Speculation: Will AA continue to pull back in NYC?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
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Speculation: Will AA continue to pull back in NYC?
I'm only about a year into flying primarily American out of NYC (switched from DL), but after the recent transatlantic cuts, I'm now wondering if AA is going to pull back domestically as well. Most of my flights on AA are
JFK to LAX/SFO transcon
Shuttle flights (LGA to BOS, ORD, DCA)
LGA to ATL (great for upgrades)
LGA to CLT to X (good for reaching small southern cities)
JFK to EGE
LGA/JFK/EWR to AA hubs (PHX, DFW)
JFK to LHR
I like AA's JFK terminal, and most of my LGA flights are out of Terminal C, which is nice enough.
It seems like AA should be competitive on a lot of these types of routes. However, based on conversations with business colleagues, AA continues to be viewed poorly by a lot of business travelers, and Delta seems to be dominating more and more. Choosing to fly transcons out of PHL versus JFK seems ominous. Obviously you can connect out of PHL if necessary, but that seems backwards.
Longer term, will AA be competitive in NYC?
JFK to LAX/SFO transcon
Shuttle flights (LGA to BOS, ORD, DCA)
LGA to ATL (great for upgrades)
LGA to CLT to X (good for reaching small southern cities)
JFK to EGE
LGA/JFK/EWR to AA hubs (PHX, DFW)
JFK to LHR
I like AA's JFK terminal, and most of my LGA flights are out of Terminal C, which is nice enough.
It seems like AA should be competitive on a lot of these types of routes. However, based on conversations with business colleagues, AA continues to be viewed poorly by a lot of business travelers, and Delta seems to be dominating more and more. Choosing to fly transcons out of PHL versus JFK seems ominous. Obviously you can connect out of PHL if necessary, but that seems backwards.
Longer term, will AA be competitive in NYC?
#3
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Empire State
Programs: AAdvantage Executive Platinum; Marriott Platinum
Posts: 461
I'm only about a year into flying primarily American out of NYC (switched from DL), but after the recent transatlantic cuts, I'm now wondering if AA is going to pull back domestically as well. Most of my flights on AA are
JFK to LAX/SFO transcon
Shuttle flights (LGA to BOS, ORD, DCA)
LGA to ATL (great for upgrades)
LGA to CLT to X (good for reaching small southern cities)
JFK to EGE
LGA/JFK/EWR to AA hubs (PHX, DFW)
JFK to LHR
I like AA's JFK terminal, and most of my LGA flights are out of Terminal C, which is nice enough.
It seems like AA should be competitive on a lot of these types of routes. However, based on conversations with business colleagues, AA continues to be viewed poorly by a lot of business travelers, and Delta seems to be dominating more and more. Choosing to fly transcons out of PHL versus JFK seems ominous. Obviously you can connect out of PHL if necessary, but that seems backwards.
Longer term, will AA be competitive in NYC?
JFK to LAX/SFO transcon
Shuttle flights (LGA to BOS, ORD, DCA)
LGA to ATL (great for upgrades)
LGA to CLT to X (good for reaching small southern cities)
JFK to EGE
LGA/JFK/EWR to AA hubs (PHX, DFW)
JFK to LHR
I like AA's JFK terminal, and most of my LGA flights are out of Terminal C, which is nice enough.
It seems like AA should be competitive on a lot of these types of routes. However, based on conversations with business colleagues, AA continues to be viewed poorly by a lot of business travelers, and Delta seems to be dominating more and more. Choosing to fly transcons out of PHL versus JFK seems ominous. Obviously you can connect out of PHL if necessary, but that seems backwards.
Longer term, will AA be competitive in NYC?
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,894
To put a point to it:
1) Do you anticipate additional international route cuts?
2) Do you anticipate reductions in domestic flights or routes?
After AA's investment in the Flagship Lounge at JFK, I'm not sure why they would pull back so much.
1) Do you anticipate additional international route cuts?
2) Do you anticipate reductions in domestic flights or routes?
After AA's investment in the Flagship Lounge at JFK, I'm not sure why they would pull back so much.
#5
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
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Posts: 1,625
Since the merger was announced, I always believed AA would eventually focus its northeast hub and TATL gateway on PHL. Looks like USdbaAA continues the merger tradition of eliminating a hub, and JFK is the odd one out.
#6
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Let's see if today's announcement is just a little trimming, or the unfolding of something big and strategic.
#7
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#8
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If AA continues to fly to LHR from JFK (and I see no reason why that would go away), they need to offer a similar lounge product to what BA offers out of T7. Also, the SFO/LAX service offers an intl F product. Moreover, J passengers will now have access to the FL. And AA also flies from JFK to BCN/MAD/CDG/FCO/DUB, in addition to MXP and EDI (which may or not go away). Don't forget that AA also flies to South America from JFK.
#9
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
But AA doesnt fly JFK-PRG,BUD or VCE nor do I recall them ever doing so. So its when starting up new service they are doing so from its hubs other then JFK. DL flys to PRG and VCE from JFK.
AFAIK only BA,LH and QR have flights into PHL and 1 a piece. So although JFK may have the #s , PHL probably will allow much higher yields as there isnt any competition or LCCs to drive the fares down, and the flights will be seasonal
AFAIK only BA,LH and QR have flights into PHL and 1 a piece. So although JFK may have the #s , PHL probably will allow much higher yields as there isnt any competition or LCCs to drive the fares down, and the flights will be seasonal
Last edited by craz; Aug 16, 2017 at 10:13 pm
#10
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
It should, wasnt it Kirby who said it was a big mistake for UA that it pulled out of the Transcon biz from JFK, so even with DL and B6 and now AS I think AA has a good chunk of the LAX/SFO-mkt
#11
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#12
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#13
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,769
I must say I do find the JFK cutback strategy a bit surprising. I get the whole argument that it's tough to build a competitive TATL network at JFK against DL and UA (EWR), so if you can't compete at scale then cut back.
However, it's clear that NYC-based premium O&D is crucial to both AA and the AA/BA joint business. That's why so much effort is put into JFK-LHR and JFK-LAX/SFO. But those crucial NYC premium flyers/firms don't just use those routes, they also do business in other key points in Europe such as AMS, FRA, ZRH. Now if they can't get to such places direct from NYC with AA and instead have to faff with connections, why put their NYC-LHR/LAX/SFO eggs in the AA basket at all? Why not just stick them in the much broader DL basket?
I realise this point has been made many times on this forum. I also appreciate AA has thought long and hard about it and knows an awful lot more about its markets than I do. And yet intuitively, it still feels like a questionable strategy.
However, it's clear that NYC-based premium O&D is crucial to both AA and the AA/BA joint business. That's why so much effort is put into JFK-LHR and JFK-LAX/SFO. But those crucial NYC premium flyers/firms don't just use those routes, they also do business in other key points in Europe such as AMS, FRA, ZRH. Now if they can't get to such places direct from NYC with AA and instead have to faff with connections, why put their NYC-LHR/LAX/SFO eggs in the AA basket at all? Why not just stick them in the much broader DL basket?
I realise this point has been made many times on this forum. I also appreciate AA has thought long and hard about it and knows an awful lot more about its markets than I do. And yet intuitively, it still feels like a questionable strategy.
#14
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
to me AS will always be Alaska and VX Virgin Am, dont know why they took VX over AS But remember till now VXs planes didnt have lie-flats, so they could have the best service in the air and coolest cabins, that and $2.75 gets me onto the NYC Subway. and if you sat in coach and kept your eyes closed you would have thought you were on any of the carriers flying Transcon
#15
Join Date: Sep 2015
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This is a separate question. The short answer is kind of. For the business traveller who flies primarily to major business centers, then the answer is yes it will. However, for those of us who fly all over or go to medium to smaller cities, then the answer is no. I am surprised to see MAN go because of the strong BA frequent flyer base in Manchester. I would not be surprised to see MXP and seasonal FCO go, but that would be all the remaining Europe I could see being cut. I think the South American cities will stay because of LATAM's presence. I think some of the Caribbean cities go, as they already cut San Juan and that has the highest O&D. I am curious what they will do with the Eagle flights from JFK. They are used for feed, but if they cut the international flights without feed on the other end, how much feed do they really need?
As for LGA, I could definitely see some cuts. CHO, ROA, ILM, and BGR come to mind.