Longboater

Whoops, my mistake. Was thinking of Terminal 4 through Terminal 6 tunnel. Once the construction is complete, AA should be able to fully utilise Terminal 4 and not block off one/two gates? I'm a bit confused by the changes over the next year or so. Anyway, I've been told once they are all in place, AA will be able to finish any additional domestic expansion as they turn LAX into their primary Trans-Pac hub.

TWA884

AA is currently using all gates in T4, where no gates are currently blocked for construction, four gates in T6 and, depending on the time of day, four gates in TBIT (and whatever number of gates are at the Eagle's Nest).

The only forthcoming change is the ability to move between the secured areas of TBIT and T4 and beyond without having to undergo TSA screening.

MAH4546

Actually, AA is gaining two more gates at T4. With widebody ops largely moving to TBIT, and bus operations moving to a new bus gate that is built into the connector, they are going to be adding two mainline, narrowbody gates.

In the meanwhile, AA and DL have agreed in principal to a plan that will have Delta move to a renovated T2+T3 and AA taking over T5, and possibly sharing T5 with Alaska (AS is still negotiating), and shutting down the Eagle's Nest and ending T6 operations. Though this won't be until the 2018-2020 timeframe.

TWA884

Very interesting.

What will become of T6? JetBlue, Virgin America, et al.?

JonNYC

I'm told no other route to be announced at LAX today and certainly no major/international route, etc. I assume it will al be about the AKL flight.

TWA884

sagechan

TBIT gates are generally common use correct? AA has preferential use for 4 gates, but once the connector is open would AA be allowed to use more than the four gates at off peak times in TBIT?

bthotugigem05

June 2016, 787-8, LAX-AKL

pineapplejet

I personally would love to see AA adding a whole new African continent to its map through MIA. JNB, CPT, ACC, LOS, NBO. Personally think JNB and LOS would be a great add. I fly these cities multiple times a year to LHR and it's always a packed plane in all cabin, 744s and 388s. A lot of the flyers are transiting onward to the US. DL flies some of these routes to JFK.

JonNYC

Don't hold your breath on any of those-- you'll die!

sagechan

Just speculating on what's next?
LAX-HKG -I believe Parker has said they want to do this publicly.
LAX-PEK - complete the top tier china cities
LAX -ICN - largest la o/d aa isn't on after current additiona
LAX-MEL? - I just want to see this
MIA- Africa - A350 routes in 2017 or later, not before

LAX- still needs some AA metal to SEA and PDX as said above, and further domestic expansion to help fill all those TPAC widebodies

And CRW-DFW on a 175 (homerism on that one)

Longboater

I'd speculate AA is not too far away from LAX-ICN/PEK/HKG. Within a few years, they will probably be operating all three. They would have only Air China to compete on LAX-PEK. Getting a good slot times would be the potential hold up for this potential flight. LAX-ICN will be hard due to Korean and Asiana pretty much dominating this route. However, since AA only has DFW-ICN, and was successful in making Korean to codeshare with them on days Korean doesn't operate there, I'd say with the Dreamliner, they could make this work. HKG is real 500 pound gorilla since CX's monopoly on the route and no chance of a JV with CX. AA needs to operate LAX-HKG to make LAX a viable TransPac hub. Could be a long time before LAX-MEL/BNE is considered. Totally agree with MIA-Africa is off by several years since the appropriate aircraft will not be available until 2017. I'll go out on a limb and say AA will launch their first route to Africa by decade's end.

YtravelF

Sagechan's not too far off in his predictions.
At least one of those LAX routes will be announced within the next few months.

Longboater

I assume its TransPac. Since the idea of DFW-AUH is dead, I wonder if LAX-HKG is getting serious consideration. The two 77Ws arriving next year need to go somewhere. No way more GRU flying due to the terrible economy. I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the MIA-GRU 77W flights is eventually switched out. I doubt more LHR flying as they've already dropped two JFK-LHR flights on the 77W. I'd figure LAX-HKG or DFW-NRT makes sense for the two new 77Ws.

stc

And has been said before, here or elsewhere, it's called Alaska Air. AA is clearly using Alaska Air to fill that niche.