The best defense is a good offense

[WorldTraveler]

For those who don't understand why the competitive aspects on this board matter and have real consequences...

Delta Air Lines is growing in almost everyone’s markets, but Delta Air Lines isn’t facing retaliation. Competitive growth is up just 1% y/y, in line with last quarter…

Alaska Air’s competitive pressures are now entirely due to Delta Air Lines (as others like Virgin America and JetBlue are now cutting in Alaska Air markets)…and JetBlue again is facing pressure from an aggressive Delta Air Lines.

Delta Air Lines is showing the best trends of all legacy carriers, and Delta Air Lines’ top three competitors (American Airlines (AAL), Southwest Airlines (LUV), and United Continental) are all shrinking in Delta Air Lines’ markets. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense!


http://blogs.barrons.com/stockstowatchtoday/2014/06/24/delta-air-lines-the-best-defense-is-a-good-offense/?mod=yahoobarrons&ru=yahoo

 

[FWAAA]

When you cut and paste others' words that you did not write,  it's commonly expected that you'll make that obvious to the reader by placing the cut and pasted text in a quote box or or otherwise indicating that you didn't write the words.  
 
Most of your post was not written by you, unless you're  Wolfe Research’s Hunter Keay or Jared Shojaian.  IMO, poor form to plagiarize from others.  

 

[Force Majeure]

the competitive aspects on this board matter and have real consequences...
 

The competitive aspects on this board matter?
 
You really do need a life away from here. You are utterly obsessed.

 

[WorldTraveler]

When you cut and paste others' words that you did not write,  it's commonly expected that you'll make that obvious to the reader by placing the cut and pasted text in a quote box or or otherwise indicating that you didn't write the words.  
 
Most of your post was not written by you, unless you're  Wolfe Research’s Hunter Keay or Jared Shojaian.  IMO, poor form to plagiarize from others.

Something tells me (your post to be precise) that someone is feeling cornered by the reality that the business plan which I have been saying DL has been using and has been using to target other carriers including AA is becoming obvious to the investment community.

by the time I got to my first master's - let alone my second and my doctorate - I figured out to properly cite.

The fact that you all of a sudden can't seem to visualize the link I provided and are tripping instead over protocol, which while correct, you never seemed to question for anyone else speaks volumes about the impact of DL's business strategies.

Indeed, DL has developed a track record for invading other carriers' key markets with little impunity - and Wall Street likes it.

So do I.

 

The competitive aspects on this board matter?
 
You really do need a life away from here. You are utterly obsessed.

translation: You're only interested in discussing strategies if it doesn't make you uncomfortable.

You should work for a non-profit monopoly type of agency if you don't want to talk about the competitive nature of the industry.

in the meantime, the article highlights exactly what I have said - that DL dominates its key markets and is increasing its share in those same markets leaving other carriers to shrink and at the same time DL uses its own market strength to add service in other carrier key markets.

That's the reality of the world in which we live - whether you like or not.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

Someone with a PhD should know better and be beyond reproach. You just cannot stand being called out on when wrong.

You should also check your grammar. Specifically, the post about competitive aspects on the board. I think I understood what you meant. You probably meant discussing, on this board, the competitive aspects of airlines, and not the "competitive aspects on the board."

But hey, you are the king of qualifier's, so i may be mistaken. I also have not received a PhD. I couldn't get past the MBA. But life is about continuously improving, so give me time.

If you asked nicely, the board may begin referring to you as "Dr. Delta".

Or maybe not.

 

[Kev3188]

 

You should also check your grammar. Specifically, the post about competitive aspects on the board. I think I understood what you meant. You probably meant discussing, on this board, the competitive aspects of airlines, and not the "competitive aspects on the board."

I think he means both, actually.

But I only have 1 degree, so what do I know?

 

[WorldTraveler]

well, yes, I meant discussing the competitive nature of the industry as discussed on the board.

and ONLY the competitive aspects of the airline industry, Kev.

Both you and Q do have common sense.

I'm not looking for any titles.

and let's be very clear also that I have just as much respect for other people based on who they are and what they contribute - entirely independent of their titles or education.

I am pointing out - which no one has even bothered to address - that the investment community is now realizing that DL's strategy includes very aggressively defending its own hubs while adding service into other carriers' markets.

and, as the linked article notes, DL has been more successful in increasing its share in other carrier key markets and in reducing other carrier share in DL key markets than have other carriers.

and according to the research cited in the article, DL's financial performance is stronger than the industry because of its revenue strategies.

what the article doesn't note is that DL had no choice but to adopt a strategy like that because DL was not one of the chosen few during the earliest phases of the industry. Other carriers got the best routes; DL built its network around markets that other considered of no or little value in comparison to the big NE markets. But year after year DL has grown and pushed its way into the industry's key markets.

DL has had leaders who didn't know what to rework the Pan Am network after DL discovered how much money it was losing and so NYC sat for years unused. DL gained a large presence on the west coast with the Western merger but pulled most of the north-south flying back in order to defend the east coast, which DL did well.

The Northwest merger has been and likely will remain DL's best strategic execution of not only preserving as much of what made NW successful from a network and financial standpoint while building on it make it even stronger within the combined DL/NW network.

Airline mergers rarely stand the test of time in being able to show their value. DL is apparently determined to showcase the value of each of its mergers as well as build on its own internal growth to build a strong, profitable network. All of Latin America for DL has been built "from the ground up" and internally.

Being able to push your way into key industry markets and succeed is necessary for any airline because no merger is or will deliver everything.

As the article notes, DL is doing a very good job - and better than the industry - of growing its network while defending what it has already built.

 

[LDVAviation]

... by the time I got to my first master's - let alone my second and my doctorate - I figured out to properly cite.

 
During the "three decades" that you were working for Delta, when did you have the time to get two masters and a Ph.d?  It would have taken you at least 10 years to accomplish that (at least 4 of them full time) --- 2 years for each masters and 6 years for the Ph.d. if the later was not a continuation of the program of study for one of the masters.  I am assuming it is not because of the distinction you made between it and the Ph.d.  It is clear you were being arrogant.  What is not clear is whether or not you knew what you were implying by making the distinction.  Just another one of your fabrications, I suppose.
 

Someone with a PhD should know better and be beyond reproach. You just cannot stand being called out on when wrong.

 
I have a Ph.D. in Literature.  My experience has been that the best minds with such a degree tend to adopt a Socratic posture.  We are good at asking questions and casting doubt, not necessarily at taking absolute positions.  
 
If WT does have a Ph.d, it must not be from a good program or school.  The way he conducts himself on this board speaks for itself.

 

[WorldTraveler]

who really cares. this topic is about competitive advantages in the marketplace.

specific to this thread, did you see that DL said its SEA domestic RASM was up 6% despite all of the new capacity?

and that DL has a whopping 13% RASM premium to the industry on the domestic system?

given that DL is generating those kinds of numbers, it is no surprise that DL is expanding into other key markets.

 

[eolesen]

I am assuming it is not because of the distinction you made between it and the Ph.d.  It is clear you were being arrogant.  What is not clear is whether or not you knew what you were implying by making the distinction.  Just another one of your fabrications, I suppose.
 
I have a Ph.D. in Literature.  My experience has been that the best minds with such a degree tend to adopt a Socratic posture.  We are good at asking questions and casting doubt, not necessarily at taking absolute positions.  
 
If WT does have a Ph.d, it must not be from a good program or school.  The way he conducts himself on this board speaks for itself.

Notice WT never said he had a Ph.D -- he only said he had a doctorate. Most people automatically assume Ph.D, but professional doctorates don't require as much time and also don't carry the same weight as a Ph.D does. For example, a JD, DMin or PharmD don't equate to a Ph.D, therefore they don't typically allow someone to teach at the university level as a full professor.

If it's not on the following list, it's not considered equivalent to a Ph.D:
 

NOTE: This is the list of frequently awarded research doctorate degree titles accepted by the National Science Foundation (NSF) as representing degrees equivalent in content and level to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.

Doctor of Arts (D.A.)
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
Doctor of Church Music (D.C.M.)
Doctor of Canon Law (J.C.D./D.C.L.)
Doctor of Design (D.Des.)
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng./D.E.Sc./D.E.S.)
Doctor of Fine Arts (D.F.A.)
Doctor of Hebrew Letters (D.H.L.)
Doctor of Industrial Technology (D.I.T.)
Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D./S.J.D.)
Doctor of Music (D.M.)
Doctor of Musical/Music Arts (D.M.A.)
Doctor of Music Education (D.M.E.)
Doctor of Modern Languages (D.M.L.)
Doctor of Nursing Science (D.N.Sc.)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.)
Doctor of Physical Education (D.P.E.)
Doctor of Public Health (D.P.H.)
Doctor of Sacred Theology (S.T.D.)
Doctor of Science (D.Sc./Sc.D.)
Doctor of Social Work (D.S.W.)
Doctor of Theology (Th.D.)

All that said, if you've earned a doctorate, good on you. It's not a free-pass on credibility, though. It just says you spent a lot of extra time in school.

 

[WorldTraveler]

and what does any of this have to do with the topic other than the usual lame attempts of the gAAllery in their efforts to shift focus FROM the topics at hand to anything else.

Since you claim to be a children's developmental psychologist, how about you look up Attention Deficit Disorder and see if you don't relate to all of the symptoms there in.

in the meantime, the discussion here is about DL's ability to move into key competitive markets and GROW REVENUE even while adding capacity at a blistering rate.

Capacity in SEA up by 25% or more and positive RASM growth.

Double digit RASM PREMIUM to the industry in domestic markets.

Of course, if DL has that much of a premium, SOMEONE is posting well above average results.

Shall we start guessing who that must be?

I would like to thank LDV for demonstrating such superior intellect as to reopen a dormant thread on the very day that DL earnings came out and in which they validated EXACTLY what I said when this thread was started.

I couldn't have paid someone to roll out the red carpet to tout DL's successes as well as he did.

MASTERfully well done.

 

[eolesen]

I'm not the one who brought post-graduate accomplishments into the thread -- that was all you, crowing about your three advanced degrees.

When you bring it into the thread, then isn't it fair game to respond to it?

It's certainly in rules of debate and cross-examination.

 

[LD3]

who really cares.

This is the definition of deflection.... LDV laid out  the time frame to get such degrees, and look at the response Chuckles gives...

 

[WorldTraveler]

all the little sideshow you folks want to focus on shows is that you really CANNOT discount the original message of the OP which is that DL does an OUTSTANDING JOB OF REVENUE GENERATION, esp. in highly competitive markets which DL manages to push its into.

while you are googling looking for doctoral information, let's look at the industry competitive facts:

DL gets a revenue premium to the industry in the domestic market - 113% is DL's DOMESTIC REVENUE PREMIUM

All of DL's hubs have 20% or more presence of low fare carriers

DL acquired a 49% stake in VS and DL says that LHR is what is driving its huge TATL RASM growth.... of course we will see what other carriers do but 7% RASM growth was all but unheard of in any region before - now we are seeing DL doing it in BOTH the TATL and DOMESTIC regions.... both highly competitive.

DL started building out SEA and is now saying that its TPAC yields from SEA are up despite two new routes.

SEA DOMESTIC routes - where many said DL would be unable to overcome AS' market strength - are up almost as much as DL's TATL markets.

Feel free to focus on the sideshow.

I'll focus on the competitive aspects of the industry which shows that DL is absolutely nailing its revenue strategies and doing it not by ELIMINATING a competitor as AA and WN have done but by competing aggressively against them and still seeing revenue growth.

We'll see how well other carriers do but I doubt very seriously that AA will be able to say anything close as WN moves into DCA and DFW with its revenue generating machine over the next few months.

IN fact, I suspect AA's RASM growth will slow as the competitive environment changes.

 

[700UW]

And yet the New AA earned more.