Originally Posted by
bridge29
Well, I would assume most people aren't booking LNS-PHL. They're booking LNS-PHL-ORD, etc. Lancaster is a pretty huge draw, and while most of the tourism is drive-in, it's got its own population base that it could serve with a more direct connection (even if it's via bus).
If AA wants this to be successful, they need to price it competitively. Thursdays in September are pricing at over $400 one way for the bus route option. Going the Southern Airways route it is half that price.
A plus is LNS is in a nice area. Perhaps Frontier could give it a run with nonstops to Florida, and if marketed, hope some from western fringes of PHL area like Exton/Downingtown could try LNS to increase potential users (although Frontier has service in MDT). The Lancaster Amtrak station is 5.1 miles from LNS.
That being said for AA and this bus, if somebody is doing a ORD-PHL-LNS or vice versa, there is a back track, and I'd wonder the benefit. Plus those in central PA tend to look at BWI (for domestic) / IAD (for international) and willing to drive there.
I was doing some price checking , and noticed AA is charging PHX-PHL for $430 one way nonstop, in early November. A PHX-PHL-ACY is $195 with the same PHX-PHL nonstop segment. A roundtrip using nonstops with a weekend stay on PHL-PHX, PHX-PHL is still priced high relatively on AA. It might be worth it to check it for other pairs where nonstops out of PHL are priced high.