Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport

[STrek777]

Hartsfield-Jackson nips Chicago's O'hare for second year in a row

By JIM THARPE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 01/04/07

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport — for the second year in a row — retained its title as the world's busiest airport, the Federal Aviation Administration reported Thursday.

Atlanta's airport recorded 976,307 takeoffs and landings in 2006, compared to 958,643 for Chicago's O'Hare, which came in second. Dallas Fort-Worth came in third with 702,713.

The numbers were down a bit compared to last year, said Kathleen Bergen, FAA spokesman for the agency's Atlanta office, which oversees the Southern region. Atlanta's air traffic was down about 0.4 percent, while Chicago was off about 1.4 percent and Dallas about 2.2 percent.

"We attribute that to a bit of a slower pace in the industry in general," Bergen said.

O'Hare came in ahead of Atlanta from 2001-2004, but Atlanta took the lead in 2005 and retained it last year, according to FAA statistics.

Atlanta has a decided advantage when it comes to the "world's busiest" bragging rights. The city has only one airport, while some major metro areas, like Chicago have two. Midway Airport also serves Chicago and had 298,547 takeoffs and landings in 2006, an increase of about 2.7 percent over the year before.

GO ATL!!!!

[supastar]

I had an hour layover at Hartsfield coming home from Christmas. I believe i was in terminal E and then B. The airport looked great, much more modern than i remember and i was a little surprised at the variety of eateries and shops compared with Newark and LaGuardia. Overall, for such a huge and busy airport, it's super easy to navigate.

[Harry Cane]

The new flooring makes a world of difference. Those brown pavers looked soooo 70's.

I came in on Concourse E this weekend and they've finished the moving walkways on the upper level that gets you from the gates to passport control. Nice. They have so much commissioned art there, which is a shame because no one gets to look at it. They should move that to a more public place.

They're also making progress on what I believe is site prepping for the new International terminal. They've really moved a ton of dirt there.

[Atlriser]

E & D are both wrapping up the cosmetic items. We're currently on A, B, & C finishing up the majority of the cosmetic work there as well. I'll say the airport is looking quite SPIFFY but I'm biased probably since having a very small hand involved in actual construction.

There hasn’t been any news at all on the bidding schedule for the international terminal but originally the airport wanted to have bidding docs ready by summer time. I think their schedule is a little overly optimistic for that to occur but you never know with the airport. Personally speaking I hope they don't push for such a schedule and end up with crap for drawings and coordination like occurred with the outset on the E Terminal Renovations and has haunted that portion of the project from the outset. I'd rather they take the necessary time upfront to ensure a smooth project through the whole process.

[ATLssMania]

Originally Posted by Atlriser

E & D are both wrapping up the cosmetic items. We're currently on A, B, & C finishing up the majority of the cosmetic work there as well. I'll say the airport is looking quite SPIFFY but I'm biased probably since having a very small hand involved in actual construction.

There hasn’t been any news at all on the bidding schedule for the international terminal but originally the airport wanted to have bidding docs ready by summer time. I think their schedule is a little overly optimistic for that to occur but you never know with the airport. Personally speaking I hope they don't push for such a schedule and end up with crap for drawings and coordination like occurred with the outset on the E Terminal Renovations and has haunted that portion of the project from the outset. I'd rather they take the necessary time upfront to ensure a smooth project through the whole process.

I flew into Concourse E over Christmas and it seems a little outdated. Do you know if it will be getting the new floors, lighting, carpet, etc. like the other terminals? Also, the check-in and gate desks looked very different compared to the other concourses...

[atlantaguy]

^Are you sure it was E? I come and go through E all the time, and it's been greatly improved. The food court is totally redone with new choices, the moving sidewalks seem to be about done to Customs & Immigration, etc.

[john3eblover]

....Terminal E is fantastic, ive only been to a few airports that even come close. You must be thinking of another terminal....

[ATLssMania]

Originally Posted by john3eblover

....Terminal E is fantastic, ive only been to a few airports that even come close. You must be thinking of another terminal....

No..it was E. The floors were not tile...they were what I guess you call "terrazzo"...didn't look as nice as the other terminals because they had scuff marks all over them. The carpet didn't look so great either...and the signage was not the new signage you see throughout the rest of the airport...it was this brownish/red signage. I guess I am picky.

[mayhem]

US Airways increases bid for Delta by $2 billion

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlan...ml?jst=b_ln_hl

Atlanta-based Delta (Pink Sheets: DALRQ) has already rejected US Airways' bid and filed a standalone plan to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, valuing itself at between $9.4 billion and $12 billion.

However, on Wednesday, Tempe, Ariz.-based US Airways (NYSE: LCC) said its increased bid would provide between $12.7 billion and $15.4 billion in value to Delta's unsecured creditors.

"While our original proposal offered substantially more value to Delta's unsecured creditors than the Delta stand-alone plan, we are making this revised offer to eliminate any doubt that a merger with US Airways offers Delta's unsecured creditors significantly more value," said Doug Parker, US Airways chairman and CEO. "Without the support of the creditors, our offer is set to expire on Feb. 1. It is time for this process to move forward."

Delta's unsecured creditors would receive $5 billion in cash and 89.5 million shares of US Airways stock, under the terms of the new bid. Based on the closing price of US Airways stock on Jan. 9, the new offer has a market value of about $10.2 billion. The airline's original bid was valued at $8 billion.

But Delta is standing firm on plans to come out of Chapter 11 in spring 2007. Delta has said its creditors can expect to recover about 63 percent to 80 percent of their allowed claims. The airline projects operating margins from 8 percent in 2007 to 10.5 percent in 2010 with a return to profitability in 2007 and an increase in net income, after profit sharing, from about $500 million in 2007 to about $1.2 billion in 2010.

Delta has argued the US Airways bid's projected network and cost "synergies" are based on "deeply flawed economic assumptions." Delta said US Airways' claimed $1.65 billion in synergies and financial benefits from the proposed merger are overstated because US Airways has "ignored major negative synergies that previous transactions have proven will occur."

Delta also maintains the combined company would be stuck with a high total debt load in a fragile industry, noting its analysis shows the merger would create $23 billion in total debt for the combined entity. This compares with $10 billion in total debt Delta expects to carry when it comes out of bankruptcy.

On Wednesday, Delta released a statement saying US Airways' new bid "does not address significant concerns that have been raised about the initial US Airways proposal and, in fact, would increase the debt burden of the combined company by yet another $1 billion."

[STrek777]

Originally Posted by mayhem

US Airways increases bid for Delta by $2 billion

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlan...ml?jst=b_ln_hl

The GA Senators and Congressmen are committed to fighting this thing to the end. Our CEO has made several trips to Capitol Hill to drum up support to deny the merge of the two carriers. We now have state governors committed to fighting the merge any way that they can. Economists don’t see how the merged companies would benefit the flying public in any way. This would also create huge gaps in the budgets of several major cities around the US and devastate the economies of other cities. The only reason Doug Parker is still perusing Delta is greed plain and simple.

US Airways has always been ranked at the bottom for customer service, canceled flights, lost luggage, maintenance problems, and low employee morale. US Airways and America West are still operating on two separate reservation systems, two separate union contracts for all areas within the company that has a union, two separate pay scales, oh and nearly all of their aircraft still has each company’s original livery. US Airways corporate structure right now is in shambles and they want to take on a merge with Delta... why? Greed plain and simple.

Delta went into bankruptcy with debt somewhere to the tune of 22 Billion. When Delta exits bankruptcy we will only have around 9 - 10 Billion dollars in debt. We have been able to renegotiate the leases on nearly every aircraft, and we have put millions into technology to help us stream line our operation.

We are the largest carrier over the Atlantic, the only major US carrier into Africa and don’t forget we still have the DOT certification to fly to Cairo, we have the most flights into India than any other US carrier, the only US carrier flying from NYC to BOM non-stop, we are expanding our presence in the Middle East, we are just barely the second largest carrier into the Caribbean, the largest carrier into Mexico and Central America, we have greatly increased our flights into South America, and we are adding flights and routs over the Pacific. Then there is the fact that we are the only carrier in US history to fly to all 50 states and D.C. as part of regular daily schedules.

Our customer service levels are coming up, we're loosing less luggage, often our flights are around 90% on time or within 15 minutes of there scheduled time, we are upgrading the interiors of all our aircraft, in most aircraft you will have your own personal TV with 46 channels, games, and music selections. Delta may have for a few years lost sight of the prize and seamed to give up on its goals but everyone here is working extremely hard to right our wrongs and others are beginning to see that.

US Airways wants what we have worked hard to gain and it is motivated out of greed... plain and simple.

[tennreb]

The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Delta and Northwest are in merger talks.

[ThrashATL]

Originally Posted by tennreb

The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Delta and Northwest are in merger talks.

Merger? Delta won't go willingly with USAir and Northwest is in much worse shape and more heavily unionized than USAir.

[atlantaguy]

Originally Posted by tennreb

The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Delta and Northwest are in merger talks.

Yeah, it was in the AJC too tennreb. It's going to be a very interesting month.

[tennreb]

Originally Posted by ThrashATL

Merger? Delta won't go willingly with USAir and Northwest is in much worse shape and more heavily unionized than USAir.

The difference is that Northwest has extremely valuable Pacific routes. It is the largest US carrier to Asia, and Delta is extremely weak in that area. Also, the executives at USAir were forced out when AmericaWest took over. The Delta execs want to keep their jobs, which they could do with a NWA merger.

[Rail Claimore]

^I was about to say, I could see that merger working out a bit better, and NWA's transpacific routes are way too valuable not to consider. We're talking a major hub at NRT for Delta here, if this were to take place. Delta would be by far the biggest or second-biggest US carrier to every part of the globe. Only AA would be competing in Latin America and United in the Transpacific market.

[shanthemanatl]

Do you guys think the headquarters would be more likely to remain in Atlanta with a Delta/Northwest merger?

[Fiorenza]

A forced USAir merger is looking less likely every day; a standalone Delta, or eventual merger with Northwest (once they come out of Chapter 11) is looking more likely. As to where the HQ would be, I've no real clue, however Delta has far more infrastructure in Atlanta than Northwest has in Minneapolis. USAir put a February 1st dropdead on their offer, which doesn't really make sense unless their financing can't be guaranteed beyond that date. I'm wondering if they plan to make a pitch for Northwest if the Delta deal falls through, although with either airline the USAir management has basically the same problem of trying to digest too much too fast, and no real international airline experience.

[Tombstoner]

Originally Posted by shanthemanatl

Do you guys think the headquarters would be more likely to remain in Atlanta with a Delta/Northwest merger?

As this would happen after both NW and DL independently got out of bankrupcy on their own terms, I think this might be a true merger of equals rather than a buyout, so while MEM and CVG might be downgraded from actual hubs, I think both carriers may operate side-by-side with separate HQs in MSP and ATL, like the merger of AF and KLM kept the HQs intact in Paris and Amsterdam.

[MarketsWork]

Originally Posted by Tombstoner

As this would happen after both NW and DL independently got out of bankrupcy on their own terms, I think this might be a true merger of equals rather than a buyout, so while MEM and CVG might be downgraded from actual hubs, I think both carriers may operate side-by-side with separate HQs in MSP and ATL, like the merger of AF and KLM kept the HQs intact in Paris and Amsterdam.

I seriously doubt you would see that happen here -- it's just not the American way! Only in socialist Europe, with a negotiated merger between two nationally-subsidized flag carriers, would such an inefficient arrangement "fly." Some US mergers have been sold with plans for "dual" headquarters (I seem to recall Wachovia and First Atlanta), but efficiency always wins out once the lesser stockholders have been placated. One of the two will be the top dog and get its way.

[atlantaguy]

I read somewhere last week that Northwest has some sort of Minnesota-backed "poison pill" type thing in place to ensure the HQ's remains in the Twin Cities.......Hope I read it wrong, because I really can see Delta & Northwest linking up.