Speculation: AA SJC as Hub/Focus City, AA growth, new flights, etc.
Aug 21, 2012, 1:42 am
#31
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That said, I'd love to see more TATL options out of LAX and the other hubs; it is frustrating since there are relatively few options that don't include a stop at LHR - and the fees that go with LHR. IB doesn't cut it; no F and from what I understand a fairly mediocre C product.
With TPAC at least JL and CX offer one-stop options, with good C/F products and no YQ!.
If UA out of SFO can serve LHR 2x daily, FRA 2x daily, plus a some other daily EU destinations (all pmUA), one would think that AA could step up their TATL game from LAX once their cost structure is rationalized. LAX isn't as slot restricted as JFK IIRC - maybe gate restricted?
Aug 21, 2012, 2:03 am
#32
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Aug 21, 2012, 2:23 am
#33
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SJC is unique in North America as the largest city in a megalopolis without many of the usual status symbols of being the largest city like the top civic institutions (e.g. Stanford, UCSF, Berkeley), major museums (e.g. Exploratorium, SFMOMA, Asian Art), airline hub (UA, VX) or major league teams (Giants, As, 49ers, Raiders, Warriors...).
This is a reflection of the peculiar geography, politics and history of the Bay Area which have kept San Francisco as a medium sized city as suburbs have flourished. As the regional economy continues to pivot towards San Jose it is not surprising that the 49ers are moving to Santa Clara or that it might make sense for AA to revisit its regional focus. AA can't compete with UA, VX, or even DL at SFO...but could do a great job in SJC.
This is a reflection of the peculiar geography, politics and history of the Bay Area which have kept San Francisco as a medium sized city as suburbs have flourished. As the regional economy continues to pivot towards San Jose it is not surprising that the 49ers are moving to Santa Clara or that it might make sense for AA to revisit its regional focus. AA can't compete with UA, VX, or even DL at SFO...but could do a great job in SJC.
All this is mute, because AA is not going to focus on SJC or build their presence there. Their W.Coast focus is at LAX.
Last edited by minhaoxue; Aug 21, 2012 at 2:36 am
Aug 21, 2012, 8:18 am
#34
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http://www.flysanjose.com/fl/BMFH.php
I'm thinking that if people were already indicating that they preferred this (and this goes beyond just AA), they wouldn't need this survey.
Of course, I do prefer this by a long shot, and will take this survey as SJC is far superior to SFO for us. I hope others will take it as well.
But, as it stands, it ain't so.
Cheers.
Aug 21, 2012, 9:42 am
#35
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Aug 21, 2012, 9:52 am
#36
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Aug 21, 2012, 9:52 am
#37
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I said something similar recently, perhaps on the speculative "AA wants to buy jetBlue" thread.
In addition to NYC, ORD, LAX, DFW and MIA, I expect AA to increase service to BOS and SFO after bankruptcy regardless of which airline AA chooses as a merger partner (if any). AA had to pull back from both of those cities when its costs exceeded every other airline's costs and its revenue was growing slower than most.
With the lower costs that bankruptcy should bring, and AA's somewhat impressive revenue growth while in Ch 11, I expect that BOS and SFO expansion are not out of the question.
Of course, if AA were to combine with B6, it would immediately become the largest carrier in BOS.
In addition to NYC, ORD, LAX, DFW and MIA, I expect AA to increase service to BOS and SFO after bankruptcy regardless of which airline AA chooses as a merger partner (if any). AA had to pull back from both of those cities when its costs exceeded every other airline's costs and its revenue was growing slower than most.
With the lower costs that bankruptcy should bring, and AA's somewhat impressive revenue growth while in Ch 11, I expect that BOS and SFO expansion are not out of the question.
Of course, if AA were to combine with B6, it would immediately become the largest carrier in BOS.
Aug 21, 2012, 10:03 am
#38
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I was hoping someone would catch that. 
Recently, the Regional Airport Planning Committee released this:
http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/air_p...ing_Report.pdf
They would like to see more flights at OAK and SJC and fewer at SFO. Same story as in Los Angeles. Government planning geeks would like to see more air travel activity at the empty airports like OAK or the under-used airports like SJC to take pressure off the airport that travelers choose, SFO. In LA, the LAWA has long-range plans that include many more flights from Palmdale and ONT and fewer flights at LAX. Problem is, airlines fly where people want to go, not where government planning geeks would like them to fly.
When B6 expanded in a big way to LGB, AA responded by trying to grab as many slots as it could. AA began nonstop transcons between JFK and LGB and JFK-SNA, IIRC. After a while, AA gave up and increased the frequencies at LAX to JFK. In its public statements, AA said that its passengers preferred LAX and the widebodies. Maybe they were lying or exaggerating. In any event, look who eventually followed AA to LAX: that's right, jetBlue.
Recently, the Regional Airport Planning Committee released this:
http://www.mtc.ca.gov/planning/air_p...ing_Report.pdf
They would like to see more flights at OAK and SJC and fewer at SFO. Same story as in Los Angeles. Government planning geeks would like to see more air travel activity at the empty airports like OAK or the under-used airports like SJC to take pressure off the airport that travelers choose, SFO. In LA, the LAWA has long-range plans that include many more flights from Palmdale and ONT and fewer flights at LAX. Problem is, airlines fly where people want to go, not where government planning geeks would like them to fly.
When B6 expanded in a big way to LGB, AA responded by trying to grab as many slots as it could. AA began nonstop transcons between JFK and LGB and JFK-SNA, IIRC. After a while, AA gave up and increased the frequencies at LAX to JFK. In its public statements, AA said that its passengers preferred LAX and the widebodies. Maybe they were lying or exaggerating. In any event, look who eventually followed AA to LAX: that's right, jetBlue.
Aug 21, 2012, 10:18 am
#40
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Aug 21, 2012, 10:23 am
#41
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I think it would be wise for AA to add flights to SJC-JFK, SJC-MIA,SFO-BOS with a 6:00 AM 9:00AM 12:00PM 3:00PM 9:00 PM and 10:40PM flights etc.
I can see AA putting their new Airbus flights from SJC to cover executives who do not want to drive up to SFO and suffer weather delays at SFO.
I think AA could really make SJC another focus city or hub and upgrade their LAX flights to mainlie flights and return SAN flights. Also AA could add more DFW flights return the CDG and LHR flights.
SJC is not what it was in 2008 they are more travelers flying out of the new terminal at SJC and there is potential for SJC expanding the terminal once passenger demand is at the levels as set forth by SJC.
SFO has fog issues and weather issues for a lot of the year and AA has had to divert flights from JFK to SJC. SFO already has Virgin so even if AA moved at least some of their operations to SJC that would be great.
I was once on a JFK-SFO flight that was fogged in and we were circling the bay and had to fill up at SJC and wait on the tarmac. I asked the flight attendant if I could deplane since I live 20 minutes from SJC and she said no due to security issues. Had AA had the SJC-JFK flight that they had years ago I would have booked on it.
I would much rather fly to London or Paris from San Jose since its close to home etc.
SJC has a campaign for more flights and I think AA could feed off the Hawaiian flights to Hawaii as codeshares and they have Alasaka Airlines to Hawaii as well for codeshares. Even if AA shifted their Eagle flights to Horizon Air or started mainline flights to LAX as opposed to the ERJ without WiFi they would be doing well.
AA could take after Lufthansa and offer complimentary coffee in the gate area for transcon flights, offer complimentary alcohol to all passengers on these flights. They could design a premium lounge area as part of the gate area for all transcon passengers with a section for First and Business passengers.
SJC has the new terminal and more passengers want to fly out of SJC rather than SFO. You have access to lightrail, Caltrain the VTA 10 flyer. SJC could work with Caltrain to operate a baby bullet Airport train that only stops at Milbrae and Palo Alto to Santa Clara Station where a special Caltrain Airporter bus with a guaranteed connection to the train that waits for the arrival.
Whats your take?
I can see AA putting their new Airbus flights from SJC to cover executives who do not want to drive up to SFO and suffer weather delays at SFO.
I think AA could really make SJC another focus city or hub and upgrade their LAX flights to mainlie flights and return SAN flights. Also AA could add more DFW flights return the CDG and LHR flights.
SJC is not what it was in 2008 they are more travelers flying out of the new terminal at SJC and there is potential for SJC expanding the terminal once passenger demand is at the levels as set forth by SJC.
SFO has fog issues and weather issues for a lot of the year and AA has had to divert flights from JFK to SJC. SFO already has Virgin so even if AA moved at least some of their operations to SJC that would be great.
I was once on a JFK-SFO flight that was fogged in and we were circling the bay and had to fill up at SJC and wait on the tarmac. I asked the flight attendant if I could deplane since I live 20 minutes from SJC and she said no due to security issues. Had AA had the SJC-JFK flight that they had years ago I would have booked on it.
I would much rather fly to London or Paris from San Jose since its close to home etc.
SJC has a campaign for more flights and I think AA could feed off the Hawaiian flights to Hawaii as codeshares and they have Alasaka Airlines to Hawaii as well for codeshares. Even if AA shifted their Eagle flights to Horizon Air or started mainline flights to LAX as opposed to the ERJ without WiFi they would be doing well.
AA could take after Lufthansa and offer complimentary coffee in the gate area for transcon flights, offer complimentary alcohol to all passengers on these flights. They could design a premium lounge area as part of the gate area for all transcon passengers with a section for First and Business passengers.
SJC has the new terminal and more passengers want to fly out of SJC rather than SFO. You have access to lightrail, Caltrain the VTA 10 flyer. SJC could work with Caltrain to operate a baby bullet Airport train that only stops at Milbrae and Palo Alto to Santa Clara Station where a special Caltrain Airporter bus with a guaranteed connection to the train that waits for the arrival.
Whats your take?
My take? Not to be rude but not gonna happen. I remembered when
we bought Air Cal (Air California) a couple of years after i started at AA.
The only reason we HAD a decent station in SJC was the purchase of Air
Cal who had a hub there. SJC will not be ramped up as far as increase of
flights. LAX? That station definitely will increase in activity, but definitely
not SJC. I have nothing against SJC at all and even have colleagues who
worked at SJC for Air Cal who i work with now. Not economically viable at
this point for AA.
Aug 21, 2012, 10:26 am
#42
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Aug 21, 2012, 10:53 am
#43
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SJC isn't going to happen. Southwest holds down fares to basically everywhere and UA has consolidated it's power even more with more mainline SJC-IAH post merger.
Perhaps a gross over-generalization, but I think the reality is SFO gets a lot of premium traffic from the financial community, and just about all of that is from Palo Alto up (where SJC is preferable but just by 5 or 10 minutes) -- the tech community is more cost conscious, and I doubt there's a lot of premium traffic out of the South Bay.
Whatever the airport authority tries to do with polls or letter writing, it won't change the fact that SJC has proven time and again that it can't sustain a legacy carrier hub.
Perhaps a gross over-generalization, but I think the reality is SFO gets a lot of premium traffic from the financial community, and just about all of that is from Palo Alto up (where SJC is preferable but just by 5 or 10 minutes) -- the tech community is more cost conscious, and I doubt there's a lot of premium traffic out of the South Bay.
Whatever the airport authority tries to do with polls or letter writing, it won't change the fact that SJC has proven time and again that it can't sustain a legacy carrier hub.
Aug 21, 2012, 10:56 am
#44
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Your eeka.
SFO is a bit of a nightmare due to the substandard runway separation, which requires one of each runway pair to be shut down when weather drops between minimums. (In which case, some flights divert to - San José! And prior to SJC's runway extension, some AA MD-11s out of SJC had to make a technical stop to take up more fuel - at OAK.)
I've always wondered whether part of AA's reasons for pulling back from SFO, other than JFK (which I think is now back to 5 daily), was the strain the constant delays put on other parts of AA's operations. JFK is easy; most of those aircraft only serve three total stations so the trickle-down effect is minimal. Not saying it's so by any means, but just curious if anyone knows the actual impact?
Aug 21, 2012, 11:07 am
#45
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