Metro Atlanta Airport loses half of it's "busiest" title

[Not_liking_FL]

Originally Posted by testa50

Chicago remains ultra regional-jet heavy while Delta has shunned regional jets in favor of the 717. This is vastly better from an airport operations perspective, as it decreases the amount of runway time needed to accommodate x passengers, and decreases delays significantly. The only downside is fewer frequencies and thus longer connection times, but Delta/Atlanta is still as good as or better than anybody else in that regard.

I'd WAY rather have the passengers half than the aircraft movements "half" of the title.

Delta hasn't shunned regional jets. Maybe there aren't many that fly into Atlanta, but I see and fly their smaller Delta-Connection jets all the time. EMB 145 & 175's, CRJ 700 & 900's. I believe most airlines are going to start to phase out the 50 seat aircraft(EMB 145 and CRJ 200) in favor of the EMB 175 and CRJ 700-900.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Not_liking_FL

Delta hasn't shunned regional jets. Maybe there aren't many that fly into Atlanta, but I see and fly their smaller Delta-Connection jets all the time. EMB 145 & 175's, CRJ 700 & 900's. I believe most airlines are going to start to phase out the 50 seat aircraft(EMB 145 and CRJ 200) in favor of the EMB 175 and CRJ 700-900.

You don't have to believe... most airlines have been phasing them out, but I believe the other poster was correct.

Delta has been de-emphasizing its regional flight operations from what they were.

In the recent past they have done a great deal to change their operations to have fewer regional jets and operate larger planes to gain more efficiency.

In recent years they took on 717s from Southwest from the Airtran Merger to replaced smaller CRJ-100 planes in its fleet. They are in the process of phasing out all CRJ-200 via other means.

They also have been altering relationships with thier subsidiaries that operate Delta Connections, which are where most of the regional aircrafts are. They ceased operations of Comair and they are sticking with Endeavor Air (previously pinnacle). In doing this they completely dismantled what was a hub for mostly regional jets, so they could reinforce traffic to larger hubs (ie. ATL and DTW) and make planes carrying more passengers to smaller destinations possible. Even before that Comair was reducing its fleet.

When gas prices rose, many of these planes ceased to be fuel/cost efficient on a per passenger basis.

This isn't to say regional planes will cease to exist. There is still a need for them, but they will be larger and fewer.

They are reinforcing their fleet of CRJ700s and CRJ900s a little bit, but they removing more CRJ100s and CRJ200s in the process.

This is one large reason why Atlanta handles more passengers per aircraft than ORD and other hub airports.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

You don't have to believe... most airlines have been phasing them out, but I believe the other poster was correct.

Delta has been de-emphasizing its regional flight operations from what they were.

In the recent past they have done a great deal to change their operations to have fewer regional jets and operate larger planes to gain more efficiency.

In recent years they took on 717s from Southwest from the Airtran Merger to replaced smaller CRJ-100 planes in its fleet. They are in the process of phasing out all CRJ-200 via other means.

They also have been altering relationships with thier subsidiaries that operate Delta Connections, which are where most of the regional aircrafts are. They ceased operations of Comair and they are sticking with Endeavor Air (previously pinnacle). In doing this they completely dismantled what was a hub for mostly regional jets, so they could reinforce traffic to larger hubs (ie. ATL and DTW) and make planes carrying more passengers to smaller destinations possible. Even before that Comair was reducing its fleet.

When gas prices rose, many of these planes ceased to be fuel/cost efficient on a per passenger basis.

This isn't to say regional planes will cease to exist. There is still a need for them, but they will be larger and fewer.

They are reinforcing their fleet of CRJ700s and CRJ900s a little bit, but they removing more CRJ100s and CRJ200s in the process.

This is one large reason why Atlanta handles more passengers per aircraft than ORD and other hub airports.

You obviously know what you're talking about, cwkimbro!

What's really nice about Delta buying up all of AirTrans 717's is that cities like Chattanooga, Tallahassee, Asheville, Roanoke, etc. are getting mainline jet service back for the first time in years. It's a brilliant move by Delta, as American & United will never fly anything but RJ's to cities of this size.

I actually had to fly United from Newark to Atlanta last Summer in a 50 passenger sardine can. That's just ridiculous for a route of that stature, and is a perfect example of how RJ heavy they are. American is better, but not at O'Hare.

[Not_liking_FL]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

You don't have to believe... most airlines have been phasing them out, but I believe the other poster was correct.

Delta has been de-emphasizing its regional flight operations from what they were.

In the recent past they have done a great deal to change their operations to have fewer regional jets and operate larger planes to gain more efficiency.

In recent years they took on 717s from Southwest from the Airtran Merger to replaced smaller CRJ-100 planes in its fleet. They are in the process of phasing out all CRJ-200 via other means.

They also have been altering relationships with thier subsidiaries that operate Delta Connections, which are where most of the regional aircrafts are. They ceased operations of Comair and they are sticking with Endeavor Air (previously pinnacle). In doing this they completely dismantled what was a hub for mostly regional jets, so they could reinforce traffic to larger hubs (ie. ATL and DTW) and make planes carrying more passengers to smaller destinations possible. Even before that Comair was reducing its fleet.

When gas prices rose, many of these planes ceased to be fuel/cost efficient on a per passenger basis.

This isn't to say regional planes will cease to exist. There is still a need for them, but they will be larger and fewer.

They are reinforcing their fleet of CRJ700s and CRJ900s a little bit, but they removing more CRJ100s and CRJ200s in the process.

This is one large reason why Atlanta handles more passengers per aircraft than ORD and other hub airports.

Well, that's basically what I said. Besides the now closed Comair, Endeavor is the only other regional owned by Delta. The other regional airlines that fly for Delta are contracted like they are at United, and to a lesser extent Envoy(American Eagle). United is also getting away from the smaller regional aircraft. They have been buying a lot of EMB 175's and wet leasing them to some of their regional carriers. My point was, Delta is not shunning regional aircraft from what I can see. Maybe changing their model, but I don't see them going away.

[steeps]

I'm not sure there is bitterness if ATLANTA'S fairly new airport either has no warrant for growth? Or resent CHICAGO'S O'Hare.... that wasn't going to roll over and concede decline? After all it is the Granddaddy Airport new in 1960 and not big enough already and outdated (during such a growing air traffic era)..... the day it opened?. I was impressed with Chicago's Midway original airport still in use. It looks great for its age ....like new.

It took O'Hare decades fighting residents to finally gain a new runway recently. I also expected Dallas/Fort Worth as a newbie airport as Atlanta's, to give O'Hare more heat ..... but it apparently hasn't?

What I resent is my local international airport (just means to Canada too) is Harrisburg PA, with its loss of Frontier airlines flying to Midway Chicago direct, I used last year. The couple airlines left force connecting flights to Atlanta.... then to Chicago O'Hare. Way out of the way, for a bit cheaper ticket. Just to me Atlanta is way too far in one corner of the US southeast.... to be a connector stop for these Northeast smaller airports ... to merely get to your western destination??? Where O'Hare is still on the way of most east/west transfers.

[testa50]

To be fair Atlanta's airport isn't a newbie by any means--it has been a major hub since as long as major hubs have been a thing. Granted, O'Hare was traditionally the largest hub in the U.S. But Atlanta has been up there since the start, decades ago. The terminals were a congested mess long before the midfield terminals were built in the 80s. It was that project that allowed Atlanta to approach 100 million passengers without any major congestion problems.

Regarding my comment about shunning, I meant the meaning of shun as in "shy away from". No doubt Delta still uses regional jets--I flew on one last week from Seattle to Vegas, and I'll fly on one tomorrow from Atlanta to Chattanooga. But on many markets out of Atlanta, especially nearby ones where Delta holds a dominant position, regional jets have mostly disappeared.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Not_liking_FL

Well, that's basically what I said. Besides the now closed Comair, Endeavor is the only other regional owned by Delta. The other regional airlines that fly for Delta are contracted like they are at United, and to a lesser extent Envoy(American Eagle). United is also getting away from the smaller regional aircraft. They have been buying a lot of EMB 175's and wet leasing them to some of their regional carriers. My point was, Delta is not shunning regional aircraft from what I can see. Maybe changing their model, but I don't see them going away.

Then I don't know what to tell you... you must have some funny definitions on shunning, because they sure have been cutting back. The other poster was dead on, especially given the comparisons he offered.... be cautious with the semantics.