Delta ATL-SAV/ATL-AVL Service Cuts ? Civil Aviation Forum ...

As per the OAG timetable Savannah now has one less daily flight along with AVL. Delta used to operate multiple 757 flights daily and an MD-80 terminator flight via AGS (Augusta, GA) to SAV (Savannah, GA). What has happened here for DL to reduce capacity, yet charge a semi-heavy premium for this flight? Concerning AVL down to 7 daily to ATL, albeit with one daily DC9 service, why does DL reduce frequency when AVL charges a premium for this flight? AVL does not have a low-cost carrier, except for Allegiant to Orlando, so what has happened in AVL for this reduction? The 757 ATL-SAV-ATL was always full and the CR2 was always full for the most part (not speaking in terms of yield, but demand) so why are these cities seeing a single daily flight reduction? And in terms of AVL, does RegionalElite ground staff still handle the single mainline flight, or are there newly hired DL Mainline staff handling the DC9 flight? When you price flights for example AVL-LAX, the lowest average fare is $480 r/t in Econ. whilst SAV-LAX average is $480 r/t. In terms of yield why would DL reduce service for a destination that rewards DL with pax willing to pay the higher fare for sheer convenience, etc.? Perhaps someone from Revenue Management can shed some light on these destinations.

Quoting AirAfreak (Thread starter): whilst SAV-LAX average is $480 r/t. In terms of yield why would DL reduce service for a destination that rewards DL with pax willing to pay the higher fare for sheer convenience, etc.? That's cheap. Sometimes in the 90s i was quoted something like 550 US$ for ATL-SAV rtn by DL and chose instead the thrills of flying Valuejet for much less.

Quoting AirAfreak (Thread starter): And in terms of AVL, does RegionalElite ground staff still handle the single mainline flight, or are there newly hired DL Mainline staff handling the DC9 flight? Yes, Regional Elite is still handling the DL mainline flights in and out of AVL. Quoting AirAfreak (Thread starter): Concerning AVL down to 7 daily to ATL, albeit with one daily DC9 service, why does DL reduce frequency when AVL charges a premium for this flight? AVL does not have a low-cost carrier, except for Allegiant to Orlando, so what has happened in AVL for this reduction? This is a relatively low level of service for AVL-ATL (up from 8-9x non-peak season to 10x daily on a CRJ in summer and fall), but not terribly surprising given DL has kept mainline on the schedule into the spring.

The DL of 2012 is not the DL of 2005, let alone even the DL of 2009. DL, even with the merger of NW, has reduced systemwide capactiy and is focused on profitable flying. This is not the loss generating, bankrupt DL of a decade ago. As fuel prices have increased, it has directly increased the cost of flying. Supply and demand, as the prices increase to cover costs, demand will decrease. Additionally, SAV used to see FL serive and during that time, DL used to offer more capacity and lower fares to be competitive with FL. Now that FL is out of SAV, prices increased significantly with the lack of lower cost competition. While the OAG threads are great, one must consider that adjustments are frequently made in all markets. Adjustments are alway made on a seasonal / monthly / day-of-the-week basis. DL is very aggresive at matching capacity and making adjustments in frequency and equipment types on a given route. Don't get too worried if a flight is reduced in the Jan/Feb timeframe, the slowest travel period of the year. Keep in mind that demand is often 20-30% less during this time than during the peak summer travel season since leisure travel is very low during this time of the year. Even more so in markets like AVL and SAV which have a significant leisure travel segment of inbound visitors. The winter is off-peak for both markets. Quoting AirAfreak (Thread starter): Concerning AVL down to 7 daily to ATL, albeit with one daily DC9 service, why does DL reduce frequency when AVL charges a premium for this flight? AVL does not have a low-cost carrier, except for Allegiant to Orlando, so what has happened in AVL for this reduction? AVL is getting mainline back, so they swapped out 2 CRJs (2 x 50 seats) for a DC-9-50 (125 seats). DL is going to be significantly reducing their 50 seat RJs over the next several years, so look for more of this to happen as 50 seaters are replaced by a combination of 66/70/76 seaters and some mainline equipment (DC9, 717). Quoting AirAfreak (Thread starter): And in terms of AVL, does RegionalElite ground staff still handle the single mainline flight, or are there newly hired DL Mainline staff handling the DC9 flight? Outsourced vendor, whoever it is in AVL. It does not have to be mainline employees ground handling, and they will not bring it back in-house with only 1 or a handful of mainline flights. Quoting AirAfreak (Thread starter): When you price flights for example AVL-LAX, the lowest average fare is $480 r/t in Econ. whilst SAV-LAX average is $480 r/t. In terms of yield why would DL reduce service for a destination that rewards DL with pax willing to pay the higher fare for sheer convenience, etc.? DL has a massive amount of data at their disposal for capacity and yield management. I'd actually say that $480 r/t on SAV-LAX is actually not that bad, considering the actual cost of flying. $480 r/t /less taxes is roughly $440 to DL, which on roughly a 4000 mile round trip is around a 11-12 cent CASM. DL is barely breaking even, if at all on this fare. They certainly are not ripping anyone off on that fare, its pretty close to the cost of flying that route. SAV-LAX also has numerous competition as all the other airlines can get you there on connecting service over their respective hubs. Now when you see the some of the short hops that lack competition that are more than $900 roundtrip, then you can say they are certainly charging a premium.

Quoting PSU.DTW.SCE (Reply 3): The DL of 2012 is not the DL of 2005, let alone even the DL of 2009. DL, even with the merger of NW, has reduced systemwide capactiy and is focused on profitable flying. This is not the loss generating, bankrupt DL of a decade ago. As fuel prices have increased, it has directly increased the cost of flying. Supply and demand, as the prices increase to cover costs, demand will decrease. So this must be good news for the GSP market, as DL's ATL flights are now a mix of CRJ/CR9/D95 & MD88, and after Oct 1, will also see A319 and A320 added in as well! Looks like after that time, there will only be 1 flight/day (on weekdays anyway) without F class. What with that, plus WN and G4's mainline a/c, GSP is almost looking like the early 90s again!

I remember when I lived in Savannah in the 2003-04 range taking several 757 flights from SAV-ATL and back. And yes they were usually full. And usually went on to further destinations with same-plane service like SLC, SMF, and SJC.

Quoting fjnovak1 (Reply 5): I remember when I lived in Savannah in the 2003-04 range taking several 757 flights from SAV-ATL and back. And yes they were usually full. And usually went on to further destinations with same-plane service like SLC, SMF, and SJC. SAV isn't a particularly large city or metro. Why the large(ish) equipment?

Quoting GSPSPOT (Reply 6): SAV isn't a particularly large city or metro. Why the large(ish) equipment? In addition to the millions of tourists that SAV and the Golden Isles get (and most of them fly in through either SAV or JAX as BQK is usually cost prohibitive) Savannah is GA's industrial center, there's a huge military presence, and it has the fastest growing port on the east coast. Savannah has a lot going on.

Quoting catiii (Reply 7): Quoting GSPSPOT (Reply 6): SAV isn't a particularly large city or metro. Why the large(ish) equipment? In addition to the millions of tourists that SAV and the Golden Isles get (and most of them fly in through either SAV or JAX as BQK is usually cost prohibitive) Savannah is GA's industrial center, there's a huge military presence, and it has the fastest growing port on the east coast. Savannah has a lot going on. DL has also traditionally had a very large share (probably 50%+) of the SAV market. And with the nearest large airports being just over 2 hours' drive away (JAX and CHS, neither of which is a hub) and ATL 4 hours away, leakage is minimized. (The exception probably being some to WN in JAX.) [Edited 2012-09-27 11:31:47]

A lot of people forget that the size of the city may not seem to corelate with the size of the airplanes. DL is a southern company that has maintain a strong precense in many of it routes that date back 60+ years... SAV/CHS/CAE/AGS/HSV/MGM/BHM/BNA/GSP are the bread and butter for DL. ALL of FL stations represent more than 20% of the company revenue. I feel sorry you lost one flight in SAV, and one in Asheville. But think about it, the company is constantly rightsizing itself.

Quoting AirAfreak (Thread starter): Concerning AVL down to 7 daily to ATL, albeit with one daily DC9 service, why does DL reduce frequency when AVL charges a premium for this flight? AVL does not have a low-cost carrier, except for Allegiant to Orlando, so what has happened in AVL for this reduction? The 757 ATL-SAV-ATL was always full and the CR2 was always full for the most part (not speaking in terms of yield, but demand) so why are these cities seeing a single daily flight reduction? And in terms of AVL, does RegionalElite ground staff still handle the single mainline flight, or are there newly hired DL Mainline staff handling the DC9 flight? When you price flights for example AVL-LAX, the lowest average fare is $480 r/t in Econ. whilst SAV-LAX average is $480 r/t. In terms of yield why would DL reduce service for a destination that rewards DL with pax willing to pay the higher fare for sheer convenience, etc.? These are summer vacation destinations, not as much in the winter.

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