Originally Posted by
Often1
CO isn't losing high status pax. FT is a skewed demographic. Market research, at least what's published, is that few meaningful pax actually jump ship and those that do, do so because economic conditions force a change over ticket prices or the individual pax shifts travel pattern to routes served better by other carriers or physically moves to a location served better by a carrier.
The choices aren't very real anymore: 1) CO to UA, but so what, they will be one carrier soon enough; 2) DL or 3) AA (but restructuring means cutbacks in flights/routes).
Back in the day when there were 10 real carriers, there was competition. Still exists for those who live at major hubs such as ORD with UACO + AA, but not so much for most people.
Agreed that consolidation is reducing choices, but I think you're being a little hasty in your vague assertion that AA will result in significant cutbacks of their routes and thus make them a less viable option.
Remember, both UA and CO have "restructured" and they are still here and still both viable options.
If anything, I think AA's restructuring should make them a more potent option, as they modernize and improve their product.