DCdeacon

US flies BOS-PIT as well (and technically, the shuttle from BOS-LGA isn't a hub-hub route, either!).

Also, keeping with the oddball nature of the US operation in BOS, don't forget they also fly seasonal (mostly weekend) service from BOS to CUN, MBJ, PLS, and PUJ.

Definitely the outlier airport in the US system!

jedikiah

Star airlines start moving out of T3 for T2 in June. There may not be T3 stand capacity available before then to take the current US flights, limited though they might be. Before acquiring bmi & operations once more in T1, BA for some flights bussed passengers airside from T3 to planes on remote stands over at T1 (and maybe still do). This kind of option may be available for a quick move, although of course it has its drawbacks.

mikebellman

They also will need a fifth gate. Possibly building a jetway to a new gate. Either from the converted restaurant area as gate C-75 or a jetway running outside the old Admirals Club toward a new parking stand C-80.[/QUOTE]

There is also the option of a connecting walkway behind the check in area to gates 72 & 73. Longer run-but would buy them two more gates which are currently empty. Sitting here now with only one flight going out and virtually nowhere to sit...

Peter T.

Yes, I think in the short term, if the six (+ one shared) gates that AA can use in SFO's Terminal 2 are sufficient to handle US's SFO flights, then US will move into Terminal 2 with AA.

But the long-term plan, as you noted, is to move all of the OneWorld airlines serving SFO to the A-Wing of the International Terminal and the adjacent Terminal 1 after the renovation of Boarding Area B in Terminal 1 at SFO is completed.

dtremit

I am guessing you mean oneworld here, not Star Alliance?

Peter T.

Thanks. Yes, that's what I meant. I'll correct my post.

lhl12

It seems to me that BOS is right on the edge of being able to support hub-like operations because of the size of its O&D market. Because of its non-central physical location in the country, however (inconvenient for hubbing traffic anywhere except New England/Upstate NY or Europe), true hubbing probably won't ever make sense. So the question becomes what sort of point-to-point operations can BOS support in a national model that is heavily hub-driven?

Both pre-merger AA (through Eagle) and pre-merger US were running lots of point-to-point traffic out of BOS. However those operations seem to have been uneconomical at AA's old labor costs, so AA shut them down. They seem to be economical for US (with its lower labor costs), who continue to operate them.

I wonder whether a merged US-AA, with its new labor costs (whatever they turn out to be) and with the bulked-up footprint of the combined company (which is roughly tied with B6 for #1 BOS market share) will be able to operate out of BOS in a similar fashion to the way pre-merger AA (plus Eagle) did. There is obviously demand for this sort of service, as demonstrated by the steady growth that B6 has enjoyed at BOS.

When UA moves into Terminal B in March, B6 will take its gates in Terminal C, which will presumably lead to even more point-to-point service from BOS to new destinations (or increased frequencies) on B6. B6 has clearly become the innovator and leader in BOS, and has figured out how to make money there (mostly because of their low labor costs, I expect).

So, the $64,000 question is: Once AA and US are fully integrated, will they want to compete aggressively with B6 at BOS to take back the business they used to have?

george 3

There is also the option of a connecting walkway behind the check in area to gates 72 & 73. Longer run-but would buy them two more gates which are currently empty. Sitting here now with only one flight going out and virtually nowhere to sit...[/QUOTE]

The removal of the restaurant/former AC at MCI will provide much needed space. However, longer term, there is virtually no services other than the B-class bar set up, the prepared sandwich guy and the newspaper lady airside. KC area voters don't want a central terminal although politicians want it. The reality is, with no offense to KC residents, for AA, MCI is not big enough to be very important, but isn't small enough to be blown off either.

dtremit

Well, US has cut BOS -- just not as much as AA. It's largely been leisure flying (Florida/Caribbean/Mexico service) that's been cut, though they also lost some Northeast regional/EAS flying when Colgan shut down. The BOS crew bases were closed in 2009.

JOSECONLSCREW28

BDL - Don't really need to move as AA and US are basically in the same area

AA uses gates 24, 25, 26 & US uses 27, 28, 29 & 30.

fastflyer

...and US has a club (the only club at BDL), which has already begun to welcome Admirals Club members.

phllax

If you knew anything about PBI you would know that there's plenty of room on B for AA, AC and NK without anyone else needing to move. This will also help to further even the flow of passengers between the 2 concourses.

chasgoose

What are they going to do w/ LGA? AA just recently upgraded its Admiral's Club and check-in area in its terminal, but the setup is so terrible as it currently is with the two concourses, and I can't really how things will get better if they move all the US flights there. Maybe they could work out a deal with DL to get the Marine Air Terminal for the shuttle in exchange for completely abandoning the old US terminal. I highly doubt DL will let that happen though.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Unless DL or UA are willing to reaccomodate gates, LGA will be a mess. However, if Concourse C goes all AA maybe the PA will finally get off its butt and build a connector.

awaflyboy

We are being told here in PHX that when AA moves over to T4 next month their ticket counter will be to the right of the US first class counter and they will be using gates B9, B11, B13 and occasionally B14. They have already started building the AA break room, supervisor, and manager offices on the B concourse.