Certainly I understand the disappointment at seeing these further cuts. However, Frontier does not have the luxury at this point of subsidizing markets which are the worst performers. The restructuring goal is to have an airline that can stay out of the red even with net fuel cost at $140/bbl oil. To say that’s a lofty goal is an understatement, but the excuse of loss caused by high fuel doesn’t make the loss any less real.

It’s true that many of the cuts at Milwaukee are routes that were restored after the big YX pullback of 2008. And the comparison is temping, then to suggest F9 is on the same pathway. Well, the reason we’re seeing many of the same routes cut is that the marginal MKE routes in 2011 are largely the same ones which were most marginal in 2008. Nothing has fundamentally changed about MKE-SDF to up the high-yield business traffic between 2008 and 2011, for example. Another one…MKE-west coast markets have had crappy yields since long before AirTran competition made them among the worst in the nation and they still do. So when Republic came in restored some cut Milwaukee flying, those are many of the same markets restored. Now that they are trying to stem losses, it’s again those same marginal markets at the bottom of the rankings where the cuts come from.

If my back-of-the-envelope tally is right, MKE will be at 76/day in September. The peak-day seats appear to be 182 per day fewer with this change, with some of the capacity reduction offset by upgrades from E135 to E145 elsewhere, and the E170 to E190 upgrade on the morning DFW flight. If I have the time I’d like to run capacity comparisons, but I’m on the road again this week and we’ll see.

Also I’d like to do comparison on DEN, too. There have been some cuts there as well, but I’m not sure how many. MCI’s cuts are primarily that the 2nd LAX and BOS trips were pulled, and of course CMH.

If/when I do have the chance to do those tallies, I'll post 'em.