I think you are - and to make it worse - I believe that the route exclusivity of 3 years has expired a few years ago and that is HOW I approach it. In the end - it does not matter. The DOT is just as capable to re-institute that exclusivity. They are just as capable to determine length.

Do not get confused - The Airport can talk to Delta or AA as much as they want, they go nowhere without the DOT or FAA signoff. Given the amount of money that the FAA is putting into Baltia - I am hard pressed that they would just piss that away. On top of that - it would cost FAA jobs is they deny Baltia or rather do all this work and allow Delta to step in... no - dumb, dumb, dumb

Then on top of that - the Bi-Lateral agreement. A second airline cannot compete on that route until a Russian Airline is also competing on that route. SO at that point you are talking 3 or 4 airlines running the same route - which I am sure Delta has factored into their profitability model... Wouldn't you?

Lastly - Delta and AA not only know OF Baltia- they probably know more of what is going on that we do.... At the very least - they have been copied on EVERY official communication filed on Reg.gov... DD would prove that out. IF they buy Baltia - I would not expect that until Baltia can prove the routes viability....

Its amazing - how a smart board like this is not discussing these facets, rather than some of the crap that they are discussing.