jiburi

This might be true, but I doubt DL would do anything if new Virgin codeshare with DL and builds its network from DL's abandoned hubs like CVG, or MEM or even taking over operation at MSP.....just speculation of course.

Jiburi

Jeff767

The Delta pilot contract forbids domestic code shares with a exception for Alaska on aircraft with over 76 seats. The Alaska exception was inherited from NWA however is dying a natural death. I suspect it would be a fight to the death if management tried to get another exception.

eponymous_coward

CVG? MEM? LOL. Seriously, you think a hip coastal brand like Virgin is going to take off and be successful from the middle of Trump Country, out of second-tier Appalachian or Rust Belt cities? Just because the theme color is red?

There's a reason why DL pulled out of those markets; they aren't big enough to support hubs for anything other than an LCC (MSP is a top 20 metro area by population, CVG and MEM aren't). SRB isn't going to start VX 2.0 as a FR/NK/G4/F9 knockoff. That's not his deal.

And as for DL pulling out of MSP to give it to SRB... it will never happen. Never. Never in a million billion years. There is exactly zero reason for a profitable and well run airline to shrink out of a solid fortress hub, to give traffic to a competitor starting up an airline (it would be corporate malfeasance and shareholder lawsuit time- there is no good reason for you to assist a competitor like that). There is a better chance that SRB will send me a check for a couple hundred million for no good reason. Let's speculate on why he'd do that. Makes about as much sense...

fenstere

I wonder if Branson isn't saying this as part of a negotiation in the hopes that Alaska continues to license the brand, whether or not they use it.

eponymous_coward

Could be. Doesn't cost him much to posture. Could pay off.