Originally Posted by
newyorkgeorge
While AA doesn't have much of a presence at IAD it certainly does at DCA. I'm assuming AA is losing their share of European flights as who would want to deal with the often Washington to PHL/JFK nightmare or backtrack through ORD.
The DCA --> PHL and DCA --> JFK flights are all timed to link up with European banks. Of course if weather in the northeast goes sideways, all bets are off.
If AA wants to consider IAD-LHR (it would be a wild a guess as to the equipment but I would think 763 or 788), AA might want to consider a secure shuttle from DCA to IAD. Passengers who are flying into DCA and connecting to the IAD-LHR flight would be put onto a sterile bus that proceeds directly from DCA to IAD - bus doors locked and sealed. Not sure of TSA has an allowance for this type of procedure (kind of like the ABE-EWR bus that UA (or was it CO)) used to run, but it would help populate the plane with additional passengers.
Obviously from a loyalty standpoint, AA must be concerned that its losing passengers to either BA or to UA owing to non-stop service at IAD.