Delta Express To Phase Out 737-200 By Late 2003

[Peek-a-Blue]

Delta Airlines annouced today that it will switch its 737-200 fleet out of MCO and transfer the 737-200's to mainline fleet.
Taking the place of the 737's will be DAL's new competive iniative that has not been annouced in its final form.
I have read that express routes will see 737-300s or 757's in Nov or Dec, but little else has been announced.
And what is the no-frills initiativE?

[flyBE]

I doubt you will see any 737-800s in DLX service; the current pilots contract does allow for a 737NG, but only the 737-700. I honestly question the idea of using a 757-200 in a low-fare environment. Low fare airlines depend on rapid turnarounds so they can get the maxium utilization of their a/c, and with the 757-200 being such a large aircraft in the narrowbody class, turnaround times could become a factor. I wonder it Delta will just leave the 757-200s they will put into the new low-cost initial in the same layout as they currently are in mainline service? By keeping the Business Class section, they can better attract pax that would be using AirTran's Business Class, and at the same time, earn Skymiles. I think Delta is trying to break their competition, especially AirTran and JetBlue. Southwest will be the hardest of their low-fare competition, because Southwest has always had a fighting spirit, and when you take on Southwest, you're actually taking on the airline and ALL of its' employees. Honestly, I think Delta Express and the "new low-cost initative" ought to be scrapped, because the concept of an airline inside of an airline (other than regional feeders) is always going to be a loser.

[Peek-a-Blue]

Thanks flyBE for that info.
But, still can any Delta or other employees tell me what the new "low cost initiative" is?

[AtlFlyBoi]

From what I have heard this is pretty much a done-deal. Some 757's will be reconfigured with a one-class seating system and fly point-to-point routes like Delta Express did. I have also heard that in order to save cost, there may also be f/a's that fly this exclulsively and are paid less. The bases for this "new" airline have not been announced yet, and most are being very tight-lipped about anything more that this. images/icons/confused.gif atlflyboi@aol.com

[airhostess1000]

Rumors are circulating that DA plans to close PDX & SEA early 2003...has anyone else heard this rumor?
I know there have always been rumors of PDX closing and we just experienced a major downsize last April... images/icons/shocked.gif