Several years ago MEM was fairly sleepy, even as a NWA hub. Perhaps it is more a sign of passenger loads and/or "the times," but in recent months I have seen my flights in/out of MEM become very full.
A few weeks ago I was connecting through MEM (there is no nonstop DL/NWA BOS-LAX service) on my way to LAX. The Airbus was completely packed - I think they even started doing oversold volunteer stuff - and didn't get upgraded to F. The woman sitting next to me was from outside Cleveland and was doing CLE-MEM-LAX (easiest way to get to LA, she said). The man sitting next to her was from Jacksonville (FL), doing JAX-MEM-LAX. I only knew this because both of them (I was reading the WSJ
) were talking about how they now fly through MEM instead of CVG or ATL to get to the West Coast and how it was easier and "wasn't it nice that Delta was letting them do that now." (LOL
).
My point being: Delta can use MEM as a cheaper, more cost-effective place for connections for smaller regional jets (from Oklahoma City or Omaha or McAllen) outside of ATL, where runways get clogged, gates are perpetually busy, and weather delays run rampant. If you have passengers from these regional areas trying to get to a destination (say DCA or LAX or BOS or what have you), why do you necessarily need to route them through ATL? Sure MEM maybe will only get two nonstops a day to LAX or EWR, but if you can get my two seatmates out of ATL (where you have larger aircraft servicing larger, increasingly international destinations being bogged down by small regional jets), why not?
This seems to be happening already. When I was there waiting for my flight I have to admit I surprised that they were nonstops between MEM and San Juan, Montego Bay, and Cancun. I am sure they were seasonal, but I think shows how they are using MEM as an airport as well.
I mean, honestly - hasn't anyone who's ever been delayed at ATL in the chaos (which has happened to me too many dozens of times to count; ATL is usually my primary connecting point), waiting on the tarmac to taxi in, behind a small regional jet, ever wished DL would cut down on the 3x daily flights from Moline to ATL (not kidding) and beefed up the nonstop Moline service elsewhere (drumroll please. . . . MEM!).
<no slandering of Moline intended
>