ABQ<->IAD Discontinued?
Feb 11, 2014, 5:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: MR LT Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 21
ABQ<->IAD Discontinued?
Has there been an official announcement about the discontinuation of daily nonstop service between ABQ and IAD? I couldn't find this flight past March, and the ABQ wikipedia page now lists it as discontinued beginning in April.
This is a major bummer for those of us in Albuquerque, since we will now be connected to no East Coast UA hubs and have no UA mainline service. Moreover, there will be no direct flight to DC on any airline, for a city and state that holds major military installations and government labs. I'm considering calling my congress-people to see if they have talked to UA about keeping this flight in place.
I've read reports that ABQ traffic has been down the past few years, but on these particular flights I've often seen them fairly full.
Oh well, I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of DEN via Q400 and IAH via CRJ.
This is a major bummer for those of us in Albuquerque, since we will now be connected to no East Coast UA hubs and have no UA mainline service. Moreover, there will be no direct flight to DC on any airline, for a city and state that holds major military installations and government labs. I'm considering calling my congress-people to see if they have talked to UA about keeping this flight in place.
I've read reports that ABQ traffic has been down the past few years, but on these particular flights I've often seen them fairly full.
Oh well, I guess I'll be seeing a lot more of DEN via Q400 and IAH via CRJ.
Feb 12, 2014, 12:25 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ABQ
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Avis President's Club, National Executive
Posts: 166
ABQ<->IAD Discontinued?
Wow....somehow I missed this. Not good for those of us in ABQ! There goes our last mainline service, save for the occasional DEN flight.
Feb 12, 2014, 7:36 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Washington DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott PP (LT Pt)
Posts: 236
I just met with some of my colleagues who live and work in ABQ and they mentioned that their direct flights have been pretty empty lately, so based on that totally statistically valid sampling, it seems like its simply a matter of reduced traffic.. though they weren't aware of the nonstop's cancellation. But they use DCA half the time anyway, since we often end up meeting in DC or Arlington.
I know FedGov has been curtailing travel quite a bit in these post-GSA-boondoggle and sequester days, so it may just be that dynamic playing out with staff from Sandia, Los Alamos, Kirtland, and maybe the White Sands folks (though ELP is closer for them), reducing demand.
I know FedGov has been curtailing travel quite a bit in these post-GSA-boondoggle and sequester days, so it may just be that dynamic playing out with staff from Sandia, Los Alamos, Kirtland, and maybe the White Sands folks (though ELP is closer for them), reducing demand.
Feb 12, 2014, 2:46 pm
#7
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, UA Platinum, Alaksa MVP 75K, Air Berlin Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,389
Feb 12, 2014, 3:18 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Springfield,MO,USA
Programs: UA 1K MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,604
Lots of travel restrictions for some govt. employees these days but UA is the GSA contract carrier for IAD-ABQ for FY14 and they are more expensive than DL or WN from DCA or BWI:
Origin Airport Destination Airport Airline Serv Govt
YCA
Fare Govt
-CA
Fare Govt
-CB
Fare Contract
Effective
Date Contract
Expiration
Date
BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON INT'L AIRPORT ALBUQUERQUE Southwest N 199.00 0.00 0.00 10/01/2013 09/30/2014
RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT ALBUQUERQUE Delta C 272.00 170.00 0.00 10/01/2013 09/30/2014
WASHINGTON DULLES INT'L AIRPORT ALBUQUERQUE United N 380.00 255.00 0.00 10/01/2013 09/30/2014
Origin Airport Destination Airport Airline Serv Govt
YCA
Fare Govt
-CA
Fare Govt
-CB
Fare Contract
Effective
Date Contract
Expiration
Date
BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON INT'L AIRPORT ALBUQUERQUE Southwest N 199.00 0.00 0.00 10/01/2013 09/30/2014
RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT ALBUQUERQUE Delta C 272.00 170.00 0.00 10/01/2013 09/30/2014
WASHINGTON DULLES INT'L AIRPORT ALBUQUERQUE United N 380.00 255.00 0.00 10/01/2013 09/30/2014
Feb 12, 2014, 3:25 pm
#10
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: WAS-ish
Programs: UA 1K-MM + UC, Marriott Plat, National Exec
Posts: 1,341
Argh!!!! 
I missed that one too -- haven't done enough booking lately.
Up until now, UA was a compelling option for me (given that I do a lot of international out of ABQ), because UA had nonstop service to LAX/SFO/IAH/DEN/ORD/IAD and nobody else except WN served more than 2 or maybe 3 destinations out of ABQ.
But if they're going to drop the last remaining mainline service, then I can't help noticing that AA is running 7 daily MD-80s to DFW. Which means they have serious mainline service and nonstop service to LAX/ORD/PHX/DFW.
For the first time, I'm seriously considering jumping ship.
I missed that one too -- haven't done enough booking lately.
Up until now, UA was a compelling option for me (given that I do a lot of international out of ABQ), because UA had nonstop service to LAX/SFO/IAH/DEN/ORD/IAD and nobody else except WN served more than 2 or maybe 3 destinations out of ABQ.
But if they're going to drop the last remaining mainline service, then I can't help noticing that AA is running 7 daily MD-80s to DFW. Which means they have serious mainline service and nonstop service to LAX/ORD/PHX/DFW.
For the first time, I'm seriously considering jumping ship.
Feb 12, 2014, 9:50 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: MR LT Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 21
I just met with some of my colleagues who live and work in ABQ and they mentioned that their direct flights have been pretty empty lately, so based on that totally statistically valid sampling, it seems like its simply a matter of reduced traffic.. though they weren't aware of the nonstop's cancellation. But they use DCA half the time anyway, since we often end up meeting in DC or Arlington.
Feb 14, 2014, 1:09 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: United Arab Emirates & Arizona, USA
Programs: UA MM/1P, EK Au, QR, TK, Marriott Life Ti, Hilton Dia, IC Dia, Hyatt Glob, Accor Pt, Shangri-La
Posts: 4,525
That is a shame. They started this flight when I lived in Albuquerque about eight years ago and I always thought the route was a bit quirky but of course nice to have.
Get Congress involved in a private company's business decision. Great idea!
Get Congress involved in a private company's business decision. Great idea!
Feb 14, 2014, 5:19 pm
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: MR LT Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 21
I don't think there should be a law saying that the route should be preserved. However, the government has a role as a customer of the airlines, not just a regulator of them. If a very large company had flights cut to their headquarters city, I would think the airline would get some push-back from the company.