Is it TIME for AA to start ' Contemplating ' AS ?

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Before eolesen comes BARGING in here, foaming at the mouth about HOW the Govt. regulators WOULD NEVER allow it, Alaska Airlines, strangely, is slowly losing the battle with DL @ SEA. It's not that AS is 'going backwards, it's that DL, is moving FORWARD, much faster in SEA than anyone has anticipated !!

 

[jimntx]

Based upon what information? What I'm hearing from AS friends based in SEA is that, Yes, Delta is putting more flights into the sky than AS these days. However, word is that a lot of those DL flights are practically empty and/or the fares have been cut to non-profitmaking levels. If you have other information, please share.

 

[eolesen]

The T-100 data is disagreeing strongly with Bear's fantasy that DL is beating AS.

In markets where they compete head to head, AS has on average 3x as many seats as DL, and is operating with load factors that look to be more than reasonable.

The only places where DL has any advantage are (shocking) ATL, MSP, DTW, SLC, and JFK.

 

[swamt]

Also, is Delta also trying to take advantage of AS while they are trying to focus on the merger with Virgin? Other airlines have done this in the past a many of times.

 

[737823]

AS has a very loyal following in the Pacific Northwest and their flights out of SEA are timed for Seattle point of sale while DLs are to feed their international connections.

DL to a certain degree is hindered by the people’s association with NWA for old ratty planes and grouchy, surly and disgruntled employees.

How long did NWs 2008 SEA-LHR flights last?

Josh

 

[jimntx]

Bingo! Josh. I don't know about the effects of the NWA association, but I do know that there is humongous loyalty toward the home town airline.

 

[eolesen]

Interesting that you think NW would bring back bad memories for AS customers. NW and AS had a long-standing commercial agreement and codesharing that predated the DL merger with AS by at least 10 years. They didn't compete with each other for customers, which is why the agreement lasted so long.

 

[eolesen]

NW should have merged with AA instead of DL. There was talk of that before DL started getting serious, but NW's asking price was too high.

 

[Kev3188]

I think most of us at NW would've bet on a tie up with CO.

As for AS vs. DL in SEA, I'm not sure our good friends on Virginia Avenue understand just how deep the "brand affinity" for Alaska (and even QX, to an extent) runs in the PacNW.

 

[Eagle]

Please stay on topic, everyone.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

NW should have merged with AA instead of DL. There was talk of that before DL started getting serious, but NW's asking price was too high.

In hindsight, not 'snagging' NW was one of the VERY FEW mistakes that (uncle) Bobby Crandall made.
"IF" it had become a reality, AA could have done all the Alaska (state ) flying that it may have wanted to do, out of SEA/MSP, Pacific rim International flying, and got the earlier A-320's/A-319's !

Ah, If Only.