Originally Posted by
JerryFF
WN tried RDU-California nonstops some time ago and dropped them due to low load factors. I think UA is counting on international connections from/to Asia.
The AA nonstop RDU-LHR also depends heavily on connections beyond LHR and is a leftover from the old days when AA had a mini-hub at RDU.
The primary purpose is still O&D in these long haul scenarios. RDU-LHR has support in that GlaxoSmithKline purchases a lot of front cabin seats.
WN just doesn't want to do anything transcon like, with the exception of BWI. Even at BWI, WN doesn't fly BWI-Bay Area.
WN wants the coasts to support the middle of the country WN stations (BNA, STL, etc) typically. WN ended PHL-California: it doesn't mean there isn't a market for another carrier other than US, as VX and AS added transcon routes recently.
For RDU to Asia and reverse, there are a lot better ways to get there than flying through SFO. If one is going from Tokyo to SF, it's a long flight but on a big aircraft, and then another somewhat long flight on a single aisle plane from SF to RDU.