Originally Posted by
PA42
2012 data, not sure if 2013 is out yet externally to the public. Not everyone has reported Q4 data even at the moment this post is being made.
One thing GCK has done well is understood that capacity restraint is needed at SWA will creeping up ASM growth by upping gauge gradually. YoY CASM growth (both inc and ex-fuel) is not as high as you would like to believe it to be.
I am impressed how well WN has kept CASM low. Given unionization and aging workforce, and loss of hedging profits, I expected WN's costs to be higher than the younger LCCs. Slowing growth rates ought to increase CASM.
I wonder if some of AS's disadvantage is due to higher costs up in Alaska and perhaps Mexico and Hawaii. Of course they get higher fares on those routes too, esp. Mexico and Alaska. I do know that AS has taken a keen interest in making sure they can compete with WN, and generally AS hasn't shrunk back from competing with WN on routes where AS has a frequent flyer base at at least one end.
I'm surprised that UA has a full cent cost disadvantage to DL. That's huge.