AS Temporarily Suspending LAX-JFK and LAX-IAD
 

Just tried to book flights on the AS app from LAX to JFK and LAX to IAD for September and it is showing no direct flights to both East Coast cities from LAX on AS.

What is going on?

Not surprised. I don't think I will ever understand the decision to buy virgin America and dissolve it.

Flights show as returning on October 1st (although schedule that far out shouldn't be considered finalized yet). They were cut for July through September a few weeks ago -- https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1446687

COVID-19 related reductions in service. I guess you hadn’t heard.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alas...000s-jobs.html

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by StrandedinLA (Post 32471269)

Not surprised. I don't think I will ever understand the decision to buy virgin America and dissolve it.

---

“Yeah, we’re totally wanting to shrink the business as a result of the worst pandemic in 100+ years plus a recession that might make 2008-2011 look mild”.

Once they got rid of the VX seats and service they no longer had a competitive product compared to AA/UA/DL/B6 on JFK transcons.

With COVID, they likely believe they can accommodate LAX-WAS traffic via DCA, given that another airline would need a beyond-perimeter slot to start a competing route and most DC residents prefer DCA.

Buying VX and then “downgrading” the service is odd to me, but it is entirely possible that short haul west coast routes make more money than transcons, given that a plane might be able to make 3 trips up and down the west coast in the time it can make one transcon trip; if airfares fall a certain way it’s just a more efficient use of the asset.

This, people flying transcons are generally not interested in an underwhelming domestic F type product.

Do you really think those black/gray manually operated leather recliners would still be competitive especially with those hipster millenials providing "reactive" service beckoned by RED? :p I am sure they were cool when they were first introduced but they were stuck in the psychedelic purple haze of an era past. :) Oh, and they weren't that comfortable.

James

I should also add that buying VX was worth it to prevent B6 from having a west coast hub.

I wouldn't be too surprised for AS to reduce frequencies on or close some of the LAX transcon markets and move planes to SEA/PDX/SFO, partly because they no longer offer a competitive transcon product and partly to withdraw from AA's backyard in LAX. It's anti-competitive, but possible to explain it to regulators as the airline shrinking due to COVID.

No doubt it wasn’t as competitive as a lie flat but certainly more competitive that what one expects on a two hour domestic.

Perhaps so, but aren't we talking about transcons commencing from a California Market? Personally, I made a concious choice not to fly the 2-3 hour domestic flights on the pmVX Airbus.

James

How odd is it? Even B6 doesn’t run Mint fleetwide. Did you think AS was going to install 8 F recliners to serve the massive market for ultra-premium F for SAN-PDX or ANC-JNU? Most of AS’s markets aren’t even transcon- let alone premium transcon. How many 789s with Polaris is UA flying on EWR-SEA? Does AS need to run a premium F cabin everywhere when literally nobody does this in an industry where everyone copycats if it makes them 25 cents more profit?

Yay, we’re still rehashing the VX acquisition!

I’m not sure I understand your point.

The topic is AS discontinuing transcon service out of LAX to IAD & JFK. It was suggested that AS should have kept an 8F pmVX cabin to be competitive in the CA transcon market. The dated product, IMO, wouldn't be at all competitive today.

I have flown a few F transcons in pmVX configured A319 & A320s. The A319 JFK-SEA was a last minute downgrade from an A321 (which I have yet to fly) I never liked the hard product (dark, smaller windows, purple plexiglass that reflected back a distorted image of yourself...) and the prissy young hip FAs with their "I am too good to be an AS employee" attitudes were a little hard to swallow.

My first pmVX F flight was (2-3 hour flight as you mentioned) SEA-LAX. The blatant disregard for passenger safety was appauling and the FAs refused to wear name tags or even make eye contact. Subsequently, I consciously made sure to not include any Airbus in my itineraries.

James

So you’re suggesting that a basic domestic F product with marginal legroom and minimal recline is more competitive in the premium transcon market?

With AS trying to get rid of the Airbus aircraft as soon as possible and the MAX grounded, AS won’t have those planes to move to SEA/PDX/SFO. Cutting their weakest flights makes sense. Better to keep flying routes where they are more likely to be competitive and toss the rest.