US/DL Swap ?

[NYARTCCFAN]

When will this take effect at LGA and DCA ??? I've been hearing the 1st of December. Anybody with hard data ??

[LGA777]

Will be in two phases. Phase 1 has been delayed from early Feb to late March 2010 so far, looks like Phase 2 late Summer, early Fall 2010 at the earliest, hopefully and likely later.

LGA777

[emshighway]

The USAir Guru has it.

I will be having meetings next week and have plenty to say.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

So DL is going to be picking up extra flights due to this deal, correct? Does anyone know if some of these new DL routes will be mainline or all DL Connection?

[LGA777]

So DL is going to be picking up extra flights due to this deal, correct? Does anyone know if some of these new DL routes will be mainline or all DL Connection?

Delta has made limited announcements about new service at LGA and will not likely say much until all goverment approvals are complete. However based on internal annoucements when the transaction was first announced here is what I have heard/read. Of the 125 new flights at LGA around 75 will be Mainline utilizing primarily MD88 and 738's. Their will be no turboprop service and the 50 seat CRJ will be the smallest aircraft used. They also said they would serve 12 markets currently not served by DL or US from LGA (who knows, maybe your home airport of DAB will be one, but probably only with the CRJ).

Now a few coments

I would not be surprised if some of the 12 new cities are large buisness oriented cities that currently have nonstop service from LGA on 1 or 2 carriers but not DL. look at the success they had with MDW for the Chicago market. Some that come to mind are IAH, DFW, STL, CLE, YYZ.

You cant add 75 ML and 50 commuter flights without reducing capacity elsewhere. My guess is the big looser will be CVG.

DL announced last week they will reconfigure the former NW A-319's from 16F-108Y (124) to 12F-120Y (132) yet not reducing first on any other narrow body type. This type will be used for many leisure markets so I predict even more LGA-Florida and perhaps some JFK-Florida flying will be on the A-319.

Stay tuned their is still a lot to be decided and remember this deal is by no means a done 100 pct deal.

Regards

LGA777

[kc2aqg]

Very insightful post Ron, thanks for sharing!

[SmAlbany]

You cant add 75 ML and 50 commuter flights without reducing capacity elsewhere. My guess is the big looser will be CVG.

So they are adding more at LGA than they are losing from DCA?

[LGA777]

You cant add 75 ML and 50 commuter flights without reducing capacity elsewhere. My guess is the big looser will be CVG.

So they are adding more at LGA than they are losing from DCA?

Yes significantly, DL is loosing 43 weekday departures at DCA and gaing 125 at LGA. Almost all DCA reductions are DL Connection, though some of the new US service at DCA will be Mainline.

Hope that helps?

LGA777

[SmAlbany]

Yes significantly, DL is loosing 43 weekday departures at DCA and gaing 125 at LGA. Almost all DCA reductions are DL Connection, though some of the new US service at DCA will be Mainline.

Hope that helps?

LGA777

yes, thank you.

I had been under the impression that it was a more or less even swap.

[LGA777]

Keep in mind that as part of this deal/swap US also gets now redundent to DL/NW route authorites to NRT and GRU (Sao Paulo, Brazil).

LGA777

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

(who knows, maybe your home airport of DAB will be one, but probably only with the CRJ).

As far as I know, DL has shown no interest in LGA-DAB. I think the next shot, according to DAB Admin, will be B6 from JFK after the economy picks up.

If it did happen, I think it would be at least a CR7. Could support seasonal Mainline LGA-DAB service (through Spring Break and stuff). I will add that as of now, DL's a/c for NYC-Florida flights are a CR9 at the smallest (LGA-JAX), and 757 at the largest (JFK-MCO).

[emshighway]

First phase (shuttles) will happen in March. Full schedule expected in June.