There was an article in the Memphis Business Journal yesterday quoting Doug Steenland from NW as saying the combined DL/NW mega-carrier may ultimately be a smaller company if fuel prices continue to soar.
The reason? Simple. Fares have to go up to offset the high cost of oil, and rising fares will temper demand and result in fewer flights being offered in the marketplace. Where have I heard that mantra before? Oh yeah, me. I’ve posted several items about how the continued high price of oil has to be offset by higher fares, blah, blah, blah.
This news shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, except maybe to the people who heard the initial description of the merger as being a “1+1 = 2” transaction. Even with oil at $50 a barrel there would have to be some economies of scale realized from a merger, or else why do one? But with oil over $120 a barrel the economics are pretty clear; no matter how big you are, you can only last as long as your cash holds out.
The thing that bugs me about this is the way management has positioned this as a win-win (I hate that term). On the Delta web site there is a blurb touting the greatly improved pass benefits for employees. The sub header in the piece says “New reciprocal travel program adds to previously announced plans for a substantial equity stake, pay increases, seniority protection and other benefits for Delta, Northwest employees”. That article is dated April 29 and the piece in the Memphis Business Journal is dated May 12. Has that much changed in 2 weeks?
To my knowledge the employees of Northwest and Delta are all tax paying adults who have responsibilities to pay their bills, raise their kids, and take care of their families and themselves. They deal with the realities of life every day, which includes dealing with bad news, and they certainly understand the basic tenant of economics that says if you have too much month left at the end of your money then something has to change. Better pass benefits are great, but if you can’t afford to put gas in the SUV then a weekend flight to Disney World is just, well…….goofy (sorry, couldn’t resist).
My advice (and you know what they say about free advice) to the people running NW and DL is to treat their employees like adults and level with them. Raising expectations about pay increases and seniority protection in the current economic situation is not going to have the desired result. The inevitable backpedaling has already begun, as witnessed in the quotes from Doug Steenland.