Comments on: Delta Cuts LAX

By: Wonko Beeblebrox

Wonko Beeblebrox — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:30:12 +0000

On a whim, I checked my flights again, and DL now had me down for a -35 minute connection in SLC. They apparently dropped the SkyWest CRJ100 and replaced it with the earlier mainline flight (that left SLC 35 mins before I arrived into SLC).

Suffice it to say: I’m now connecting thru ATL ;-)

By: Wonko Beeblebrox

Wonko Beeblebrox — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:05:53 +0000

DL is slowly fixing their schedules by getting rid of ExpressJet’s scheduled flights. I checked this morning and my SLC->PHX flight in early Nov is now scheduled as being a CRJ100 operated by Skywest. Same times; different metal.

I can’t change my newly-assigned seat on that Skywest flight yet, but there’s time yet…

By: Gil

Gil — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:10:51 +0000

I must say, very interesting sutff! I actually stumbled across full transcripts from Delta’s Earnings Calls at SeekingAlpha.com. I hadn’t realized you could find that information online (at least not for free anyway). You can see their most recent transcript here:

http://snipurl.com/3000h

By: Pam

Pam — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:22:36 +0000

It is sad that the LAX to SJC flight is being cut. I fly that route pretty often. Luckily my flight in late August was not cut out of this.

By: CF

CF — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:09:05 +0000

PSG - Good call. Found this article saying that the T5 renovation opened in 1988. (It's a great look back on DL at LAX in 1991, by the way.) The difference with T2, as you point out, is that T5 was a renovation while T2 was completely rebuilt.

By: PSG

PSG — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:45:35 +0000

The difference between T2 and T5 is primarily that T5 was designed to serve one carrier (Western) for primarily domestic operations while T2′s redesign was to serve as a multi-airline international facility to compete with the TBIT. I don’t think T2 was redesigned until at least 1989, I know Pan Am was still operating when it reopened. If you compare it to the 1984-build T1, T2 is much more modern and streamlined in appearance. The T5 redesign opened in late 1987 or 1988, I remember flying Delta post-merger and it was still under renovation. However I do remember getting some kind of T5 Oasis souvenir pin not too long after that.

T2 has less gate space but more overall room, and I think every gate can accomodate a widebody. The LAX Two consortium that owns T2 has historically been able to fill its “slots” with international carriers who do not want to be subjected to the morass of TBIT. One of those foreign operators could possibly buy NWA’s equity stake, although it would be interesting to see if T5 can handle 747s.

By: CF

CF — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:12:55 +0000

Optimist – T2 and T5 are probably about the same in age. Western actually rebuilt T5 into the “Oasis” before the DL merger in 1986. Meanwhile, T2 was rebuilt in 1984. In terms of interior space, I’d say that T5 appears to be in much better shape than T2, but that may just be my perception.

There are no AA or CO flights in T5. Just Skyteam partners AeroMexico, Air Jamaica, and Alitalia fly there. T2 has a long list of airlines there. It would make sense for NW to move to T5, but I don’t know if T5 can handle the 747. Other than that, it’s the best way to go, but that doesn’t mean anything. If the airline can hold on to equity in T2 and keep other airlines out in the process, they may do it.

Wonko – They say all the SLC flying will be replaced by existing carriers, so you should be ok.

By: Wonko Beeblebrox

Wonko Beeblebrox — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:22:58 +0000

What’s really funny is that I just bought a connecting DL ticket for travel in early Nov that includes this flight:

9:15pm -> 10:55pm SLC->PHX Nonstop
Delta 7677 Embraer 145
operated by Expressjet Airlines Inc
In-Flight Services Coach (U)

The transcon fare was waay too cheap to pass up for times and dates that were what I needed, even knowing the ExpressJet situation.

I’m curious to see how DL will fix this. They’ll either put in a SkyWest RJ from SLC or route me through similarly timed flights via ATL, I would guess. We’ll (err.. I’ll) see…

By: The Traveling Optimist

The Traveling Optimist — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:38:48 +0000

Which is the newer facility between NW’s Term2 and DL’s Term5 “Flight Center?” Term5 is almost exclusively DL except for the odd AA or CO flight. One flight a day from China Southern and Air Jamaica don’t add up to the kind of pushing and shoving for elbow room Term2 gets on a good international day (AF, NZ, KL, NW, CA, etc). NW moving to Term5 would improve their ground product, most likely, and not overstretch an underused terminal to begin with. Plus, with all the FIS traffic at Term2, not much room left for a “LUV” expansion there. That, along with the lack of any significant international growth at the airport for the short term, may solve more than a few issues at LAX: Ground product, northside congestion, taxi/ramp delays, etc.

Just my two cents added to Wonko’s :-)

By: Wonko Beeblebrox

Wonko Beeblebrox — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:15:09 +0000

DL never did that LAX hub right anyway. For example, United is more than happy to let you go PHX->LAX->BOS if you’d rather connect in LAX than in a place like ORD (often: redeyes and the like, when a long uninterrupted flight arriving at your destination is more appealing than a shorter flight connecting to the early AM bank at the hub).

Just my two cents…