ARCHIVE: Routes (Flights) and Hubs (Speculation, News and Discussion)
#1622
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA GGL, AA 1MM LT GLD, SPG PLAT, National Exec Selc, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 8,278
#1623
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Austin,TX (AUS)
Programs: AA, UA
Posts: 767
Which would be the craziest location for an AA/AS TPAC partnership to use as a hub?
- SEA: AS hub; head to head against new DL hub with a lot of momentum; some OW partners
- YVR: Foreign city; AC/*A hub; some OW partners; limited pre-existing AA service
- PDX: AS hub; tiny; No OW partners; limited pre-existing AA service; head to head against DL to NRT
SJC: AA tried a hub here and bailed
#1624
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Dallas
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, IHG Spire, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,523
Although what I have found is it gives them an excuse to do some "management bashing" on how they would have done it differently if they were in charge of things, or how the route never should have started.
#1627
Cabotage...
New AA thinks the answer is RNO, which has a couple runways that could handle international widebodies and a decent location. It would take a long time to build up the market though.
New AA thinks the answer is RNO, which has a couple runways that could handle international widebodies and a decent location. It would take a long time to build up the market though.
From SEA, arguably the geographically best US gateway to Asia. With JL and CX providing onward travel at the Asian gateway, AS's network can provide synergistic pairings to both at SEA.
Likewise, IF AA wants to go toe-to-toe with DL and others (to NRT, HKG, PEK, PVG), AS's non-stop service ex-SEA far exceeds that of DL's, so AA would have the advantage. Admittedly though, that depends on if AA is willing to take on DL like that.
(As a sidenote, I think the ICN route is interesting, serviced by KE, OZ, and DL. DL has obviously not been playing nice with AS, but also has a thing against KE. With AS & KE already partnering up, it could be a "common enemy" situation.)
What makes SEA a good location as an Asian gateway also makes it tough to be a European or South American gateway. DL goes to AMS, CDG, and LHR; BA to LHR; LH to FRA; Icelandic to Reykjavik. I don't think OW can make more of a dent here, since SEA is already connected to all the AA/US hubs. Maybe IB to MAD?
Someone could start service SEA-South America (GRU/GIG perhaps?) and capture all that O/D service, as well as thru-traffic as a connecting point for Asia. Heck, use it as a carrot for the OW partners to have onward service (e.g., CX HKG-SEA-GIG, JL NRT-SEA-GRU).
As someone stated upthread, QR may be an option. EK already flies to DXB.
And no one is doing SYD yet. Just sayin.
(I'm also just personally boycotting MH)
#1629
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
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#1630
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: los angeles, calif.
Programs: Alaska Airlines Gold MVP
Posts: 7,170
Correction on LAX-BDL, as I believe somebody pointed out up-thread, it is switching to a seasonal route. Not discontinued.
#1631
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: YVR
Posts: 344
To be fair, YVR was at one point the equivalent of a AS hub. Service to LAX (up to 6x p/day), LAS, SAN, SFO, SEA, PDX, ANC, PHX and SNA (which lasted a day). Had a Board Room which just closed a few years ago, and an airport map of YVR was shown in the AS magazine of hub airports. YVR had some significance for AS until ops wound down in the late 00s.
I'm intrigued to see if there will be any response by AS to AA and DL starting LAX-YVR later this year.
I'm intrigued to see if there will be any response by AS to AA and DL starting LAX-YVR later this year.
#1632
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Programs: AA P-Pro, Chase SP, SPG Gold
Posts: 556
+1 to MIA, on a new 787 and a free pony on the inaugural flight.
In all seriousness, I can't wait to see the schedule for LAX to SAT. It could save me two hours from connecting in Dallas on the way home, if the timing is right. I am torn though, because I am a segment qualifier and need that extra segment.
In all seriousness, I can't wait to see the schedule for LAX to SAT. It could save me two hours from connecting in Dallas on the way home, if the timing is right. I am torn though, because I am a segment qualifier and need that extra segment.
#1633
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 7,710
To be fair, YVR was at one point the equivalent of a AS hub. Service to LAX (up to 6x p/day), LAS, SAN, SFO, SEA, PDX, ANC, PHX and SNA (which lasted a day). Had a Board Room which just closed a few years ago, and an airport map of YVR was shown in the AS magazine of hub airports. YVR had some significance for AS until ops wound down in the late 00s.
I'm intrigued to see if there will be any response by AS to AA and DL starting LAX-YVR later this year.
I'm intrigued to see if there will be any response by AS to AA and DL starting LAX-YVR later this year.
#1634
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Don't know about AmericaWest but Western used to fly YEG-LAX (and its hub at SLC) as well as from YYC. At one time the evening flight went LAX-YYC-YEG (and YEG-YYC-LAX the next morning). YEG bound passengers stayed on the plane when it reached YYC and flew on to clear customs/immigration at YEG. DL ultimately abandoned YEG completely a few years after the merger.
AA started flying DFW-YEG in April with A319s so adding LAX is another small step to increasing service into western Canada.
AA started flying DFW-YEG in April with A319s so adding LAX is another small step to increasing service into western Canada.
#1635
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
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