D L X From United States, joined May 1999, 6531 posts, RR: 46 Posted (2 years 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 4931 times:
Something that has really got me thinking about this merger is why would US, if successful, keep the Delta name instead of the US Airways name?
While I understand that Delta, even in bankruptcy, is the bigger airline, "Delta" is the MOST regional of all the corporate titles in the industry. It doesn't even represent the United States so much as a small region of the country. On the other hand, "US Airways" screams "international airline based in, or can take you to the, United States." No shock there, since the whole name change was iirc take from British Airways - a name with the same cachet.
So, your thoughts: why keep Delta? Isn't US Airways the "better" name for the global airline that this merged entity would become?
SLCUT2777 From United States, joined Dec 2005, 3532 posts, RR: 9 Reply 1, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4898 times:
Quoting D L X (Thread starter): So, your thoughts: why keep Delta? Isn't US Airways the "better" name for the global airline that this merged entity would become?
Since Parker is obviously trying to build the national flag airline of the USA with this ill advised fiasco I agree. It will take a democratic congress and a democratic president to bail the mess he creates out and be nationalized (headed by newly elected senator Bernard Sanders of VT!--a devout socialist). I say name this forthcoming mess Parker has proposed AirUSA as opposed to AirCanada (once upon a time a crown corporation--until the Canucks became more economically enlightened!).
DELTA Air Lines; The Only Way To Fly from Salt Lake City; Let the Western Heritage always be with Delta!
RwSEA From United States, joined Jan 2005, 2276 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4880 times:
Let me precursor this by saying I hope this "merger" doesn't happen.
That said, US/HP is a crap airline that has always had a bad reputation. When one thinks of US, they think of delayed flights on the east coast, dirty and old planes, and baggage meltdowns at PHL. Plus, US isn't really known outside of the USA, other than a few Carribbean markets and a few select European cities.
DL on the other hand, has a better reputation for service, and also, is much better known outside of the USA (and even is much better known inside the USA).
SLCUT2777 From United States, joined Dec 2005, 3532 posts, RR: 9 Reply 5, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4826 times:
Quoting RwSEA (Reply 2): Let me precursor this by saying I hope this "merger" doesn't happen.
That said, US/HP is a crap airline that has always had a bad reputation. When one thinks of US, they think of delayed flights on the east coast, dirty and old planes, and baggage meltdowns at PHL. Plus, US isn't really known outside of the USA, other than a few Caribbean markets and a few select European cities.
DL on the other hand, has a better reputation for service, and also, is much better known outside of the USA (and even is much better known inside the USA).
Couldn't agree with you more. When I think of USAir, I think of an airline that is right there hand in hand with NW, for having overly zealous unions that live in their little fantasyland and agitate for anything and the impossible and always want more. USAir workers have such a bad-a$$ attitude that will for sure lose my bags and for sure won't work quickly to correct a technical glitch on an a/c since it would be against the slightest union rule to do so, and the flight will be delayed far longer than is needed.
The best thing for HP to have done would have been to let US die last year and liquidate as it was very quickly headed that direction if overcapacity is such a heated issue as Doug Parker likes to tout-off about. Going into this down cycle, both US and NW were the two that deserved to die and reduce overcapacity if that is such an issue.
DELTA Air Lines; The Only Way To Fly from Salt Lake City; Let the Western Heritage always be with Delta!
USPIT10L From United States, joined Mar 2006, 1596 posts, RR: 8 Reply 6, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4813 times:
Quoting D L X (Thread starter): While I understand that Delta, even in bankruptcy, is the bigger airline, "Delta" is the MOST regional of all the corporate titles in the industry. It doesn't even represent the United States so much as a small region of the country. On the other hand, "US Airways" screams "international airline based in, or can take you to the, United States." No shock there, since the whole name change was iirc take from British Airways - a name with the same cachet.
So, your thoughts: why keep Delta? Isn't US Airways the "better" name for the global airline that this merged entity would become?
Delta is a globally recognized name in every way, service, reliability and scope, especially once their Asian expansion kicks into gear. US Airways, OTOH, has a severely tarnished name and image, which Parker and company will have to work serious overtime and then some to rehabilitate. It's better to change the name or acquire someone and rename the company. While I'll certainly miss US Airways/USAir, it's better than the status quo. The other LCCs will certainly keep things interesting. Why does everyone think that $79 tickets with oil possibly being $80 a barrel can possibly make money?
EWRCabincrew From Canada, joined May 2006, 5182 posts, RR: 55 Reply 8, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4766 times:
It has nothing to do with who is better at customer service, better baggage handling stats, etc..
It boils down to name brand recognition. Like it was said earlier, DL is known more around the world (through places it flys to and acquiring of PA's routes to name two things) than US is.
US would be more than wise to keep the DL name. Widget and all.
LAXdude1023 From United States, joined Sep 2006, 3208 posts, RR: 11 Reply 9, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4757 times:
Quoting RwSEA (Reply 2): That said, US/HP is a crap airline that has always had a bad reputation.
AAAAMMMMMMMEEEEEEENNNNNN!!!!!!!! Couldnt have said it better RwSEA!!! The US cheerleaders talk about how the airlines arent charities. I do recall a few years ago when US had to ask its employees to work for free for a day. They sure were singing a different tune then.
N328KF From United States, joined May 2004, 5307 posts, RR: 4 Reply 10, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4715 times:
Quoting D L X (Thread starter): It doesn't even represent the United States so much as a small region of the country.
While the "Delta" name ostensibly only refers to the Mississippi delta, the phrase is indelibly associated with the U.S. south as a whole. That's not a "small" region.
When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer 'Present' or 'Not guilty.' T.Roosevelt
Charger From United States, joined Oct 2006, 273 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4702 times:
Quoting RwSEA (Reply 2): Let me precursor this by saying I hope this "merger" doesn't happen.
That said, US/HP is a crap airline that has always had a bad reputation. When one thinks of US, they think of delayed flights on the east coast, dirty and old planes, and baggage meltdowns at PHL. Plus, US isn't really known outside of the USA, other than a few Carribbean markets and a few select European cities.
DL on the other hand, has a better reputation for service, and also, is much better known outside of the USA (and even is much better known inside the USA).
Agree 100%. That says it all.
I also hope this merger winds up where it belongs, in the garbage pail.
EWRCabincrew From Canada, joined May 2006, 5182 posts, RR: 55 Reply 13, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4663 times:
Quoting D L X (Thread starter): It doesn't even represent the United States so much as a small region of the country.
Look at Northwest. Continental. United. None of them say "United States". But what they do have is name recognition of a US carrier overseas. US Airways flies to a few cities in Europe, the Caribbean, a few Mexican destinations and a few Canadian cities. Not all that well known outside those places. DL, on the other hand, flies to all continents but Australia and Antarctica. Their network is ginormous compared to US's. That is the reason why DL will be kept. Delta as a name is better known. As much as a die hard US/HP employee or die hard frequent flyer would argue otherwise, the reality is DL name goes farther in terms of brand.
Burnsie28 From United States, joined Aug 2004, 4996 posts, RR: 10 Reply 14, posted (2 years 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 4657 times:
Quoting SLCUT2777 (Reply 5): I think of an airline that is right there hand in hand with NW, for having overly zealous unions that live in their little fantasyland and agitate for anything and the impossible and always want more.
You apparently have no idea what your talking about, the mechanics were different then the rest of the unions, pilots gave up a lot and so did the FA's, WN employees make more then most NW employees now.
Delta makes more sense, the Delta name has been around longer, and just because US has US in it, doesn't mean anything, in Asia, when people think of US airlines they think of either Northwest or United, not American. In Europe people think of Delta, to some extent Northwest with the close partnership with KLM they they have always had.
Yes. So what it REALLY boils down to, is Parker eliminating some of the competition, stealing the name and I assume the logo, and hiding behind it as if he can fool everyone into believing it's the Delta of old. All this, before the paint has even dried on his precious new US Airways planes. Yeah, it would be nice to see the name and widget survive, but it would not be the same. At least that very lame US Airways logo would finally go away. Overall though, this marriage would be like Republic of the 1980s, but worse. Does Parker know Stephen Wolf by chance?
North Central: Good People Made Their Airline Great! FLY MD-90 POWER! Keep 'em Flying DELTA Family!
EWRCabincrew From Canada, joined May 2006, 5182 posts, RR: 55 Reply 16, posted (2 years 5 days ago) and read 4610 times:
Quoting Ikramerica (Reply 12): Sorry, but "USA" and "US" (the characters, not the airline) has more recognition than does the word "Delta"
Missed my point completely. I do agree with you that USA and US does ring a bell better to people than Delta as a stand alone "word" basis. But the "name brand" of Delta as an airline. as opposed to, US Airways, is more recognised.
DL flies to NRT, BOM. They flew to BKK, TPE, DEL, FUL, HKG, NGO and SEL . They may not be a 'major' in Asia, like UA or NW, but their name as an airline would be more known than US Airways.
Quoting Ikramerica (Reply 12): Anyway, it's not going to happen either way...
We sit and wait. Only those in charge truly know. Â
Mptpa From United States, joined Feb 2006, 418 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (2 years 5 days ago) and read 4576 times:
Quoting EWRCabincrew (Reply 13): Look at Northwest. Continental. United. None of them say "United States". But what they do have is name recognition of a US carrier overseas. US Airways flies to a few cities in Europe, the Caribbean, a few Mexican destinations and a few Canadian cities. Not all that well known outside those places. DL, on the other hand, flies to all continents but Australia and Antarctica. Their network is ginormous compared to US's. That is the reason why DL will be kept. Delta as a name is better known. As much as a die hard US/HP employee or die hard frequent flyer would argue otherwise, the reality is DL name goes farther in terms of brand.
I did not know Delta flew to Arctic!!!
It is all about branding and the value a brand that is established offers. Despite US Airways recognition as an airline out of the US, it is fairly new, not well known outside and does not have the time tested endurance. On the other hand, Delta has been around a long time, with the same name and effectively with the same visual branding (I am not talking about livery changes). It is like Coca-coal, even with minor tweaks to the brand, it is effectively constant. Rebuilding a brand such as US to tout a larger image will be time consuming and costly.
Also, look at the heritage and the international routes DL serves compared to US.
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All this, before the paint has even dried on his precious new US Airways planes. Yeah, it would be nice to see the name and widget survive, but it would not be the same. At least that very lame US Airways logo would finally go away. Overall though, this marriage would be like Republic of the 1980s, but worse. Does Parker know Stephen Wolf by chance? 
