Originally Posted by
cerealmarketer
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Some people eluded to it above -- but Asia is not homogenous. Who is used to premium service -- those who go through the established financial centers -- HKG, NRT, SIN.
China's airlines have a terrible reputation for quality. Yet intuitively that is where most of the air traffic growth will come from.
Who can take you from China to the US nonstop .... not CX or SQ. But Air China and US airlines that have the rights.
We know schedule and fare are the top considerations for flying. So to win China Delta needs a more route authorities and do better on quality than US carriers and Air China out of Beijing and Shanghai. A different bar.
There's a long way to go on DL quality but those routes don't hurt.
I think you've hit on the real meaning of this—not "premium enough" to compete with most Asian airlines on many routs but premium enough service to make non-stops to China or odd point-to-points like SEA-KIX very competitive.