Originally Posted by FWAAA

I agree. Despite being the third largest metro area in the country, Chicago is a nowheres-ville that should be abandoned to UA.

The same UA that's been shedding customers and revenue to AA for more than 27 months running. UA could use a break, and this would be a good one for UA.

AA should build up CLT even further, even though more than 80% of the passengers boarding US planes there are connecting passengers (who, by definition, almost always pay lower fares). Even though an executive at AA pointed out the other day that the CLT hub had the lowest unit revenue of any of the US (or AA) hubs.

AA should focus the majority of its cuts at ORD despite AA dominating the O&D traffic there; only half of the passengers are connecting at ORD, compared to more than 80% at CLT.

Yes, ORD should be downsized, even though international visitors actually want to visit Chicago. Charlotte isn't on the radar for visitors from Europe, South America or Asia. That's why CLT sees no foreign airlines serving the airport to Europe, South America or Asia (other than former Star Alliance partner LH). Chicago, on the other hand, sees lots of foreign airlines, as it's an actual destination for worldwide visitors.

Yes, the Midwest is economically depressed, as is Chicago, and AA would be better off handing off its lucrative O&D traffic there to UA, which could sure use the money.