On Sunday we trekked down to Southeast DC to the new home of the newest MLB baseball team, The Washington Nationals. The Nationals play in brand new Nationals Park. Eventually I can assure everyone that it will be renamed with a large sponsor paying for that right but until that time comes around it remains free of a sponsored moniker.
The stadium is located on the corner of N Street and 1/2 Street putting it right up against the Anacostia River. For those of you that know DC and where that is it must elicit strong responses as it is not the place where the un-addicted ever wanted to be. There is a lot of construction going on around the new park and it looks like there will be a great new neighborhood in a few short years.
The entrance to the park is only about a block from the Navy Yard Metro station which made it convenient to park elsewhere and ride the train to the game. There is only limited parking for high end season ticket owners so unless you're interested in the old fashioned Southeast DC way of protecting your vehicle (paying off a homeless guy to make sure you had a car when you came back) it is better to take the Metro.
The park itself is nothing spectacular. I think that Camden Yards (Baltimore), ATT Park (San Fran) and Comerica Park (Detroit) all have far more charm and parts of the new stadium even seem thrown together as an afterthought (the press box for example. Anyway, I enjoyed the day with the group and look forward to visiting again. I would like to get back and maybe go up to Baltimore for an Oriole's game. Also I'm toying with the idea of a weekend run to Milwaukee for a Brewers game and a trip to Chicago to see the Cubs in Wrigley Field.
Enjoy the pictures of the new park!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Weekend In Washington
I got to spend the weekend with my good friends Reid and Andrew over the weekend in DC...well, Columbia. Reid and I took in a great exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian on Saturday where my college buddy Rob was able to join and on Sunday Andrew and another college buddy Kellie joined us for a game at Nationals Park where we watched the Nats beat the Cubs 2-0 on a cold and misty day.
We also dove into the American Indian Museum on Saturday for a few minutes as Rob had never been.
Monday morning I took a train ride down to Williamsburg where I am right now and am visiting a few days with my Aunt Jane before heading back to Minnesota. I'm trying to stay south until it warms up but it doesn't seem to be working out for me as Sunday in DC never got out of the 50's and last night here in the area we had several severe storms including many tornadoes. Fortunately we suffered no damage here and no one was killed in the storms although hundreds of people are homeless in the area as a result.
Enjoy the pictures of the Air and Space Museum and the American Indian Museum. Pictures of the Nats game coming later today!
We also dove into the American Indian Museum on Saturday for a few minutes as Rob had never been.
Monday morning I took a train ride down to Williamsburg where I am right now and am visiting a few days with my Aunt Jane before heading back to Minnesota. I'm trying to stay south until it warms up but it doesn't seem to be working out for me as Sunday in DC never got out of the 50's and last night here in the area we had several severe storms including many tornadoes. Fortunately we suffered no damage here and no one was killed in the storms although hundreds of people are homeless in the area as a result.
Enjoy the pictures of the Air and Space Museum and the American Indian Museum. Pictures of the Nats game coming later today!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
A Day At the Minneapolis Institute of Art
One of the reasons I'm enjoying Minneapolis so much is the wide variety of things to do. The Minneapolis Institute of Art is just one of them and I took full advantage of it last week.
Currently the MIA has an exhibit of Japanese art on display which was the draw for me. It was heavy on Japanese Panels and traditional clothing. As most of you know or would suspect I have a pretty short attention span for museums but I was able to get about two hours worth of entertainment out of the visit which is actually a fairly long time for me.
The museum also has a large free area where the pictures below were taken. It is broken up into regions and showcases art from all parts of the world. I think the most striking piece of art I saw was the Native American statue. For some reason it really caught me.
Enjoy the pictures and when you come to visit I'll make sure that you see it all first hand!
Currently the MIA has an exhibit of Japanese art on display which was the draw for me. It was heavy on Japanese Panels and traditional clothing. As most of you know or would suspect I have a pretty short attention span for museums but I was able to get about two hours worth of entertainment out of the visit which is actually a fairly long time for me.
The museum also has a large free area where the pictures below were taken. It is broken up into regions and showcases art from all parts of the world. I think the most striking piece of art I saw was the Native American statue. For some reason it really caught me.
Enjoy the pictures and when you come to visit I'll make sure that you see it all first hand!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Significant events in the history of Northwest Airlines:
Associated Press - April 14, 2008 9:04 PM ET
1926: Col. Lewis Brittin founds Northwest Airways to carry air mail from the Twin Cities to Chicago with two rented biplanes. A month later, the Detroit-based airline introduces the nation's first closed-cabin commercial airplane.
1927: Northwest flies its first ticketed passengers.
1929: A group led by St. Paul businessman Richard Lilly buys the airline from its Michigan investors. Five years later, it is incorporated in Minnesota under the name Northwest Airlines.
1947: Northwest becomes the first commercial airline to fly from the U.S. to Japan, with the flights continuing to Seoul, Shanghai and Manila. It rebrands itself as "Northwest Orient Airlines," though the company's legal name remains Northwest Airlines.
1948: The airline begins painting the tails of its planes red, which has remained the company's trademark ever since.
1960: Northwest moves into its new, centralized base of operations at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Wold-Chamberlain Field, now the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
1986: Northwest acquires Twin Cities-based Republic Airlines for $884 million, nearly doubling its work force from 17,000 to 33,000 employees. The company drops the word Orient from its name, and adopts its Twin Cities-Detroit-Memphis hub system.
1989: Northwest is acquired in a leveraged buyout by an investor group headed by Al Checchi and Gary Wilson and including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Checchi becomes chairman.
1991: The Minnesota Legislature approves a nearly $800 million aid package for Northwest, including a $270 million direct loan that the company is still repaying.
1993: Remaining costs of the buyout and an industry downturn lead Northwest to threaten bankruptcy unless employee groups make concessions. After concessionary agreements are signed, the company turns its first profit since 1989.
1998: Northwest pilots hold a 15-day strike that shuts down Northwest operations for 18 days. Later in the year, Northwest mechanics, cleaners and custodians choose the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association as their new union representative, splitting off from the International Association of Machinists and Ground Workers.
2001: Northwest and its mechanics avert a strike with a deal that includes an average wage increase for mechanics of 24.4%, giving Northwest mechanics the highest pay in the industry.
2003: Northwest executives announce the company needs $950 million in concessions from its workers in order to avert bankruptcy. Pilots later agree to a 15% pay cut.
Oct. 1, 2004: CEO Richard Anderson leaves to join UnitedHealth. He later lands as CEO at Delta. Doug Steenland named CEO.
2005: Northwest raises its concessions demand to $1.1 billion.
Aug. 20, 2005: Mechanics strike at 12:01 a.m. EDT rather than accept wage cuts and layoffs.
Sept. 14, 2005: Airline files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing high fuel and labor costs.
May 31, 2007: Northwest exits bankruptcy protection.
January 2008: Northwest reported to be in talks with Delta Air Lines Inc.
April 14, 2008: Delta announces plan to buy Northwest, with the combined company to be called Delta and based in Atlanta.
1926: Col. Lewis Brittin founds Northwest Airways to carry air mail from the Twin Cities to Chicago with two rented biplanes. A month later, the Detroit-based airline introduces the nation's first closed-cabin commercial airplane.
1927: Northwest flies its first ticketed passengers.
1929: A group led by St. Paul businessman Richard Lilly buys the airline from its Michigan investors. Five years later, it is incorporated in Minnesota under the name Northwest Airlines.
1947: Northwest becomes the first commercial airline to fly from the U.S. to Japan, with the flights continuing to Seoul, Shanghai and Manila. It rebrands itself as "Northwest Orient Airlines," though the company's legal name remains Northwest Airlines.
1948: The airline begins painting the tails of its planes red, which has remained the company's trademark ever since.
1960: Northwest moves into its new, centralized base of operations at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Wold-Chamberlain Field, now the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
1986: Northwest acquires Twin Cities-based Republic Airlines for $884 million, nearly doubling its work force from 17,000 to 33,000 employees. The company drops the word Orient from its name, and adopts its Twin Cities-Detroit-Memphis hub system.
1989: Northwest is acquired in a leveraged buyout by an investor group headed by Al Checchi and Gary Wilson and including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Checchi becomes chairman.
1991: The Minnesota Legislature approves a nearly $800 million aid package for Northwest, including a $270 million direct loan that the company is still repaying.
1993: Remaining costs of the buyout and an industry downturn lead Northwest to threaten bankruptcy unless employee groups make concessions. After concessionary agreements are signed, the company turns its first profit since 1989.
1998: Northwest pilots hold a 15-day strike that shuts down Northwest operations for 18 days. Later in the year, Northwest mechanics, cleaners and custodians choose the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association as their new union representative, splitting off from the International Association of Machinists and Ground Workers.
2001: Northwest and its mechanics avert a strike with a deal that includes an average wage increase for mechanics of 24.4%, giving Northwest mechanics the highest pay in the industry.
2003: Northwest executives announce the company needs $950 million in concessions from its workers in order to avert bankruptcy. Pilots later agree to a 15% pay cut.
Oct. 1, 2004: CEO Richard Anderson leaves to join UnitedHealth. He later lands as CEO at Delta. Doug Steenland named CEO.
2005: Northwest raises its concessions demand to $1.1 billion.
Aug. 20, 2005: Mechanics strike at 12:01 a.m. EDT rather than accept wage cuts and layoffs.
Sept. 14, 2005: Airline files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing high fuel and labor costs.
May 31, 2007: Northwest exits bankruptcy protection.
January 2008: Northwest reported to be in talks with Delta Air Lines Inc.
April 14, 2008: Delta announces plan to buy Northwest, with the combined company to be called Delta and based in Atlanta.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Merger Mania
It finally has become official. America's oldest operating airline is moving toward extinction with the announcement that NWA will merge with Delta. The result will be the largest airline in the world but I suspect that the title will be lost before it is even gained as many media outlets are reporting that Continental and United were waiting for this announcement so that they could announce their own merger.
The announcement came as no surprise but has left me a bit sad. I'm kinda surprised that I feel that way as many of you know that I don't always have warm and fuzzy opinions about the company. I guess that the reality of it is that Northwest Airlines is a name that goes right to the roots of aviation, starting in 1926. 81 years of aviation history wiped out by the reality of economics.
The new airline has a new website http://newglobalairline.com/ . The site is well done and sharp looking and I suggest that you check it out.
As far as what it means to me, I have no idea. The announcement says that there will be no furloughs and that the staff will receive a stake in the new company. As it all becomes clearer I will let you know!
Here is the press release....
TLANTA, Georgia and EAGAN, Minnesota – April 14, 2008 – Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) and Northwest Airlines Corporation (NYSE: NWA) today announced an agreement in which the two carriers will combine in an all-stock transaction with a combined enterprise value of $17.7 billion, creating America’s premier global airline. The new airline, which will be called Delta, will provide employees with greater job security, an equity stake in the combined airline, and a more stable platform for future growth in the face of significant economic pressures from rising fuel costs and intense competition. Small communities throughout the United States will enjoy enhanced access to more destinations worldwide. Customers also will benefit from the combined carriers’ complementary route networks, which together will offer people greater choice, competitive fares and a superior travel experience to more cities than any other airline. In addition, combining Delta and Northwest will create a global U.S. flag carrier strongly positioned to compete with foreign airlines that are continuing to increase service to the United States.
Delta CEO Richard Anderson will be chief executive officer of the combined company. Delta Chairman of the Board Daniel Carp will become chairman of the new Board of Directors and Northwest Chairman Roy Bostock will become vice chairman. Ed Bastian will be president and chief financial officer. The Board of Directors will be made up of 13 members, seven of whom will come from Delta’s board, including Anderson, and five of whom will come from Northwest’s board, including Bostock and Doug Steenland, the current Northwest CEO. One director will come from the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).
Delta will have executive offices in Atlanta, Minneapolis/St. Paul and New York, and international executive offices in Amsterdam, Paris and Tokyo. The company’s world headquarters will be in Atlanta. Delta is committed to retaining significant jobs, operations and facilities in Minnesota.
Combined, the company and its regional partners will provide access to more than 390 destinations in 67 countries. Delta and Northwest, together, will have more than $35 billion in aggregate annual revenues, operate a mainline fleet of nearly 800 aircraft and employ approximately 75,000 people worldwide.
In an industry where the U.S. network carriers have shed more than 150,000 jobs and lost more than $29 billion since 2001, the combination of Delta and Northwest creates a company with a more resilient business model that is better able to withstand volatile fuel prices than either can on a standalone basis. Merging Delta and Northwest is the most effective way to offset higher fuel prices and improve efficiencies, increase international presence and fund long-term investment in the business.
The transaction is expected to generate more than $1 billion in annual revenue and cost synergies from more effective aircraft utilization, a more comprehensive and diversified route system and cost synergies from reduced overhead and improved operational efficiency. The company expects to incur one-time cash costs to not exceed $1 billion to integrate the two airlines. The combined company will have a stronger, more durable financial base and one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry, with expected liquidity of nearly $7 billion at closing.
Under the terms of the transaction, Northwest shareholders will receive 1.25 Delta shares for each Northwest share they own. This exchange ratio represents a premium to Northwest shareholders of 16.8 percent based on April 14 closing prices. The transaction is expected to be accretive to current Delta shareholders in year one excluding one-time costs. The merger is subject to the approval of Delta and Northwest shareholders and regulatory approvals. It is expected that the regulatory review period will be completed later this year.
Richard Anderson, Delta CEO, stated: “We said we would only enter into a consolidation transaction if it was right for all of our constituencies; Delta and Northwest are a perfect fit. Today, we’re announcing a transaction that is about addition, not subtraction, and combines end-to-end networks that open a world of opportunities for our customers and employees. We believe by partnering with our employees, including providing equity to U.S.-based employees of Delta and Northwest, this combination is off to the right start. Together, we are creating America’s leading airline – an airline that is financially secure, able to invest in our employees and our customers, and built to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
Doug Steenland, Northwest CEO, said: “Today’s announcement is exciting for Northwest and its employees. The new carrier will offer superior route diversity across the U.S., Latin America, Europe and Asia and will be better able to overcome the industry’s boom-and-bust cycles. The airline will also be better able to match the right planes with the right routes, making transportation more efficient across our entire network. In short, combining the Northwest and Delta networks will allow the strengthened airline to realize its full global potential and invest in its future.”
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Quick Shots!
Some Random Thoughts...and I think I've just come up with a title for it. "QUICK SHOTS" When I don't really have a full topic, just random thoughts that need to be blogged, Quick Shots it is!
* It's mid April, why are we under a winter storm watch with part of the area under BLIZZARD warnings. Sadly, these blizzards aren't the Dairy Queen kind.
* Northwest was awarded antitrust immunity today so that it can coordinate fares and schedules with its SkyTeam partners including Delta, Air France-KLM and CSA Czech Airlines. Doesn't anyone see the wasted effort in this? The merger is growing closer and we won't need to COORDINATE with Delta cause we'll BE Delta.
* I'm working on alternative plans for my vacation. I think I'll be in DC the last weekend in April for a Nationals game and to check out our 747 hanging in the National Air and Space Museum.
* Also probably gonna be able to salvage the trip to Rapid City. My friend ThomasMatthew has been able to get the time off to join me. Hopefully we'll be able to catch Dolly Parton here in Minneapolis on the 7th.
* I also will be making a trip to San Francisco to hang out with Alisha for a few days in May.
* JetAmerican, the attempt to start a low cost carrier in Charleston, failed this week before it even flew its first flight. Impressive even by WV standards!
* I'm looking forward to Grant getting up here to Milwaukee. He is gonna be seeing me a good bit this summer. I've informed him that he will be taking a trip to Brewers Park and Wrigley Field with me.
I should keep the rest of the thoughts to myself tonight. Not much in there to spare, I don't wanna wind up completely empty! THANKS!
* It's mid April, why are we under a winter storm watch with part of the area under BLIZZARD warnings. Sadly, these blizzards aren't the Dairy Queen kind.
* Northwest was awarded antitrust immunity today so that it can coordinate fares and schedules with its SkyTeam partners including Delta, Air France-KLM and CSA Czech Airlines. Doesn't anyone see the wasted effort in this? The merger is growing closer and we won't need to COORDINATE with Delta cause we'll BE Delta.
* I'm working on alternative plans for my vacation. I think I'll be in DC the last weekend in April for a Nationals game and to check out our 747 hanging in the National Air and Space Museum.
* Also probably gonna be able to salvage the trip to Rapid City. My friend ThomasMatthew has been able to get the time off to join me. Hopefully we'll be able to catch Dolly Parton here in Minneapolis on the 7th.
* I also will be making a trip to San Francisco to hang out with Alisha for a few days in May.
* JetAmerican, the attempt to start a low cost carrier in Charleston, failed this week before it even flew its first flight. Impressive even by WV standards!
* I'm looking forward to Grant getting up here to Milwaukee. He is gonna be seeing me a good bit this summer. I've informed him that he will be taking a trip to Brewers Park and Wrigley Field with me.
I should keep the rest of the thoughts to myself tonight. Not much in there to spare, I don't wanna wind up completely empty! THANKS!
WE SUCK LESS!
In a stunning result, nwa finished highest of the legacy airlines in quality. Now, our numbers did drop over last year but we fell less than other airlines. My only response is if WE are the best, it really DOES suck to fly!
The Airline Quality Rating report for the largest U.S. airlines for 2007 resulted in the following ranking:
* 1. Airtran
* 2. JetBlue
* 3. Southwest
* 4. Northwest
* 5. Frontier
* 6. Continental
* 7. Alaska
* 8. United
* 9. American
* 10. Delta
* 11. US Airways
* 12. Mesa
* 13. Skywest
* 14. Comair
* 15. American Eagle
* 16. Atlantic Southeast
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)