roadwarrior84

A very knowledgeable insider at AA has told me they plan on announcing the DFW-AUH 2x/wk frequency in the coming weeks, along with the LAX-AKL route. Apparently going to the Middle East with a 77W and to AKL with a 787.

Now, she said MIA-AUH was actually their first pick as they would increase connectivity between ME/parts of Asia with Latam/Caribbean and there is plenty of market there (not sure what that really means???). However, seems like after QR decided to go daily on DOH-MIA and is doing well with it, paired up with EY asking AA to pick up the slack on their AUH-DFW and grow their partnership, AA decided to go with DFW-AUH. As JonNYC said somewhere, they will try it out which means the route will probably be alive for 6 months to a year and will remain if AA is indeed making money on it. She mentions the brains behind AA know for sure the route will be a success

Apparently the reason they have waited so long to announce is a JV with EY could be possible, and they working on all the details. However, AA is walking on eggshells with QR who knows about all this but can´t really do much about it. So apparently QR is retaliating by having conversations with B6 to expand on their relationship. Sounds like a bad soap opera but apparently that´s what´s been going on. Not sure where the whole OneWorld stuff goes in all of this but seems like AA and QR are not very good friends. I would have thought a second DFW-DOH or MIA-DOH would make more sense but apparently not.

Don´t kill me for this. I´m just stating what I was told and it´s a pretty good source. It may end up getting killed before it´s finally approved or things may change. Just thought I´d share with you what people at AA are talking about.

JonNYC

Have heard the same.

(this part of post only, for my part.)

MAH4546

I'd hope any announcement of AUH or an expanded EY relationship is made alongside AA pulling out of the humiliating slander campaign against the ME3.

FWAAA

If there's a joint venture with antitrust immunity in the works, then DFW-AUH doesn't look anywhere near as ridiculous as I previously said it did.

Someone much more knowledgeable that me recently speculated elsewhere that it wouldn't be out of the question if QR and EY teamed up with AA to battle "doesn't want to join an alliance" EK.

cmd320

Absolutely. To be honest though, I think they already know that they're fighting a losing battle there. There's no point in continuing to look foolish when they can partner and possibly make some money on what I'm assuming is a little slack in the 77W fleet for a 2x weekly flight.

Not a flight I would personally choose, but they may be able to make it work with connections on each end.

sagechan

Interesting, if 2x or 3x weekly AUH could be done with 1 frame, but does aa have any current slack in the 77w routings?

FWAAA

With Brazil's economy in the toilet, and taking AA's yields with it, there's no pressing need to fly as many 77Ws to GRU as in the past. HKG, SYD and some of the LHR flights would probably leave a spare 77W for a flight to AUH.

The last two of the 20 copies ordered will be delivered next year and if need be, AA can always order some more. 77Ws can be delivered within about 12 months of order.

Longboater

I wouldn't be surprised to see 77Ds eventually replace some of the MIA-GRU flights considering AA will be keeping 13 777s in 45J/215Y configuration. The earnings call indicated they have cut almost 30% of Brazil flying year over year due to the recession. Management has stated the two 77Ws scheduled for delivery next year will be the final 77Ws taken up as the 787/A350 are the future of AA's longhaul fleet. I still think there is a possibility of DFW-NRT becoming single daily 77W next year. If management is serious about trying DFW-AUH, I wouldn't be surprised if they try LAX-HKG on their own metal with the 77W eventually. If AA wants to make LAX their Trans-Pacific hub, LAX-HKG is an absolute must even with CX dominating and monopolising the market.

cmd320

LAX-HKG would be suicide for AA. If they have a particular interest in losing some money, this would be a great route.

millionmiler

The majority (but not 100%) of this is consistent with what I know from a topic-related but non-AA source with knowledge of the situation. However, who knows what and when will ultimately be the outcome. I don't and won't comment further.

JonNYC

Seems like a sound policy then.

Longboater

Ditto for DFW-AUH, albeit less than daily. However, with the success of DFW-HKG, I'd suspect LAX-HKG wouldn't be as much of a disaster as some on this board would think.

cmd320

Well, DFW-HKG doesn't compete with CX on anywhere near the level that LAX-HKG would. I don't personally have high hopes for DFW-AUH either, but a combination of using aircraft that would otherwise be sitting idle, limiting it to 2 weekly frequencies, a strengthened partnership with EY, and large connectivity on both ends could make it workable. Additionally, EY isn't a member of 1W while CX is, so the benefits of 1W could sway some loyAAlists to fly AA on a route like DFW-AUH. On LAX-HKG, CX is a 1W member so outside of massive price differences, I can't really think of any legitimate reason why someone would choose AA over CX on the route. SWUs maybe, but are upgraders really the clientele AA would want to attract on a 15 hour flight?

Longboater

I bet CX is loving AA doing DFW-HKG . Might be a while before CX starts flying to Texas. (I'd say odds are in favour of IAH-HKG instead of DFW-HKG on their own metal.) CX is considering adding a whopping fifth frequency to LAX-HKG and UA has been rumoured to be considering LAX-HKG with the 789. AA's staff at HKG was never intended for just one daily flight as well as the 19 hour long aircraft layover, more than enough time for a A check at HAECO. With the upgrade lists on DFW-HKG, I'm sure AA would love to add another flight to HKG, especially the high spending AA clients on the west coast. No need for backtracking to DFW. I bet they'll have a tough go if they were to launch LAX-HKG, but this a route where its worth to lose money in order to gain some additional West Coast flyers.

MAH4546

I would love you to further expand on this. LAXHKG is the single largest international city pair from the U.S. that is a monopoly. The market is ripe for competition. AA does a really great job being one of four airlines on LAXPVG, which is a much smaller market.