Nov 26, 2014, 4:51 am
Last edit by: IADCAflyer
Speculation: New Routes, Hubs, Flights (2017 Onward)
Because there is community interest in having a purely speculative discussion about whether other airports will pop up to become focus cities or hubs, new routes, etc. the following new thread has been amalgamated on this topic.Note:
Going: 9 A330-300, ER190, some older 757-200 and 8 767-300ER (leaving 17), MD-80
Coming: Remainder of 16 Boeing 26 787-8, 22 Boeing 787-9 (began later 2016). A320 family - 100 A321neo, and B737-800 (100 737-MAX8) aircraft.
See Cranky Flier article on 2016 fleet changes, AA-HP-US. Link.
Also see: HELP DESK: General questions about aircraft equipment, fleet, seats, IFE, etc.
Speculation fun time: Will xxx be the next AA focus city / hub? (consolidated)
Obsolete posts from 2015 on have been moved to ARCHIVE: Speculation: Possible Routes (Flights) and Hubs, Discussion - 2015 on
All posts prior to 2015 have been moved here: ARCHIVE: Routes (Flights) and Hubs (Speculation, News and Discussion)
Speculation: Possible Routes (Flights) and Hubs, Discussion - (2017 on)
Mar 25, 2018, 12:46 pm
#871
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: EWR, PHL
Programs: UA1k 3MM, AA Plt, peasant on everybody else, elite something or other at a bunch of hotels.
Posts: 4,637
Mar 25, 2018, 1:52 pm
#872
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 165
this would be beautiful. But I’m skeptical on the “alternating with GRU” part. LAX-GRU is 6x weekly. It’d make more sense if it alternated days with LATAM’s LAX-SCL that is 3x weekly most of the year, especially if a JV happens. Adding 4x LAX-EZE seems feasible considering the Argentine population in LA.
Mar 25, 2018, 4:49 pm
#873
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: UA
Posts: 384
Per AA's network planning person: "We’re trying to orient the 767 that airplane for however long it stays in our fleet is really opening up brand new markets, prospect markets in Europe and even in Latin America. It’s been a long time since we’ve started a new market in Latin America and the 767 can do that."
Seems like he is hinting at an all new market... I don't think AA has served Fortaleza before, so if he is hinting at a new Brazil route served by the 767, I would think Miami - Fortaleza?
Mar 25, 2018, 8:11 pm
#874
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,372
Mar 26, 2018, 9:35 am
#875
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Winston Salem, NC USA
Posts: 1,074
How do you think the O'Hare expansion plans are going to play into AA's future in Chiago? I could see that AA would certainly increase the international offerings from ORD once the new terminals are built. With a FIS facility in the new Terminal 2, connections would be much easier. Also, the city now has control over the gates. As a result, the city can re-allocate gate space at will if they see that a particular airline isn't using them enough. AA would have to utilize the gates more efficiently and that would increase flights.
Mar 26, 2018, 10:00 am
#876
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
It looks like the airport-wide increase in gate count is 30: 185 gates today, 5 more becoming available in the near term, and the 2026 plan is for 220 gates. How many incremental gates is AA getting?
Mar 26, 2018, 11:52 am
#877
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Winston Salem, NC USA
Posts: 1,074
I'm not exactly positive, but I don't think that many more. However, several AA gates have been underutilized and the city has said that if that continues, they will re-allocate them to airlines that commit to higher usage. The control of the gates is no longer with the airlines (specifically UA/AA) which kept them not so much to utilize, but to keep out competition. UA and AA were locked in a "if you don't move, I won't move" situation. It has all changed now. Considering metro Chicago's high O&D numbers, I would expect a big increase in operations. It a basically, use it or loose it.
Mar 26, 2018, 12:09 pm
#878
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SNA/LAX, PHL
Programs: AA Gold, AS MVP, WN A-List, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Exp, Hertz PC
Posts: 449
Mar 26, 2018, 1:15 pm
#881
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 163
I flew that so many times I lost count. Waiting on the ground for landing clearance, fastest wheels up to wheels down as announced by pilot was 12 minutes. Literally taxi time sometimes doubled time in the air.
Mar 26, 2018, 7:25 pm
#882
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: UA Million Mile, Mileage Plus Premier 1K, SkyMiles Gold Medallion, AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 875
I have a feeling UA does very well on EWR-SNA. The fares are always extremely high and the flights tend to have high loads. It's just such a pain to get from LAX to SNA that it makes sense if you have the money. Orange County has a lot of traffic, and I would think it has enough to support PHL-SNA.
Mar 26, 2018, 9:42 pm
#883
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: SNA/LAX, PHL
Programs: AA Gold, AS MVP, WN A-List, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Exp, Hertz PC
Posts: 449
I have a feeling UA does very well on EWR-SNA. The fares are always extremely high and the flights tend to have high loads. It's just such a pain to get from LAX to SNA that it makes sense if you have the money. Orange County has a lot of traffic, and I would think it has enough to support PHL-SNA.
SNA routes are heavily business-oriented. I doubt PHL even has 1/10 of NYC's business traffic.
Mar 26, 2018, 10:27 pm
#885
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AA, WN, UA, Bonvoy, Hertz
Posts: 2,491
I am also in agreement with some sort of better service to the East Coast from the other regional airports such as ONT or SNA. I somehow think CLT is more likely than PHL for ONT or SNA. It is good that both ONT and SNA have AA for ORD, but we know that is not sufficient.
Crazy that it is easier to get to Taiwan at ONT than some of these East Coast hubs. If DL would bring back ONT-ATL, I think some other actions are possible on AA frankly.
Rasheed
Crazy that it is easier to get to Taiwan at ONT than some of these East Coast hubs. If DL would bring back ONT-ATL, I think some other actions are possible on AA frankly.
Rasheed