AANYC1981

DMPHL

One thing with destinations like MAD is that all of AA's flights leave close to each other. PHL, CLT, JFK, ORD, DFW, MIA. They all depart within a relatively compact window, meaning AA operations at MAD can be concentrated in the morning. Not to say it's impossible, but there would be operational considerations on the Europe end, as well (staff, gates, etc.)

Flyer78

I believe they have added/are in the process of making A9 FIS capable. I believe that only leaves A3 and A7 as domestic-only arrival gates, though I'm not positive about A6. (A1 is the Terminal F shuttle, A5 is technically only a stair-gate; and is home to the Jack Duggan Pub expansion). I remember hearing about the A-West expansion, but have had a hard time finding articles about it. I believe this was 2007 timeframe, around the time the pmUS route authority to China was awarded.

dkc192

Good point. Well, we could consider some of the smaller western European stations that only have service to PHL, e.g. LIS, MUC, GLA. Throw in VCE because the only other AA service is to ORD, which currently departs 3 hours after the PHL service. PRG and BUD might also be candidates, but their longer block times mean that a later outbound departure might result in too late an inbound return to make domestic connections back in PHL. SNN is flown by a 757 and arrives precleared on the return, so for all intents and purposes it is a regular domestic flight.

Departures: MUC currently leaves at (an awful time of) 4:30pm, while VCE and GLA go in the 7pm bank, with LIS in the 9pm bank. Move all of these back to 9:30pm or 10pm. You'd still have plenty of time to turn these planes around, with the tightest turn being VCE most probably. If VCE were to depart at 10pm (3 hours later than current), it would arrive just after noon, leaving adequate time to turn it around for departure around 2:30pm, when the ORD flight departs.

Arrivals: as previously discussed, the main benefit of rescheduling some of these TATLs is avoiding gate congestion during the 12-4pm arrival bank. Having these four later flights (three widebodies and a 757) arrive back in PHL around 6-7pm would go quite a ways in helping do so, while preserving most domestic connections that go out in the 8-9pm bank.

Now, this is a very crude operational analysis, obviously leaving out several factors--what if VCE doesn't have the gate space to handle two AA flights at once? What are other turn schedules in PHL like? But hopefully it illustrates that in a vacuum, such a rescheduling can be pulled off!

lowfareair

A6 is FIS-equipped, FI usually uses the gate. A5 no longer exists, stair-only or otherwise. Even if A3/7/9 are the only ones left, making them FIS-capable should free up some gates, especially for A320-family Caribbean arrivals and any 752 int'l flights, plus once the 321neo/LR start doing TATL flights (that is honestly only a matter of time at this point), it will provide additional gates for them.

I don't recall that, but it would make sense as US was doing a lot of TATL flying from PHL at that point - maybe even more than what is there now. With the new land acquisitions West of the airport, I could see moving the easternmost stretch of Cargo City and/or International Plaza to expand the international terminal, although I'm not sure how enthused AA would be about doing something on a not-shoestring budget (I honestly think they would prefer to save money by building a large people mover gate on the first floor of A-West for gates H1-H3 rather than expand the terminal).

dkc192

Here's some intel from some internal communications channel via JonNYC that more Eastern European destinations are under consideration. Assuming that these flights would go out of PHL, one must wonder how they're going to squeeze in any more widebodies in the afternoons and evenings (Eastern Europe is out of 757 range, unless their definition of Eastern Europe includes Scandinavia--and even so, it'd be quite the stretch westbound).

Fanjet

WAW or KRK, please!!!

The problem with Croatia is its geopgraphy. I think Split is a somewhat "safer" bet because it is more centrally located than Zagreb or Dubrovnik. Or perhaps take a gamble on RIX. Maybe try and bring Air Baltic into a code-share agreement. In fact, I don't think they even belong to a global alliance.

DA201

LH is extremely big in Italy and very popular with premium passengers. It is the 5th largest airline in Italy behind 3 LCCs and Alitalia.

I wonder if OTP is a top contender. AC Rouge has seasonal flights to both YYZ and YUL. ZAG or DBV (like JonNYC mentioned) are both solid candidates.

CHOPCHOP767

Malaga, Spain is another interesting choice... Is AA taking route planning lessons from Thomas Cook or Condor?

Flyer78

Bumping this to mention it appears A7 AND A9 at PHL are (or soon will be) FIS capable gates, leaving only A3...

AANYC1981

dfw88

Speaking of route speculation, is anyone else "mad" at JonNYC for making his Twitter feed private, or whatever the correct terminology is? I've never had a Twitter account, and don't really want one, but I'm highly considering it just so I can read his latest news, the only thing I ever checked on there anyway.

no1cub17

I noticed that as well. Not surprising.

Longboater

Lucky I followed him before he made his account private.

JonNYC

People more than welcome to follow still

Although I'll only have it "protected" for about another 2 weeks (3 weeks absolute tops) for those who don't wanna.

(and, apropos that it came up in this thread )