Originally Posted by
AndyTLe
DC-9s are leaving as fast as they can from NWs fleet, faster if they had access to DL's MDs and 737s.
American is larger than DL and has strengths elsewhere, such as South America, the Caribbean, and until recently LHR. They also have a partnership with QA that allows access to Australia. You have to admit that Asia is where the growth in aviation is. NW and UA have established their networks in Asia and it would be easier to buy such a network rather than try to estalish your own.
Delta's main strength is Europe, AA's is Latin America. Both airlines want to grow market share to Asia and while it would be quicker to buy these routes through a merger, you could argue that it is not real growth. The only way to get real growth is to fly larger aircraft, add more flights, add more destinations or a combination of all three. The combined market share to Asia would be no different now then with a merger.
If routes to OZ were so important, Delta should soon be announcing service to SYD as there is now little preventing them from doing this.
The real growth in Asia is not trans Pacific but inter Asia and that is a much tougher nut to crack. The only way to get a piece of this is to work with your partners and since NW and DL are part of the same alliance, there would be no gain there.