Originally Posted by
SouthernCross
Was the situation any different when AA was aligned with Alaska (SEA hub)?
AA is still aligned with Alaska, just not as closely.
For a good long while it was ZERO AA flights on SEA-MIA, and one AS flight. Then AS moved their flight to FLL and added service seasonal-ish. Then AA started MIA-SEA.
Originally Posted by
SouthernCross
Thanks, understanding the logic helps a bit. But if any of those carriers flew a 777 on the route, I would be on it. Just sayin.
Generally speaking, the people who run airlines have a pretty deep understanding of the markets and what blend of equipment works best. Widebodies have very specific niches in the USA domestic market. Transcons that don't involve airline hubs on both ends, and where the route can be flown by (much cheaper to operate) narrowbodies are not one of them.
Originally Posted by
MAH4546
It's probably not an issue of demand - you can fill a 777 between Miami and Seattle (or Boston and Seattle or New York and Seattle and so on) if you really want to
The opportunity cost of using a widebody on a hub-spoke route that is capable of flying to Europe or elsewhere (where you can get actual demand for those J seats instead of filling them up with upgrades) is pretty severe.
It's one thing to do it on a route like midcon-Hawaii, because
you have no choice, unless you want to row a 737/A32x a thousand miles or so when it runs out of fuel over the Pacific. But for most of those routes, you totally have choices in cheaper planes that don't waste assets that can be put elsewhere on more profitable routes (like MIA-LHR).
Sure, you can induce demand by setting a price artificially low ("you can have this nice lie-flat J seat and 27 more for the cost of a low, low, low coach fare and a complimentary upgrade") and wasting assets by not putting them to best/highest use. You could totally fill a widebody on LIT-NRT for selling fares for a dollar, while you're at it. It's probably not a good use of an A380 for an airline, though.
Originally Posted by
Antarius
There are only two flights between SEA and MIA. Both on AA. There are 4 more to FLL (NK and AS). So it isn't a frequency vs capacity thing - there just isn't that much demand for this flight.
I'm sure you can fill a 777.. but it won't be worth the airlines while to do so.
Indeed. The dominant carrier at SEA (AS) has shown zero desire to buy widebodies. They've done just fine flying transcons. WN's gone from 3 planes to 700 with zero widebodies. B6 doesn't fly them either. If there's some huge market of "we want a widebody" out there among USA-based customers, those airlines are certainly not missing it.