Originally Posted by
skywardhunter
Confirmed to be confirmed?
I'd be so pleased if this happened... have bets riding on PHX being in the first dozen US destination so not much legroom left there
I posted this in 2014 so way overdue if you ask me
Pls don't judge me on ATL.....
US flights are heavily populated by sub-continent O&D traffic, and ~80% of South Asians in the US are Indian. Of the top 15 Indian-diaspora metropolitan areas in the US, EK serves 11 (assuming Baltimore is covered by IAD and Sunnyvale by SFO).
My key questions are: What's left, in ranking order? PHL, ATL, DTW, MIA. PHX is #16. How are these growing? PHX is fastest, followed by ATL, MIA, DTW. What are potential monopolies? Only PHX. QR beat EK to PHL (which Tim Clark had mentioned years ago as a possible destination) and MIA, DL serves ATL. Am thinking some competitive breathing room might be welcome, with things heating up at DFW and LAX.
EWR is definitely possible given the sheer number of Indians in New Jersey. ATL still intuitive with 2.5 times the Indian population of PHX + the cargo precursor. But going to volunteer PHX as a creative second choice for argument's sake, with ATL for 2015.