Originally Posted by
djp98374
Did they ever try PAE-SAN?
Yes. The route appears and disappears over the years.
Originally Posted by
eponymous_coward
AS did their job and scared G4 off of stuff like BLI-HNL to keep their presence small in PNW markets. I expect them to do the same with F9.
They serve SFO/LAX already and PDX flopped (as well as UA's service to DEN). TBH a LOT of AS's ideas at PAE have just flopped like GEG and ANC.
I kind of doubt that sub-daily frequencies from F9 to DEN change the equation for PAE being a point-to-point leisure market alternative to SEA (similar to PHX/AZA) that much in the short term, even if AS is trying to pitch PDX as a connecting hub. We'll see I guess.
I'm not sure SAN is what you would try if you're trying to get PAE-XXX-YYY connecting traffic. "Please fly 3 hours due south before you head east, thanks". As a leisure market like SFO/LAX/LAS/PHX... I guess? Plus maybe you might start doing some Mexico connecting traffic that way?
SFO has lasted a long time for limited connecting traffic, but connection times and pricing has generally made the options impractical, especially if one wants to book main cabin. It's cool to see LAX service back, but it has disappeared every now and then. SFO was actually the only destination from PAE for awhile when AS had to maintain service and the airport hadn't yet convinced the FAA to allow the new terminal to close for "renovations."
I've long said that LAS and PHX would be ideal service from PAE, especially if they had connection opportunities. Currently F9 and WN could offer many connection opportunities at both airports, AA in PHX. AS has not seemed willing to offer affordable connections onto AA.
I would routinely drive the slightly extra time to BLI and make a connection on WN instead of flying nonstop out of SEA on AS because it was so much less stressful due to the nonexistent lines and close and affordable ($10/day) economy parking.
Originally Posted by
PDXPremier
Pros:
Beautiful terminal
Cons:
No lounge
Limited parking
No easy access to rental cars
Seems odd that they would put so much effort into opening a commercial airport terminal before the associated infrastructure (parking, rental cars, etc.) is in place.
Snohomish County was listening to people from west and south of the airport who moved to an airport hoping that the airport would cease having flights, even though people like the then mayor of Mukilteo have since come out in favor of commercial flights once the flights started (residents like having nonstop flights to LAS, PHX, and PSP). It sold the terminal rights for 50 years to a company which had never operated an airport terminal before instead of just building a basic 5 gate terminal like BLI.
PAE is a complicated airport to plan for because it is used for so many different things. It is the logical choice to be Seattle's second airport unless a completely new airport is built, supports tens of thousands of jobs with just the aerospace businesses on and around the airport, and is somehow the area's last existing hope for large scale general aviation operations, especially flight schools, unless Arlington and Auburn somehow get control towers. It has limited space to expand and is down to one runway for commercial use since the crosswind runway is now permanently closed due to Boeing leasing the space for aircraft parking. Having spent a lot of time around PAE, there seems to be a sentiment that it's best to enjoy the airport as much as one can now before major changes happen in the future.
People want to fly out of PAE, but high pricing and limited schedules have made it a hard sell compared to flying out of SEA, especially if one is flying in a group. Hopefully F9 places some downward pressure on fares and convinces AS to expand mainline service. PAE is a pilot base for QX though, so it has to keep a fair amount of QX flights.