American Airlines has a long way to go to catch Delta in operational and financial performance but we'll find out in the next two years, now that many of the merger hurdles are behind American, whether Doug Parker is the right guy to do it.
Delta's corporate travel clients are talking up increased volumes through the early summer of 2016 but that could change swiftly if the global economy gets more cantankerous.
Unbundling fares and encouraging passengers to buy-up to more tolerable seating conditions is proving very profitable for Delta right now. It could prove profitable for others, for however long the consumer will bear it.