The Port of Seattle is talking desperately to numerous overseas carriers, trying to entice somone, anyone. They just lost LH to PDX and the A-list Asian carriers (JL, CX, TH, etc.) have chosen YVR and SFO over SEA; SEA has the B-list Asians like EVA, Asiana and now China Airlines.

I read on the Virgin board that VS had looked hard at SEA over the past five years but didn't think the market would support a second n/s to LHR. Neither does UA, obviously, which holds SEA-LHR rights (as PA's successor) but hasn't exercised them since '92 or so. Note that a few summers ago BA had two 744s a day to LHR through here, but not this year.

As for AF... I have difficulty seeing it. Not enough O/D headcount in SEA itself for Paris. No SkyTeam feeder ops in the Northwest to build traffic. And if you're headed beyond Paris CDG is a horrible, horrible place to change planes. AMS is the best Eurohub and we have NW SEA-AMS. Even Copenhagen is better via SK.

The three Europe nonstops we have (BA, NW, SK) always seem to be crammed to bursting, and BA is charging demented summer holiday fares (+/- $2300 for a July RT), but nobody seems to think the Euro market can support a fourth player year-round.