Originally Posted by
songofamerica89
PHX is hub is profitable and growing. LAX is like JFK, good destination but horrible connecting hub and that's the strategy AA is using. DL struggles using LAX and people in the West know it sucks as an airport and avoids it at all costs (going to LA, we fly to the OC or BUR). SFO is just as bad and it leaves SEA and PHX in the West. Both SW and AA have huge operations here and AA runs more mainline jet, connects to 15 international destinations including LHR (twice daily with BA) and don't be surprised if Japan Airlines finds it's way into town soon. (BTW. . .China Airline is operating thrice weekly charters soon to be regular service from Taiwan due to the exploded tech sector.
With 300 - 400 people moving here every day and now the 10th largest metro area, plus over 100 billion dollars in the E-Tech, Clean Energy and Semi-conductor business being built out currently, PHX is no longer just a "spring break" destination the tech industry runs through PHX now and the growth will continue for decades to come and AA is sitting pretty with the business and local traveler here.
Meh.. I've lived here 25 years.
Growth will continue until the water dries up which might be coming sooner than our out of control real estate developers had anticipated (see Buckeye).
As far as Sky Harbor is concerned, T4 is cramped and overcrowded, you can walk miles to make connections, the AC's suck, and when you take out the snowbird Canada flights and Mexico flights (which are almost all tourist destinations) , those 15 international flights become 1....LHR... not exactly my first choice for connecting in Europe. T3 is nice though.
Unless Japan is your destination, TPAC on AA from PHX nowadays means doubling back to DFW, changing airports in Tokyo, and long connecting flights onward to SE Asia. I'm not sure about the Air China flights (doubt they will be joining OW) If it's anything like those JAL rumors that have been around for 20 years, I'll believe it when I see it.
Latin America? Well they couldn't make Costa Rica work from PHX, and they can't seem to decide on managing regular times and flights hub to hub PHX to MIA, so booking through there means red-eyes, double connections, constantly changing itineraries,10 hour layovers in MIA, arriving at your destination at 11pm, and no OW partner (well theoretically GOL), once you get there.
AA is a good airline from PHX if you want to go to BFL, FAT, LAS, BOI, etc I think their new Western USA strategy is competing with LUV.