Delta CEO Announces that Memphis will play major roll

[highriser]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/...earing-the-air/

This is great news for Memphis and the state of Tennessee. This will help keep that tax revenue flowing in for our budget and help continue the immergence of Memphis as an Aerotropolis. This will also help to continue give Memphis the Dollars it needs to continue its city wide restoration. This is very important because Memphis is the front door to our state on I-40 and I-55.

[paribasomw]

We all know that this is nothing more than "posturing" to get the various final approvals required for the merger of Delta and Northwest.

Given the increasingly dire state of the airline industry and the ongoing cutbacks due to high oil prices, there is absolutely no way that Memphis will survive as a hub for the new Delta. Maybe MEM will be a focus city, but never a hub. Cincinnati will meet a similar fate.

What is truly laughable is that the CEO is saying there may be flights from Memphis to Paris and Tokyo. Give us a break, we are not stupid. The only nonstops to those cities from Memphis will be on FedEx.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/...earing-the-air/

This is great news for Memphis and the state of Tennessee. This will help keep that tax revenue flowing in for our budget and help continue the immergence of Memphis as an Aerotropolis. This will also help to continue give Memphis the Dollars it needs to continue its city wide restoration. This is very important because Memphis is the front door to our state on I-40 and I-55.

[highriser]

Your statements are truly amazing. You display the type of logic and close minded reasoning that only comes forth from a biased and pre-conceived idea. It's obvious from past posts that you are a Nashvillian who cares nothing for Memphis, so stay on the Nashville board and stop haten on Memphis because something good is happening for them.

BTW, I'm form BNA...I just like to see our state as a whole do well.

If you read the contents of the link I provided, I believe that the Delta CEO provided ample reason for leaving the Hub in Memphis. And yes, FedEx does play a major roll in this. Memphis int'l is well positioned, has enourmous runway space and isn't affected by weather too often. The Airport has also shown very good foresite with the new ATCT. Also, the renovation of the airport has been spectacular, and the new parking garage adds all the parking Memphis Int'l needs to remain a major hub. That Airport has proven to be very durable over the last 30 years as a major hub in Amerca's Air Operations, and as someone who is VERY close to airports and their functionality, I think I know what I'm talking about.

All roads don't end in Nashville dude, grow up...

[Bears]

We all know that this is nothing more than "posturing" to get the various final approvals required for the merger of Delta and Northwest.

Given the increasingly dire state of the airline industry and the ongoing cutbacks due to high oil prices, there is absolutely no way that Memphis will survive as a hub for the new Delta. Maybe MEM will be a focus city, but never a hub. Cincinnati will meet a similar fate.

What is truly laughable is that the CEO is saying there may be flights from Memphis to Paris and Tokyo. Give us a break, we are not stupid. The only nonstops to those cities from Memphis will be on FedEx.

[tennreb]

Higher oil prices would be more of a reason to why Memphis should stay a hub! Because of Fedex, the landing fees and facilities are cheaper and the runways are of higher quality than other airports, and flight delays are rare. ATL is bursting at the seams and Memphis makes a strong case to continue being a hub the worlds largest airline. Even if Memphis is downgraded to focus city (which is possible since we're a small hub in the first place), I think it'll still be a major one to the point where we wont even notice a difference in service unless you fly to small towns like Paducha, KY regularly.

[Memphis77]

Your statements are truly amazing. You display the type of logic and close minded reasoning that only comes forth from a biased and pre-conceived idea. It's obvious from past posts that you are a Nashvillian who cares nothing for Memphis, so stay on the Nashville board and stop haten on Memphis because something good is happening for them.

BTW, I'm form BNA...I just like to see our state as a whole do well.

If you read the contents of the link I provided, I believe that the Delta CEO provided ample reason for leaving the Hub in Memphis. And yes, FedEx does play a major roll in this. Memphis int'l is well positioned, has enourmous runway space and isn't affected by weather too often. The Airport has also shown very good foresite with the new ATCT. Also, the renovation of the airport has been spectacular, and the new parking garage adds all the parking Memphis Int'l needs to remain a major hub. That Airport has proven to be very durable over the last 30 years as a major hub in Amerca's Air Operations, and as someone who is VERY close to airports and their functionality, I think I know what I'm talking about.

All roads don't end in Nashville dude, grow up...

[Bears]

It does seem a bit laughable to suggest or believe that

any airline consolidation will actually have a huge impact on

the Memphis airport traffic..but Northwest could not do any

worse..Flights to Memphis are stupid expensive when compared

to Nashville..At least Nashville has Southwest

[paribasomw]

The facts are:

Nashville & Middle TN has a significantly larger population base than Memphis, even including neighboring AR & MS.

The Middle TN region is the fastest-growing in the state. It's population growth rate has exceeded West TN for more than 18 years.

Nashville has a much larger convention and tourism business than Memphis. There are already far more hotel rooms in Nashville to support tourism, convention and business visitors, including Gaylord Opryland which is one of the largest hotels in the US. There is so much activity that Nashville can support two major convention centers -- downtown and at Opryland. In fact, work will start work next year on another downtown convention center and hotel to replace the one built in the 1990s which is already too small.

Nashville/Middle TN has a larger corporate business base than Memphis/AR & MS.

In terms of airline passenger traffic, the single most important measure is the number of origination and destination passengers. Nashville (BNA) has a significantly larger number of origination & destination (O&D) airline passengers than Memphis (MEM).

Thankfully, BNA is very fortunate to have Southwest Airlines which means lots of nonstop service and competitive fares.

Bravo! I totally agree! Plus Memphis has more world tourist destinations than Nashville does which is another reason for Memphis to be a major hub. Graceland is about to expand into a billion dollar attraction which will only impact daily flights to Memphis. The Zoo is expanding into a world class attraction as well and that'll only add to out of state tourist dollars and more visitors to the city. If the Riverbend project, Elvis Stars Resort, and MGM Park ever get built in South Haven that'll only add to the reason for the hub to be in Memphis. Having Mephis as a major hub will put more dollars into expanding the airport in an aerotropolis.

[Memphis77]

The facts are:

Nashville & Middle TN has a significantly larger population base than Memphis, even including neighboring AR & MS.

The Middle TN region is the fastest-growing in the state. It's population growth rate has exceeded West TN for more than 18 years.

Nashville has a much larger convention and tourism business than Memphis. There are already far more hotel rooms in Nashville to support tourism, convention and business visitors, including Gaylord Opryland which is one of the largest hotels in the US. There is so much activity that Nashville can support two major convention centers -- downtown and at Opryland. In fact, work will start work next year on another downtown convention center and hotel to replace the one built in the 1990s which is already too small.

Nashville/Middle TN has a larger corporate business base than Memphis/AR & MS.

In terms of airline passenger traffic, the single most important measure is the number of origination and destination passengers. Nashville (BNA) has a significantly larger number of origination & destination (O&D) airline passengers than Memphis (MEM).

Thankfully, BNA is very fortunate to have Southwest Airlines which means lots of nonstop service and competitive fares.

[tugboat]

The facts are:

Nashville & Middle TN has a significantly larger population base than Memphis, even including neighboring AR & MS.

The Middle TN region is the fastest-growing in the state. It's population growth rate has exceeded West TN for more than 18 years.

Nashville has a much larger convention and tourism business than Memphis. There are already far more hotel rooms in Nashville to support tourism, convention and business visitors, including Gaylord Opryland which is one of the largest hotels in the US. There is so much activity that Nashville can support two major convention centers -- downtown and at Opryland. In fact, work will start work next year on another downtown convention center and hotel to replace the one built in the 1990s which is already too small.

Nashville/Middle TN has a larger corporate business base than Memphis/AR & MS.

In terms of airline passenger traffic, the single most important measure is the number of origination and destination passengers. Nashville (BNA) has a significantly larger number of origination & destination (O&D) airline passengers than Memphis (MEM).

Thankfully, BNA is very fortunate to have Southwest Airlines which means lots of nonstop service and competitive fares.

[TchulahomaKid38118]

I found this website pertaining to the new airline. You can get the lastest information and see how it benifits Tennessee. This could be something good for the WHOLE state but of course Memphis will benefit the most with more international routes. Not a bad thing especially with the Aerotropolis concept being thrown around. I am very optimistic of our chances in surviving another dehubbing situation, YET AGAIN... What alot of people fail to realize is how massive the operation of MEM really is: great weather, fast connections, very very very few delays, massive runways (that can sustain constant landings from aircraft types such as A380, Triple 7s etc), cheap gate operation costs, a brilliant and very experienced staff and less traffic congestion (which saves a bunch on rising fuel costs).

THe aerotropolis concept is the future; if we can only not let this concept of hope slip from our grasp, we can indeed turn the corner significantly.. Just think of Dubai.

Go Memphis!!!

[jmduke]

Delta and Pinnacle have adjusted their contract slightly and now Delta has committed to retaining Pinnacle as a regional operator. This is great news for Pinnacle (notice their stock soared) as it appears they will be retained as a regional carrier if the Delta-NWA merger goes forth. Delta is currently in the process of cutting their regional operations and have ended their contracts with Mesa at JFK (still in litigation) and ExpressJet at LAX (mutual agreement). Pinnacle will continue to take deliveries of 16 CRJ900 jets with options for many more.

Part of Pinnacle's current agreement with NWA allows NWA to remove a certain amout of 50-seat CRJ200s and replace them with 76-seat CRJ900s (already being flown by Mesaba), so you'll probably be seeing the cramped 50-seaters going away over the next few years as their fuel cost per seat mile is greater than the CRJ900.

CA: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/...concur-on-deal/

MBJ: http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/sto...14/daily36.html

[jmduke]

Sometimes you have to go outside of the local news to see what is going on with Memphis. The Tallahassee Democrat did a story on the merger and its effect on North Florida air traffic. This good news in this is Delta president Ed Bastain's comments that Memphis will be an important part of their southeastern strategy. Granted this could all change suddenly, but at least he is sounding consistent on this matter.

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/2008103...NGNEWS/81030025

[jmduke]

Starkville Daily News reports the Golden Triangle Regional Airport in Mississippi is requesting the new Delta add service to Memphis. Local employers state they would use the additional service to the west and some want the added connectivity to AMS.

http://www.starkvilledailynews.com/content/view/99604/60/

[Rural King]

Sounds like there is a lot of sound reasoning for GTRA to seek service to Memphis. That article points out a lot of strong economic connectivity to the AMS flight from local firms in the Golden Triangle region.

Any Delta service would be provided by a subsidary of the new Delta no? Or does/will Delta serve this size airport/market?

[jmduke]

Might start off as Mesaba Saab 340s and enhanced with 50-seat RJs later on. GTR currently has RJ service to ATL. NWAirlink (Pinnacle and Mesaba) used to serve GTR from Memphis but stopped a few years ago.