It must be a game of rates between ATL and the NYC airports. ATL might be the airline's hub, but I'll bet more passenger revenue comes from up North...
Interesting business risk decision.
This is an interesting point but it is missing something. The airlines are making a business decision based on what they view as the totality of social media. In their minds the "good news" will outweigh the temporary pain. This is the point where the power of social media finds its limits or finds success. Nothing is more true today than the old saying "All politics are local." The governor of Georgia (a republican) wants Delta to be happy but is equally aware that they are not leaving Atlanta. The state house wants to pull the tax break from Delta as a punishment. In the end their bill will pass and the governor will have a decision to make. His deciding markers will have nothing, nothing to do with economics - they will be -
1. He want to keep his job as governor. He will pass the bill and Delta loses out on a $50 million tax break (which they can afford).
2. He has greater (national) ambitions. He will veto the bill and applaud his own bravery for doing what is "right" for Georgia.
Politicians don't feel pressure from social media unless that pressure is coming directly from those people who vote for them. Most of the state reps in Georgia don't care what Facebook or Twitter says about them, they care about votes. In the end I find it a non-event with reference to business. Delta wants to look good in the eyes of the nation for a few minutes (until they kick grandma and her support chicken off a flight) and Georgia politicians want to look good for their constituents. The world goes round and round.
