FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - AS and AA Partnership Changes (Effective 1 January 2018)
Old Jul 10, 2017, 6:46 pm
  #348  
golfingboy
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Originally Posted by spin88
I 100% agree that gates at SFO are an issue, but AS/VX still has room to grow. VX is slated to take over the AA gates in T2 (I think AA has primary use of 6 of the 14 until their space in T1 is opened) and has been using more of the space recently (for example VX has been using 59, which I think is new). I don't see AA growing at SFO, If anything I think they are the odd man out, especially losing access to the AS network. So short term VX has room to grow.

T1 Area B (when done in mid 2019) will have 17 gates which is enough to free up more space in the South International terminal, and with AA moving there, will also free up the four gates that AA is currently using in gate area C (where DL is). If AS/VX grows once T1, Area C is opened, expect them to take part of the spruced up area C that AA will not have. Access to 14-18 gates is more than enough to run a reasonable sized domestic operation.
That is correct keep in mind with T1 is that it is only partially closed with WN and F9 utilizing the other half of T1 right now (9 gates). So when 17 gates open up, 9 is basically accounted for with WN/F9, then AA moves over probably taking around 8 gates for themselves (less than the 10 they currently have) swallowing up all 17.

AS will take over T2 but I am not confident they will be able to take the C gates when AA vacates as I think those will probably go to B6, Sun Country (domestic airlines currently stuck in boarding area A) and DL or some new domestic entrant that has been waiting to get gate space in SFO.

This will limit AS's growth until at least 2024 when T1 is complete, but remember with T1's current plan 3 or 4 gates will be mainly targeted as a pseudo expansion of boarding area A designed for widebodies.

At best I think AS will only have around 150-160 daily departures. Not something to sneeze at, but not enough to give UA a run for its money or to land large corporate contracts like they get in SEA.
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