CFM Member
Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 12 Location: Smyrna, TN, USA
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Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:52 pm Post subject: Delta – If You Can’t Beat Them, Buy Them! |
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Delta Air Lines’ recent acquisition of North Carolina-based Segrave Aviation speaks volumes about the airline’s recognition that private aviation / business aviation is a viable part of the air transportation system in the United States.
At a time when major air carriers are reducing capacity, pulling out of small markets, and scrapping to make a profit (which for the most part has not happened in a long time), Delta is doubling the size of its corporate jet charter subsidiary Delta Air Elite.
These guys are on to something.
Maybe they see the real value of a system where General Aviation plays a role that compliments the Air Mass Transit System as opposed to viewing us as the enemy? More and more, airlines seem to be consolidating into route structures that serve the high-density traffic lanes between major US cities on domestic routes and between major US cities and major centers of commerce worldwide on international routes.
Can General Aviation serve as a feeder to the airlines much like their subsidiary and code-sharing commuter airline partners have done over the past 20 years?
General Aviation has the flexibility to move with the markets of demand much easier than the airlines do. Flights can be added at the spur of the moment as demand changes with travel seasons, or even events such as conferences and conventions where thousands of people move to a city for a three day event.
And we all know, for sure, that General Aviation delivers a much more stress free and efficient travel experience than the airlines have delivered so far.
So maybe the mantra should be if you can’t beat them out of business, buy them?
Read this and other articles at http://www.planeconversations.com |
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