Originally Posted by
Jumpgate
If WN announces PIT-BOS, US will cancel that route with such speed that it will shock and awe.
I don't, however, believe WN would add that route. It's already served and it would be competitive with B6 (something WN always avoids).
I don't think LUV avoids B6, so much as they've avoided NYC and BOS to this point. B6 is only running 2x/day and US has 60% of the traffic. I think it's ripe for the plucking.
And I agree that US will cancel it. They'll cancel (or severely downgauge) anything not in PHL/CLT that's got competition. PIT is a perfect example: PIT-BWI was eliminated not 3 months after LUV did it, PIT-ATL was cut when Airtran increased capacity, PIT-ORD was eliminated, PIT-NYC has shrunk in gauge considerably since B6 and AA started flying it, PIT-PHL has been downgauged, and all the PIT-Florida flying was rolled back. US (even post-hub) owned that flying until competition showed up, at which point they bailed. If you can't win in PIT on high O&D routes where the locals (for reasons that boggle my mind) still have some hometown affinity for US, where exactly is US planning to make a stand?
WN is going to add mostly flights to Florida and some highly competitive routes. I almost think BOS-PHL is a sure thing.
I don't get it--WN won't compete with B6 on a route with 750 people/day, but would go head-to-head with US on a route with 800?
Or they won't run with B6 to PIT (and that's not leisure O&D) but will run to Florida against them?