Originally Posted by
channa
Of course, if you look at those towns (say ROC, BUF, PVD, etc.), you have to connect to get there anyway, so there's really no advantage to flying NW via MSP vs. say UA via ORD. It becomes a purely competitive issue of price and schedule at that point.
Surely you jest.
Being a UA PremExec, I'm sure you're aware of the hell that ORD can be, especially concerning connections. Have you connected much through MSP/DTW? The obvious advantage of NW via MSP over UA via ORD is the airport and the airline's infrastructure at said airport.
I'll grant you that UA is a larger airline and with SFO/ORD being hubs, schedule and aircraft type win-out over NW to DTW/MSP. But as a connecting airport, ORD comes in at a distant third to DTW/MSP. It's up to the airlines to market this aspect, however.