Originally Posted by
SeoulMan
I think loss of LH at CLT is a serious possibility. BMW is far from the lone German (or Bavarian) in the area. There are more than 100 German and Austrian firms located in five counties around Charlotte, and just last week there was groundbreaking for another new one. But still the majority of LH passengers at CLT are transiting. Sadly, I think we've just traded LH for BA at CLT.
BA has long flown to cities where AA maintains but a token presence (PHL, SEA, DEN, IAH, etc) so I wouldn't rule out the LH flight at CLT. I doubt the German auto exec business travelers and all the other German corp customers would leave LH/Star - they'll likely buy connecting flights from CLT-Wherever from the new AA before they'd fly across the ocean on the new AA.
Since US wasn't part of the TATL immunized alliance, all US was getting out of the arrangement were the connecting passengers from CLT-Wherever, so no revenue loss to the new AA.