DL will offer more seats and more seat miles than any other airline in the US - which means that WN's claim to being the largest airline by passengers carried could fall in the near future.... even when the FL merger is considered (remember that WN is shrinking ATL by about 15% and WN's system overall by a couple of percent - inline with what other carriers are doing).

Based on system enplaned passengers, the standard normally reported for passenger count not only for airlines but also airports, WN lost the title of #1 when DL and NW merged. There is no "could fall in the near future". WN has been catching back up, and when it's enplanements are officially added to FL's it will leap past DL to reclaim #1 by a pretty large margin.

If you're talking about just domestic, I'm not sure WN will lose it's #1 rank except temporarily until WN & FL have a single certificate. For September WN was ahead of DL by about 1.2 million domestic enplaned passengers. None of the NYC airports are in the top 10 for enplanements, but #10 enplaned 1.4 million domestic enplanements in September (almost a third less than FL alone) so it's unlikely that DL will add enough domestic enplanements to make up the difference (except temporarily as I mentioned).

Jim

 

[WorldTraveler]

Based on system enplaned passengers, the standard normally reported for passenger count not only for airlines but also airports, WN lost the title of #1 when DL and NW merged. There is no "could fall in the near future". WN has been catching back up, and when it's enplanements are officially added to FL's it will leap past DL to reclaim #1 by a pretty large margin.

If you're talking about just domestic, I'm not sure WN will lose it's #1 rank except temporarily until WN & FL have a single certificate. For September WN was ahead of DL by about 1.2 million domestic enplaned passengers. None of the NYC airports are in the top 10 for enplanements, but #10 enplaned 1.4 million domestic enplanements in September (almost a third less than FL alone) so it's unlikely that DL will add enough domestic enplanements to make up the difference (except temporarily as I mentioned).

Jim

yes, my reference was to domestic boardings which is the title WN has used.
I am going simply on total numbers of seats offered system wide for the summer of 2012 including the merged WN/FL; WN is pulling capacity out of its system as are other carriers including DL - the slot swap is one of the few positive net growth areas for the domestic industry even though it is coming at the expense of CVG and MEM. Also, the network carriers typically run a point or two higher in LF than WN.
The summer is still a long time away in an industry that has changes happening by the day....