Originally Posted by ContinentalFan
...My suggestion is to try to open up new markets. ...Growth is in trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific service; that's where the focus needs to be ...I do think that routes between US and China (and US/India) is where growth is ...[and] China/India is where the focus should be.
^ Yes to that.
Originally Posted by ContinentalFan
The 777-200LR seems to have a slightly longer reach,
Yeep - and on that note here are the ranges for the
772ER,
772LR,
787 from EWR and the
772ER,
772LR,
787 from IAH.
But the 777LR is not cheap and should CO order it they will find themselves boxed into using the LR's on limited routes (i.e. those which could not be flown by a 772ER). Do you really see CO coughing up the cash for this bird to only satisfy a few select routes the 772ER/787 cannot?
Originally Posted by ContinentalFan
I definitely agree with what your statement on the B787's and the Asian markets. The 777-200LR seems to have a slightly longer reach, but I bet that's something that Boeing is looking at. I expect to see some B787's serve the bigger markets in Europe too.
At the last DO CO commented that the 777's had too many BF seats/Y seats for TATL but too few for the Pacific routes. Perhaps the 787 will relive the majority of the existing 777's of European duty to allow CO to refit them with a higher percentage of J seats and use the on mainly Asia runs.
…or maybe not. Who knows?
Originally Posted by ContinentalFan
I think that there are probably better markets than IAH for international growth; however, since CO is already well entrenched there, it's much less expensive to expand from IAH.
If the US would allow secure transit than IAH would be a much more valuable asset as they would be able to connect not only the southern areas of the US with the world but also Latin/South America. But as we all know, secure transit areas promote terrorism
.