Orwaid

Hi -

I started flying PDX-DEN on F9 after As dropped the route. For a 2-hour flight, $100RT is decent, as long as you just have a bag for under the seat.

And, as I said once before, for $38.40 RT (which I have had ore than once), I will put up with a lot.

I am guessing similar fares to COS.

lg20

AS also sees this as a temporary problem, and keeping new SFO routes starting is better in the long run, assuming these cut routes will start up again once the pilot situation balances out.

ucdtim17

I didn't say every route would be filled with a competitor. Some will be, like SEA-COS. Just because a competitor isn't going to jump on PDX-PSC does not mean AS is not going to lose customers because of this. Other airlines fly other routes to PSC and they can gain market share from this.

WebTraveler

I don't need to fly to Seattle to go somewhere. I can take a competitor on a non-stop flight if I need to. Why do I need to take PDX-SEA-MCI? or PDX-SEA-STL I can go non-stop on Southwest? I can also make it to Denver on Southwest. I can make it to the Bay Area, San Diego, Dallas, Chicago and many other places I go. If I need to change airplanes I might as well change in a place that makes sense rather than fly out of my way to Seattle?

I also do not like the AA and DL changes. We had much of America covered before, this Virgin Air thing is just bullsh** for existing customers.

So yes, it is the Great PDX screw job by Brad Tilton.

A good marketing campaign by Southwest could net some good business out of Portland. A lot of us don't like the seating game on Southwest, but I will tell you this - 95% of the time I will take a nonstpp flight versus a change flight. Time is money.

WebTraveler

Pilot situation is not going to get better anytime soon. This is a long term problem. Long term you will see traffic being ferried to SFO or Seattle. From a purely business decision this is maybe what makes more money. But Alaska was a dominant airline out of Portland. In the future will they maintain?

If I have to change planes then I am not so loyal. I am loyal if it works for me. if i have to change planes I am less loyal. I also might take a more convenient option. Changing planes in Seattle is a hassle. You get off Horizon and have to walk outside and around up stairs, ramps, etc., and often board a train. Its not easy. Connecting in SFO equally a pain, being a congested airport with variable weather issues.

If I need to go east I might as well fly to Dallas or Minneapolis or wherever to change. Flying south to SFO 1.5 hrs plus layover doesn't get to the east coast or even central USA any quicker, in fact it takes longer.

Buster

My husband and I have already started shifting some of our flying to Southwest because of the cuts and flight time changes to PDX-BUR. Stopping in SEA making a 2 hour trip a 5+ hour trip just doesn't work for us.

Chugach

I get the frustration, but the bottom line is PDX is a smaller market than SEA and SFO. The writing was always on the wall with the QX situation...if any hub was going to get hammered it’s PDX. It stinks but it is what it is...complain using your wallet.

Asquared1

Being a little OCD in watching some November flights I have. I'm guessing the Nov. changes are coming any day now. Is there any pattern on the timing of the changes (Monday Morning?)?

sfozrhfco

PDX is a smaller market and AS is nowhere near a dominant carrier in California. With a limited number of resources, AS has chosen to start marginal routes from California rather than serve their existing customer base. Once a day flights from places like SFO to ABQ are hardly competitive with UA/WN which offer flights several times a day plus viable connections on them and AA/DL. Just booked WN from OAK to ABQ even with MVP Gold status on AS and no status on WN. Having only one viable option a day just doesn’t work. AS has their work cut out for them to compete from SFO as they brought very little to the table beyond what VX had. The additions make them only slightly more competitive but they do not dominate any route other than SFO to SEA.

It will be interesting to see how many resources they pull from the likes of PDX to try to compete against much bigger players already established in the CA market.

Orwaid

Hi -

As I said in another thread, it might be time to buy some ALK put options.

ucdtim17

I keep expecting it to come and it hasn't yet. Hopefully Sunday. We're getting close to one month out. For the flights I have booked I'd like to know if they're happening. For others I haven't booked yet, pricing has been abnormally high and static; I suspect they may be cancelled or changed.

kevincrumbs

I've never minded the SEA layover but now with the QX uncertainty, I can't really utilise the SEA layovers anymore. I've done SFO layovers but only if I have to and I reserve those occasions for connections to intercontinental flights.

tusphotog

I don't believe so. AS is staying in B/C. WN is going to E and UA is moving to C.

I've always wondered the strategy AS has behind these once a day flights. Who are they targeting with PDX-DFW? PDX-ORD? PDX-MSP? SFO-MSP? It's great if the flight works out on your schedule, like when MSP-PDX worked for me back in June, but who is the target customer for a once a day (or twice a day on SFO-MSP, with weird times)?

BTW, WN has a status match running right now. You should match into A+ with them.

I used to really like SEA layovers. It was easy switching QX flights as a 75K. Now with the ATC delays (hopefully those thin out now that summer is over), and the horrific QX operational status, it's awful up there. I've been changing in LAX and SAN more these days.

sfozrhfco

WN matched me within minutes. Have a challenge to do 6 flights in 90 days to keep the status next year. Might not bother with that but get a few benefits for the upcoming flight to ABQ and back.

I also wonder why they are bothering with 1 flight a day when they could keep their existing schedule in tact and customers that actually prefer AS happy. Nobody is going to get excited about once a day on a regional jet when multiple competitors offer plenty of other options. All they are doing is lowering the yields for everybody and flying around planes with 15 seats sold/flight.

abner o'mal

[QUOTE=tusphotog;28839229]I don't believe so. AS is staying in B/C. WN is going to E and UA is moving to C.

AS will be cost sharing, they are expanding in C, pulling back in A as the Q400 are planned to decline. UA is staying in E and WN is moving to newE. I would expect some spillover into D when needed.