The US/DL LGA slot swap [Master Thread]
Jan 4, 2012, 12:21 pm
#226
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Jan 5, 2012, 1:39 am
#227
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Jim
Jan 5, 2012, 8:33 am
#228
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: The views I express here are not necessarily supported by any airline or codeshare partners, nor do I represent their views and/or opinions. They are my own OPINIONS dont like them dont read them.....
Posts: 1,462
From the way the SEC filing is worded, it doesn't sound like buying back the slots. I wouldn't think that buying back the slots would be classified as a "repayment of an outstanding obligation" - US isn't obligated to buy back any of the slots as far as I know, although they do have a first right of refusal if Republic sells the slots. It seems that Republic did lend money to US in late 2008/early 2009 when US was trying to maintain enough "cash" to keep from defaulting on the credit card processor agreement, so perhaps this was repaying all/some of that.
Jim
Jim
It could be a repayment of the cash loan too. Havent seen a response to that offer. I guess we will see it in the year end reports.
Jan 5, 2012, 8:22 pm
#229
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Marriott Plat
Posts: 946
Just found out I'm going to be going to GSO for a while. When is US going to stop flying LGA-GSO? Looks like it's still in the schedule for several months, at least (even after DL starts on 3/25). Thanks.
Jan 20, 2012, 10:04 am
#230
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 290
According to May 2011 news release (emphasis mine)
Dec 10, 2012, 8:20 pm
#231
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: Amtrak S+, Kimpton IC
Posts: 298
Doubt it. Route overlap is only one of the many obstacles to such a tie-up, and many believe the other obstacles are harder. Like each carrier's labor issues.
Dec 11, 2012, 3:30 am
#232
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: High Point, NC
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Posts: 9,171
Too many moving parts that need to fall into place for US to have felt confident back in early 2011, before AA even filed for bankruptcy, that a merger would happen. Even the slot swap has pros/cons in a merger - it could help with regulatory approval in LGA while it hurts in DCA.
Jim
Jim
Dec 11, 2012, 7:21 am
#233
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Too many moving parts that need to fall into place for US to have felt confident back in early 2011, before AA even filed for bankruptcy, that a merger would happen. Even the slot swap has pros/cons in a merger - it could help with regulatory approval in LGA while it hurts in DCA.
Jim
Jim
Regardless, this swap doesn't seem to do much to impact the AA merger. You could argue, of course, that US would have been able to achieve a "critical mass" of LGA slots to be a strong competitor had it not traded those slots to DL and instead combined them with AA's.
Dec 11, 2012, 10:50 am
#234
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If Parker had not been in such a rush to give away most of US' LGA slots in exchange for a few DCA slots and $66 million, a combined US-AA would have as many LGA slots as DL does now and would have as many DCA slots as US has now. A merged US-AA would have plenty of access to GRU.
So once US and AA are merged, the combined entity will be much smaller than Delta at LGA (whoops) and will be no larger at DCA than US is now (thanks to likely antitrust-driven DCA slot divestitures of an amount equal to AA's current DCA slots). The only thing the airline will have to show for the misguided slots swap is the $66 million. And a much smaller presence at LGA than it would have had if had not been in such a hurry to "win" in its fight with DoJ. Now that's the kind of management any airline would be proud to call its own.
So once US and AA are merged, the combined entity will be much smaller than Delta at LGA (whoops) and will be no larger at DCA than US is now (thanks to likely antitrust-driven DCA slot divestitures of an amount equal to AA's current DCA slots). The only thing the airline will have to show for the misguided slots swap is the $66 million. And a much smaller presence at LGA than it would have had if had not been in such a hurry to "win" in its fight with DoJ. Now that's the kind of management any airline would be proud to call its own.
Mar 18, 2013, 10:35 am
#235
Join Date: May 2004
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Posts: 1,785
I was curious to see what else had been added since last January, when US announced what it called "phase 1" of the new DCA routes:
Added 19 March
Augusta, Ga. 1X
Minneapolis-St. Paul 3X
Montreal 3X
Toronto 4X
NW Arkansas 1X
NW Florida Beaches 2X (from 1X)
Added 15 February
Cincinnati 4X
Des Moines 2X
Ottawa was tried and subsequently pulled from the schedule. I was hoping for year-round Asheville, but apparently not yet.
Added 19 March
Augusta, Ga. 1X
Minneapolis-St. Paul 3X
Montreal 3X
Toronto 4X
NW Arkansas 1X
NW Florida Beaches 2X (from 1X)
Added 15 February
Cincinnati 4X
Des Moines 2X
Ottawa was tried and subsequently pulled from the schedule. I was hoping for year-round Asheville, but apparently not yet.
Here's what they'll actually do out of DCA according to airlineroute.net. It's slightly different from earlier announcements.
Washington Reagan – Bangor Increases from 2 weekly to 2 Daily, CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Birmingham AL NEW 3 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Fayetteville NEW 1 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Indianapolis Increases from 5 to 6 Daily
Washington Reagan – Islip NEW 2 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Jacksonville NC NEW 1 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Little Rock NEW 2 Daily Embraer E170 service
Washington Reagan – Memphis NEW 3 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Omaha NEW 1 Daily Embraer E170 service
Washington Reagan – Pensacola NEW 2 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Savannah Increases from 2 to 9 weekly
Washington Reagan – Tallahassee NEW 1 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Valparaiso NEW 1 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Bangor Increases from 2 weekly to 2 Daily, CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Birmingham AL NEW 3 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Fayetteville NEW 1 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Indianapolis Increases from 5 to 6 Daily
Washington Reagan – Islip NEW 2 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Jacksonville NC NEW 1 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Little Rock NEW 2 Daily Embraer E170 service
Washington Reagan – Memphis NEW 3 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Omaha NEW 1 Daily Embraer E170 service
Washington Reagan – Pensacola NEW 2 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Savannah Increases from 2 to 9 weekly
Washington Reagan – Tallahassee NEW 1 Daily CRJ200 service
Washington Reagan – Valparaiso NEW 1 Daily CRJ200 service