Originally Posted by
M60_to_LGA
Maybe they're going to try again with the new administration?
At any rate, I assume the JV is far less interesting to DL now that WS has slashed its route network. Maybe they'll start looking at a new type of partnership once the covid dust settles and WS figures out what kind of airline it wants to/ can afford to be? Before covid, WS had a strong presence across Canada, a tolerably ok network to/from the US and some Latin American sun destinations, and was expanding into Europe. Since the pandemic hit they've essentially gone halfway back to being just a western Canadian regional carrier. I doubt DL wants to spend the money to form a JV to funnel a dozen passengers a week from Atlanta to Calgary.
I believe the main reason they gave up on the JV application was the DOT stipulation for WS/DL to give up a bunch of LGA slots (can't remember the precise number but it was equivalent to basically all of WS' current slots). Ironically, WS got those slots as part of the slot divestiture from the US/DL LGA deal. I guess the DOT thought that without any divestiture, this would be a way for those slots to end up with DL again.