kiwicanuck

Last I check there was only one destination on that list IN New Zealand, but feel free tell the average Tongan, Cook Islander, or Samoan that there countries are really part of New Zealand, the reaction should be interesting.

Though the Island services are in serious jeopardy unless their governments come to the table with the significant increase in subsidy NZ has requested to continue the flights

kebosabi

I didn't list code-shares because there's not much benefit to doing so. Alaska, China Eastern, Eva, El Al, or Mexicana (at least until next year) aren't in OW, so there's no real benefit of being an AA/OW elite other than getting 100% bonus miles and that's only if you booked it as an AA code-share flight. Also, AA code-share prices on these flights out of LAX tend to be several hundred dollars higher than booked as their own metal.

Actually 3 of those 4 NZ flights are not to New Zealand:

APW - Apia, Samoa
TBU - Fuaʻamotu, Tonga
RAR - Rarotonga, Cook Islands

CO FF

I'd love to see it, too, but I'm not holding my breath.

If IB & MAD start to carry their own weight in the AA/BA/IB alliance, then there will need to be an LAX-MAD nonstop. Without it, the CDG-LAX (SkyTeam) and FRA-LAX (*A) options for LA-area traffic, and the SLC (ST) and SFO (*A) hubs, will clean OW's clock. The only other option would be SEA flights, and I don't see that happening either.



I deleted the non-European routes from that list, since I really don't focus on Asia/S.Am and don't have the time to review it. I also shifted NZ's LAX-LHR flight to *A (I hadn't heard that they left *A).

Note that AZ has cancelled its LAX-FCO flight. Even so, you'll notice that IB/MAD is the only major European carrier that doesn't service its fortress from LAX. Now that AA has cut one of the 2 LAX-LHR flights from the summer schedule, I'd guess that LAX-MAD would work; it's only 400 miles longer than LHR, and only 40 miles longer than FRA (and it's shorter than ZRH by 90 miles).

FWAAA

Oops. I apologize to all the Tongans, Cook Islanders and Samoans.

kebosabi: All those codeshares have another benefit besides the plat/exp 100% elite bonus: elite qualifying miles at 100%. But your point is well taken - not much else for elites.

ttflyer

I agree it would be nice to see a DFW-HKG or maybe even an ORD-HKG. Anyone have any insight on possible Asian routes?

malcolmkettering

I agree, this is what I'm hoping. Having lived in Spain since 2005 and returned to the West Coast many times, I've endured more 4 segment flights than I care to remember to stay with AA/BA/IB. DL just announced new service VLC/JFK, so now they've got several Spanish cities covered from the US. It won't last IMO but at least they're trying.

IB has a great airport for connecting and from MAD two or three heavy banks of daily departures to nearly all Euro capitals, North Africa, and some Middle East. Also service to something like 35+ cities in Spain and Portugal. Surely with 15 million in SoCal, 40 million in Spain, plus all the connection opps. to southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, AA could fill a daily 763 at decent price points. People like to complain about IB but their on-time and lost luggage stats are near the top in Europe.

IME there's a bias against IB connections and MAD in general in AA.com. If you are searching for flights, LHR connections and even BRU connections on SN nearly always come up first. I always have to 'force' the connections I want using Multi-City trip.

3Cforme

Has anybody made the argument that there is significant LAX-MAD O&D traffic? How extensive (and fare and volume-rich) is the list of IB-MAD destinations not served by BA from LHR?

N830MH

Correct! I knows AA is already been on orders 787-9 from few couple months ago. I'm sure if AA will expected needing orders 777-200LR need more seriously weight restrictions 200 ETOPS from MIA-JNB or CPT.

I think there is possibility AA will adds potential new routes from MIA-TLV/DXB/AMM/BOM/DEL. This is really great idea where AA will considerable for which specific routes is coming soon in the future: ORD-HKG/BKK/SIN/BOM need put on operate of 777-200LR include of 787-9 doesn't have leak more range for reaching almost 9,000nm.

Also, I knows AA doesn't have more expandable European routes from MIA-FRA/FCO/MXP/VCE/AMS/ZRH/LIS/BRU. That's why AA hasn't never started for considers from MIA-AMS/HEL/OSL/GVA.

This is all for now which specific routes will be coming soon in the future.

N830MH

And also, adds more ORD-SIN/BKK/BOM.

MAH4546

Don't be entirely surprised to see IB at LAX next year, but it's not certain.

Iberia/AA's U.S.-Spain network will potentially look like this by summer 2010:

AA:
MIA-MAD
JFK-BCN
DFW-MAD
BOS-MAD (75L)
IAD-MAD (75L)

IB:
MIA-MAD
MIA-BCN (IB announced this already as part of their plan to re-build their BCN hub in 2009/10).
JFK-MAD
ORD-MAD
SJU-MAD
LAX-MAD

Also, as Iberia is not as pressed for widebodies as AA, I wouldn't be surprised if DFW-MAD was Iberia-operated. Once the JV is in place, they will share revenues, so it does not matter who actually operates the flight. Also,

eireman

It does to us flyers who want to upgrade etc, unless they allow it across the 2 airlines, but point is well taken.

IB at LAX would be most welcome, but I still think I would take mileage earning on BA first

elitetraveler

I think AA's pilots might dispute that

MAH4546

They already have.

Fortunately, their say has virtually zero influence in affecting DOT decisions.

elitetraveler

It's the "virtually" that should be worrying. My recollection is the DOT is a fairly political entity, if not very political, which means the Dem/Dem operation in DC will likely at least give the pilots and any other AA unions that oppose this an open ear. My take is virtually every international route award is a literal political sandwich of some salami for the Senator in Texas who pushed for AA and some swiss cheese for the Senator from Pennsylvania who supported US. Obviously AA will show models demonstrating that since NW, DL and UA received antitrust immunity in their alliances international flying has increased faster than AA so this is a growth opportunity. The pilots will say their jobs are going to be outsourced to foreign carriers I suppose. My understanding is they oppose the deal only as a negotiating tactic, is that correct?

MAH4546

That is my understanding as well.

The pilots also very well realize that the joint venture will open up new opportunities for them, they just won't admit it.

Whether or not what the OP posted about routes like BDL-LHR and BWI-LHR is true, that right there is new opportunity for AA pilots, and it is inevitable that we will see AA connecting more U.S. cities with Heathrow thanks to the BA joint venture, whatever those cities may be.