Delta overtakes AA at RDU
Dec 30, 2010, 11:30 am
#31
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Overall BNA did pretty well as a hub, It just never made sense after they bought TWA. And when you look at the cities DL targeted with DMQM they were all medium size and growing.
Dec 30, 2010, 11:34 am
#32
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Or maybe the other way around. AA has not been performing well. With CO/UA being the next big carrier (bigger than DL), AA is at a serious disAAdvantage.
Dec 30, 2010, 11:39 am
#33
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DL could go along way to keeping me at RDU once the mileage promotion ends by improving the baggage unload - which seems to consistently be the worst in the system. A 30-40 minute wait is not unusual in the evening. Not sure if it is a terminal 2 layout problem, or a staffing and commitment problem but the result is pretty bad. On an arrival on US at terminal 1 earlier this week bags were out in < 10 minutes.
Dec 30, 2010, 12:03 pm
#34
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evening with several flights arriving relatively close together seems to be the problem. It's a guess, but since the problem is consistent I'd guess they staff to unload one at a time, and even though they know they overload the schedule for a couple of hours, they don't staff up. The 8:45 and 10:00 PM (approx) arrivals from ATL don't seem to go well, often bumping up against flights arriving form DTW and BOS, and maybe some others.
Dec 30, 2010, 12:20 pm
#35
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DL could go along way to keeping me at RDU once the mileage promotion ends by improving the baggage unload - which seems to consistently be the worst in the system. A 30-40 minute wait is not unusual in the evening. Not sure if it is a terminal 2 layout problem, or a staffing and commitment problem but the result is pretty bad. On an arrival on US at terminal 1 earlier this week bags were out in < 10 minutes.
Dec 30, 2010, 12:29 pm
#36
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Actually they de-hubbed both RDU and BNA 5 or so years before the TWA merger. The reason was because they got the MIA hub (from Eastern). They decided instead of having people stop in RDU/BNA en route to FL, they could just operate a hub at MIA and fly N/S there.
Dec 30, 2010, 12:35 pm
#37
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RDU was a great place to changes planes. Not sure why AA closed the hub. They started both RDU and BNA about the same time, the late 1980's and both hubs were closed. Seems US is doing great at CLT.
Dec 30, 2010, 12:39 pm
#38
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I think that was BenA's point in that they could pressure those OALs. One of Delta's strongest assets domestically is their superior network. And when CO left SkyTeam, they lost a big chunk in South Texas. It's really the biggest hole in their network right now.
AUS would be fine and probably has better facilities to handle a focus city operation. But, nor anyone here I suspect, has any data on whether there is profit to made there. Most of the fares that I see into and out of south Texas are some of the lowest of anywhere in the country (sans to/from BRO). That, of course is due to the WN effect and a generally lower prevailing wage, the latter or which is a double edged stone. They have to offer lower fares but they can get employees to work for them for less money too.
AUS would be fine and probably has better facilities to handle a focus city operation. But, nor anyone here I suspect, has any data on whether there is profit to made there. Most of the fares that I see into and out of south Texas are some of the lowest of anywhere in the country (sans to/from BRO). That, of course is due to the WN effect and a generally lower prevailing wage, the latter or which is a double edged stone. They have to offer lower fares but they can get employees to work for them for less money too.
Dec 30, 2010, 1:01 pm
#39
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Dec 30, 2010, 2:24 pm
#40
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DL started that in BNA a couple of years ago. Frontier had the route and dropped it. Overall it is a good idea, since BNA was weekend only. It gives DL extra lift into BNA friday night and extra out monday morning.
Dec 30, 2010, 2:30 pm
#41
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I agree with many of the criticims of AA. Particularly their need to expand and their labor relations issues. Those are well known.
I'm not sure, however, that they did not integrate TWA well. I know STL lost out....as did many former TWA employees. I don not debate that. However, over all AA did quite well over the long term considering the situation they had to deal with. If TWA had bought out AA, I think TWA would have kept the ORD hub over STL also.
I think AA does need to expand. Esp into Asia. But do they currently have the money? I doubt it. I still think a merger would be in their best interest -- and preferably an acquistion.
Dave
I'm not sure, however, that they did not integrate TWA well. I know STL lost out....as did many former TWA employees. I don not debate that. However, over all AA did quite well over the long term considering the situation they had to deal with. If TWA had bought out AA, I think TWA would have kept the ORD hub over STL also.
I think AA does need to expand. Esp into Asia. But do they currently have the money? I doubt it. I still think a merger would be in their best interest -- and preferably an acquistion.
Dave
Dec 30, 2010, 3:59 pm
#42
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BNA was de-hubbed in 1996 and TW was acquired in 2001. A major problem with both the BNA and RDU hubs was that they each had only three banks of flights a day (north-bound and south-bound) thus limiting choices. Additionally, I think the two hubs cannabalized each other to a certain degree.
Last edited by 6P&E; Dec 30, 2010 at 7:27 pm
Dec 31, 2010, 7:12 am
#43
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I would LOVE to see RDU-SLC return. As it stands WN's RDU-DEN is the only direct decent ski trip!
According to local biz rag Triangle Business Journal RDU-LAX is the most requested route, but I am sure they could make SLC work.
Thinking about it if WN can make PHX and DEN work don't see any reason DL can't make LAX and SLC work.
According to local biz rag Triangle Business Journal RDU-LAX is the most requested route, but I am sure they could make SLC work.
Thinking about it if WN can make PHX and DEN work don't see any reason DL can't make LAX and SLC work.
RDU-LAX was always full both ways in coach, but there were usually empty seats up front (one of the reasons I liked it so much
). However, RDU-SLC was always packed with a two-page upgrade list. It seems like that would have been a keeper, but the ways of the airline executives are sometimes a mystery to me.
Dec 31, 2010, 9:05 am
#44
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going back to the original part of this topic - I'm kind of surprised anybody is shocked that DL overtakes AA at RDU. This increase in volume had NOTHING to do with the Double MQM promotion - but simply due to the fact that they merged with Northwest. When you look at DL and NWA combined for last year, they accounted for 642K passengers (more than American's 468K). The merger was bound to make them the second largest at RDU, so its hardly a shock. When you compare NWA+DL for 2009 Year to Date versus NWA+DL for 2010 year to date, they've actually decreased in passenger volume by 3% versus AA's increase of 4% (not including Regionals - just mainline service).
Dec 31, 2010, 5:11 pm
#45
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RDU-LAX and RDU-SLC -- dare I hope for both someday?
RDU-LAX was always full both ways in coach, but there were usually empty seats up front (one of the reasons I liked it so much ). However, RDU-SLC was always packed with a two-page upgrade list. It seems like that would have been a keeper, but the ways of the airline executives are sometimes a mystery to me.
RDU-LAX was always full both ways in coach, but there were usually empty seats up front (one of the reasons I liked it so much
). However, RDU-SLC was always packed with a two-page upgrade list. It seems like that would have been a keeper, but the ways of the airline executives are sometimes a mystery to me.Delta said in the TBJ article that they "might" make LAX a seasonal route and thus bring it back in the spring.
I'm going to write/email/call Delta and tell them I'd fly the RDU-LAX nonstop at least 10x next year (they have records of the trips I've made from RDU-LAX, and it can't hurt in any case, right?). What's the best way to contact them for this specific request?
