New Delta Connection Flights

Cosmo

Veteran
Aug 20, 2002
840
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It''s obvious that Delta isn''t letting a little ol'' war get in the way of its RJ expansion plans. Here are the press releases for the new or expanded service:

MCO-GSP, BOS-PWM/BTV (Seasonal), ATL-PHF, DFW-HOU, DFW-AEX/LFT
 
Doesn''t seem to me that much of it is expansion, more so than replacement of turboprop service. CO Express had to be killing them at AEX and LFT, not to mention that they''re pushing to make DFW all-jet (which makes sense given the closure of the ASA Brasilia maintenance base at TXK). BOS-PWM/BTV is opportunistic with AA Eagle ending the former route and pulling completely out of BTV. ATL-PHF is designed to make life more interesting for AirTran, of course. And GSP-MCO, well, they have to put those CHQ ERJ''s somewhere.

I agree the timing is odd but when else are you going to announce it?
 
sfb:

You make some good points regarding the rationale for these new RJ flights. But while you''re correct that these five announcements do not represent a huge increase in the number of DL Connection flights, I would argue that it nonetheless entails a substantial increase in the number of DL* seats in these markets. In the DFW-HOU market, for example, 5 daily CRJs @ 50 seats each (250 total seats) will replace 6 daily Brasilias @ 30 seats each (180 total seats), for a net increase of 70 daily seats (or 44%). Indeed, this seat increase occurs despite the loss of one daily frequency in the market.
 
As far as I can tell, it goes from one CRJ and 4 Brasilias to 5 CRJ''s -- so that''s an even more significant increase in seat capacity. It could potentially be a response to AA''s cuts on Houston-Dallas (with some DFW-IAH flying going to RJ''s, though AA''s DFW-HOU is already all-RJ). Or it could be due to the new bank structure at DFW for DL.
 
If Delta is planning on going all Jet out of DFW,I wander if they will drop ILE. ILE is very lucrative because of the military traffic. Yet it has a 5,000 ft runway,that has caused problems for COEX RJs in IFR weather. In 2004 ILE will share Fort Hood Airfield''s 10,000 ft,that should be long enough for RJS.

I do not see how DL has anymore room at the satellite terminal (which look chaotic on the apron) in DFW for more RJ flights unless they are going to start using the main terminal gates too.
 
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I do not see how DL has anymore room at the satellite terminal (which look chaotic on the apron) in DFW for more RJ flights unless they are going to start using the main terminal gates too.

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I believe that''s the plan. DL certainly doesn''t have the mainline flights to fully occupy the main terminal anymore.
 
DL Connection will be picking up quite a few gates starting with the new schedule next month. The satellite terminal is way overloaded with all the new RJ flights and there is plenty of room in the main terminal seeing how few mainline flights there will be.

As for ILE, its future should be decided within the next few months. DL hopes to retire the last of the EMB120''s by the end of summer, meaning ILE either goes RJ or gets the axe. I was actually surprised that DL is keeping RJ''s to both AEX and LFT....I had a feeling those two might get the axe. Of course, they might still get chopped if the RJ''s prove to be too big.
 
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On 3/20/2003 3:42:40 PM Cosmo wrote:

sfb:

You make some good points regarding the rationale for these new RJ flights. But while you''re correct that these five announcements do not represent a huge increase in the number of DL Connection flights, I would argue that it nonetheless entails a substantial increase in the number of DL* seats in these markets. In the DFW-HOU market, for example, 5 daily CRJs @ 50 seats each (250 total seats) will replace 6 daily Brasilias @ 30 seats each (180 total seats), for a net increase of 70 daily seats (or 44%). Indeed, this seat increase occurs despite the loss of one daily frequency in the market.

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Right now we have only 5 flights HOU-DFW 4 EMB120''s and 1CRJ. Beginning Apr6 they are pulling the 1 CRJ that we have and replacing it with 2 EMB120''s and then in June they are pulling the 6 EMB120''s and replacing with 5 CRJ''s, however they are not all going to be 50 seaters, we will be getting a mix of 40 and 50 seaters CRJ from DFW. Also with the new schedule June 1 the current Comair 40 seater CRJ is being replaced with a 70 seater CR7.

Wayne
HOU
 
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On 3/22/2003 11:14:17 AM DLFlyer31 wrote:

DL Connection will be picking up quite a few gates starting with the new schedule next month. The satellite terminal is way overloaded with all the new RJ flights and there is plenty of room in the main terminal seeing how few mainline flights there will be.


As for ILE, its future should be decided within the next few months. DL hopes to retire the last of the EMB120''s by the end of summer, meaning ILE either goes RJ or gets the axe. I was actually surprised that DL is keeping RJ''s to both AEX and LFT....I had a feeling those two might get the axe. Of course, they might still get chopped if the RJ''s prove to be too big.

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The service to ILE will depend if those Bombardier RJs can fit onto a 5,000 ft runway. Funny that DL finds the need to upgrade to an all RJ fleet,when AE is not,and have plans on keeping their SAABS 340 for sometime.

With DL connection moving to the main terminal,hopefully the satellite will not be overloaded with pax as sometimes it is during banks. And also ship out some of those centepede bridge things that guide you to the aircraft........took a wrong turn last I went down on the tarmac............I knew I made the wrong turn when there was no aircraft at the end of the centepede or awning or whatever you call those things.

When RJs first came out,I thought it was a good thing,and even wandered what took them so long. Now with them replacing mainline service,I wander will there be a backlash to them as some have towards props.
 
I find hard to believe,DL is going to cede ILE to AE. Especially with a new airport on the way summer 04,and the military traffic( military contracts that comes from moving personell too and from Europe).

This definately puts pressure on AE to go all Jet soon....
 
They have told us ILE service will stop in August as the E120 retires. They said they have looked at all possible options but the runway is just to short. They were also thinking about using the runway at the base and maybe use a bus to transfer the people.
 
I hope its temporary. The new airport with a 10,000 ft runway will be open next summer. In the mean time I bet AE will keep those SAABs flying in there enjoying the all of that Government(military) traffic.