More bad news for O-Town ... and WDW

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

From USA Today's great 'Today in the Sky' airline blog ... this also isn't good news for LA, but is likely to have far less of an impact on DL than WDW.

BTW, Delta was the Official Airline of WDW for a decade starting in 1989.

<<LAX, Orlando hard hit as Delta is latest to detail cuts
Delta has joined the parade of carriers announcing job and flight cuts as it tries to cope with the meteoric rise of fuel costs. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) writes Delta "expects to reduce domestic capacity by 13% in the second half of this year, compared with the 10% reduction it announced in March … . International capacity is expected to grow 15% to 17% in 2008, in line with previous guidance, with Delta adding 20 international routes.' The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (free registration) adds the company "expects to generate $200 million in annual savings from the voluntary retirements and separations of more than 4,000 employees."

Delta officials also say they expect fuel costs are expected to jump by about $4 billion this year, though the Wall Street Journal says "those fuel increases will be partially offset by about $1 billion in hedging gains, with benefits expected in future years." Bloomberg News adds "Delta said it has hedged 22% of its 2009 fuel needs, and 5% for 2010." Delta also detailed some of the additional routes it will drop as it cuts capacity. The Dallas Morning News (free registration) says the carrier's cuts "would focus on routes where the flights don't start or end in one of Delta's connecting hubs.'

Of Delta's markets slated for cuts, the Orlando Sentinel notes "the ax will fall particularly heavy in Orlando." Delta says it will drop routes between Orlando and Nashville; Key West; Raleigh-Durham; Birmingham; Columbus, Ohio; Lexington, Ky.; New Orleans; Panama City, Fla.; Richmond, Va.; Louisville and Knoxville. Bob Cortelyou, Delta's senior vice president of network planning, tells the Sentinel that Orlando and Delta's other "secondary markets" have become difficult to keep viable, especially if there's a lot of service on 50-seat regional jets and a high proportion of leisure travelers.

"High fuel prices and regional jets are like oil and water -- they don't necessarily mix," Cortelyou tells the Sentinel. "You only have 50 seats to play with. If you can't get a good fare with 50 seats and if you don't get enough people to pay a high enough fare, you just can't make the plane work." But Orlando is not alone in feeling the weight of Delta's cuts. The Los Angeles Times (free registration) writes Delta "plans to slash about 13% of its flights at Los Angeles International Airport, including nonstop service to Boston, Hartford, Conn., and Columbus, Ohio, according to a national flight database."

The Times adds Delta's "latest cuts would be the deepest so far at LAX, which had managed to escape the brunt of an industrywide move to ground flights as a way to cope with escalating fuel prices. Delta is the fourth-largest carrier at the airport." The paper also says Delta's cuts "would in effect end the Atlanta-based carrier's plans to expand at LAX and make the largest airport in Southern California one of its major hubs.">>

 

Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey

When they say "drop routes", do they mean all flights from one city to another, or just some? New Orleans is on that list and I already have my Mardi Gras flight booked with them!!!!! !@*$#!

 

Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan

Sounds like that's what it means -- no direct flights between those cities. But it might mean that service will be available via other cities the airline serves, it just won't be nonstop service. Call 'em up!

 

Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey

After I posted I thought about it and realized that it means direct service. They already yanked my direct flight, so this probably won't affect me any more than it already has.

 

Originally Posted By jkayjs

All the airlines are struggling. Both my husband and my son work for the airline industry(not the same one).

We have watched the ups&downs for more years then I care to remember. Delta has had issues for many years now. If I remember correctly cutting flts is not new for them so I'm sure the current fuel situation is esp. difficut for them.

As someone the frequently flys standby this news is not good for me. I never fly Delta but know that all the carriers are in this pickle.

THX for the timely info Spirit.

 

Originally Posted By mousermerf

Southwest is the largest airline at MCO - and they're expanding. The sky aint falling yet chicken little.

 

Originally Posted By jkayjs

An airline can only expand @ any given airport if gates are available. Often gates become available because another airline leaves or decreases flts.

The sky isn't falling yet and let's all hope it doesn't(after all we need it to fly). This is an article about an airline which many folks use to get to MCO so it is nice to have a heads up.

SWA isn't available to everyone so even if they add gates it doesn't mean they will take up the slack of the decrease in flts or the inconveniince of one or more stops to get to your final destination.

As I said I've seen the ups&downs. Do I think this will turn around? Hope so and yes it has before.

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

I also remember when Delta was a 'premium' airline. They were my airline of choice for about 15-20 yearly flights from Chicago to Atlanta. They had a 5:00 AM out of O'Hare on Monday morning - ( first plane out of ) - that saved me from having to fly in on Sunday afternoon.
They had 1st quality service, wide bodies to Altanta , even decent food....

their decline has not been pleasant to watch.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Southwest is the largest airline at MCO - and they're expanding. The sky aint falling yet chicken little. >>

SW's expansion plans are in flux right now. Will they grow in O-Town? Likely.

But their growth won't make up for the huge reductions by airlines like AirTran, Continental and Delta.

SW is also not an option for many people because of where it does and doesn't fly to/from.

SW is also an acquired taste at best. I am tempted to call it the WalMart of the skies, but that's really not fair.

SW delivers a reliable, quality (for what it is) product. But they aren't a full-service airline in terms of assigned seating, meals, entertainment systems and alliances with other carriers. Many people won't fly them at all because of the above. Hell, I have flown them maybe 4-5 times (and other than one flight from Fort Lauderdale to Manchester NH -- no, I wasn't visiting Jim Hill -- that was the most turbulent flight of my life, they've all been 30-minute flights to Orlando). I think I might be able to handle up to 90 minutes again on SW, but I'm not eager to find out.

SW is a force, no doubt, but even if it adds capacity in Orlando, that isn't a panacea by a long shot.

SW won't be playing savior for many folks.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<I also remember when Delta was a 'premium' airline. They were my airline of choice for about 15-20 yearly flights from Chicago to Atlanta. They had a 5:00 AM out of O'Hare on Monday morning - ( first plane out of ) - that saved me from having to fly in on Sunday afternoon.
They had 1st quality service, wide bodies to Altanta , even decent food....

their decline has not been pleasant to watch.>>

No. It hasn't. Delta is my No. 2 airline. I fly them when I can't fly Continental for whatever reason.

The one thing I like about them still is they do fly widebodies domestically. As late as last year they had 777s on Atlanta-LAX and I know they have 767-300s on many cross-country routes now.

That makes a huge difference to me. Even though I'm usually upfront, 737s were not manufactured for their comfort. Scary thing is some of them are now able to fly transatlatic routes.

 

Originally Posted By Kim1314

We use SW all the time and love it. Just make sure you print out your boarding passes 24 hours before your flight and you can sit any place you like. It is about a three hour direct flight from Prov. RI. Delta was great but a few years ago they stop direct flights from RI.It is also hard to beat Sw prices we went in May for $189.00 non-stop round trip for a family of four that is great.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

The sky is falling... the sky is falling!!!

<<Delta says it will drop routes between Orlando and Nashville; Key West; Raleigh-Durham; Birmingham; Columbus, Ohio; Lexington, Ky.; New Orleans; Panama City, Fla.; Richmond, Va.; Louisville and Knoxville.>>

Come now. What percentage of those people fly to Orlando anyway?

Most of those cities are 10 hours or less driving time to Orlando. If you are faced with buying airfare for Mom, Dad and two kids, or packing the kids in the family auto and driving to Orlando without even having to spend one night in motel on the way; how many will choose flying??

Not many. Even with $4 gas driving is a heckuva lot cheaper for those folks than flying. The airlines are cutting service in places that don't have much demand to start with.

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

>> When they say "drop routes", do they mean all flights from one city to another, or just some? New Orleans is on that list and I already have my Mardi Gras flight booked with them!!!!! !@*$#! <<

I thought you lived in New Orleans. I've got to cut back on the hops!

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

I really have mixed feelings about our current energy crisis. While it certainly is going to have some effect on the travel industry, airlines in general, I just don't know how it's going to effect tourism long term. While it will definetly hurt the poor, and the folks who live from paycheck to paycheck, I think it will have less effect on the middle class. Sure some people will cancell their future plans of visiting WDW, but I think a large number will simply adjust to the new rate. Will it cause WDW to offer incentives, I think so. However WDW has offered incentives in the past at certain times of the year.
It will certainly cost more money to fly in the future, and non-stop flights at your ideal time may not be avaiable, but there still will be flights. How long this will last is anybody's guess.
If the U.S.A. continues to ignore short term help for the consumer, and a long term plan for making us independent of the need for outside sources supplying our energy needs, then it will get worse. We must use all resources available to us starting now.

 

Originally Posted By bobbelee9

Spirit, we just flew SW from Manchester, NH to Orlando and back. The flight was fine, people nice, coke and trailmix bar free. And Manchester is such a better airport to get in/out of than Boston. The flight down was at 7AM, perfect, but the only non-stop flights back were at 2PM and 9PM, bummer. I'd have taken the later one, but grandchildren had school the next day. Hopefully they'll fix those return flights before we go again. On the flight down, we had a singing pilot, weird, but passed the time.

 

Originally Posted By NikkiLOVESMickey

<<I thought you lived in New Orleans. I've got to cut back on the hops!>>

I do live in New Orleans, MPierce. When I say Mardi Gras flight, I mean the flight I take to Orlando to get me AWAY from Mardi Gras.

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

< and the folks who live from paycheck to paycheck, I think it will have less effect on the middle class>

I think a lot more of the middle class and even upper middle class ARE those now living paycheck to paycheck. Yes they over extended themselves mortgage wise - paying for college educaations ( sine they don't qualify for any assistance) - etc etc -- but the reason I think the economy is really in the tank right now is not because it is just the poor affected. Many stores closing and entire industries like the collectibles indistries ( that I knew a few storeowners in) have ben ravaged because that 'disposable income' that was being spent on stuff like that now if used to pay bills check to check.


the very rich meanwhile are getting richer in a buyers real estate market.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

^^Tell me about it ... I decided earlier this year to divest myself of some major Disney-related clutter (i.e. collectibles) and found there is practically no market unless I want to sell the stuff for less than half what I paid for it.

I guess the clutter shall stay a bit longer!

As for the middle class ... well, except for the upper end of the spectrum, I'm convinced it simply is a figment of our nation's collective imagination.

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

The Republicans are always supposed to be the optimists. Why does it seem lately that the conservatives are far more downbeat than the liberals?

Could it be because they are hosed come next November??

Personally I'm optimistic about America right now. Whether Obama wins or McCain wins there will be considerably more consumer confidence than there is right now under the criminal Bush.

(I just had to put that in since YourPalEd is no longer with us.)



Actually, YourPalEd may have been more prescient than any of us. It's simply amazing what good drugs can accomplish!!

 

Originally Posted By dshyates

"The Republicans are always supposed to be the optimists."

You've got to be kidding me. The "Terrorists are gonna git'cha" Party? The "Liberals are taking us to hell in a handbasket" party? You need a big gun because the gangs are gonna git'cha" party.
The "Homos are gonna steal you husband" party?
So if the liberals take over the Homos are goonna take you husband, the baby killers want YOUR baby, and the terrorists and gangs are gonna kill you and your family. Now there is some GOP opptimism.