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)
Aug 22, 2018, 6:39 am
#1006
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
I still don't get the addition of PHL-TXL.
UA does EWR-TXL and DL offers JFK-TXL - and their equipment will be more appealing to the german customers!
Not having personal IFE will be a major issue, affecting the loads. So AA can only go really low on prices; therefore low yields.
The AA 767 is just not good enough anymore, for the german market.
And a seasonal 4x weekly operation will hardly return the investments AA has to make, considering the start-up costs - especially for security, as TXL's classification won't be on the low risk-end.
UA does EWR-TXL and DL offers JFK-TXL - and their equipment will be more appealing to the german customers!
Not having personal IFE will be a major issue, affecting the loads. So AA can only go really low on prices; therefore low yields.
The AA 767 is just not good enough anymore, for the german market.
And a seasonal 4x weekly operation will hardly return the investments AA has to make, considering the start-up costs - especially for security, as TXL's classification won't be on the low risk-end.
Aug 22, 2018, 7:27 am
#1007
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PHL
Posts: 2,842
This might be a bit exaggerated but AA's PHL strategy is becoming the antithesis of JFK. I mean, if the routes weren't profitable, they weren't profitable. But it is becoming more and more perplexing.
JFK: We'll serve the top tier business markets and 1 or 2 solid leisure markets...forget about 2nd tier business markets and the rest of the leisure markets
PHL: We'll serve the leisure markets across southern and eastern Europe, but we can't make business markets work (BRU, FRA, MUC). Who knows about ZRH.
I get there is more business demand between CLT and Germany than PHL, but I am skeptical that CLT-MUC can support 2x daily. Unless someone can prove me wrong with O&D/PDEW numbers.
US Airports that support multiple MUC frequencies across any carrier: EWR, ORD, IAD, SFO. All *A hubs with more local demand than CLT.
JFK: We'll serve the top tier business markets and 1 or 2 solid leisure markets...forget about 2nd tier business markets and the rest of the leisure markets
PHL: We'll serve the leisure markets across southern and eastern Europe, but we can't make business markets work (BRU, FRA, MUC). Who knows about ZRH.
I get there is more business demand between CLT and Germany than PHL, but I am skeptical that CLT-MUC can support 2x daily. Unless someone can prove me wrong with O&D/PDEW numbers.
US Airports that support multiple MUC frequencies across any carrier: EWR, ORD, IAD, SFO. All *A hubs with more local demand than CLT.
Aug 22, 2018, 7:36 am
#1008
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: PHL
Programs: AA
Posts: 342
This might be a bit exaggerated but AA's PHL strategy is becoming the antithesis of JFK. I mean, if the routes weren't profitable, they weren't profitable. But it is becoming more and more perplexing.
JFK: We'll serve the top tier business markets and 1 or 2 solid leisure markets...forget about 2nd tier business markets and the rest of the leisure markets
PHL: We'll serve the leisure markets across southern and eastern Europe, but we can't make business markets work (BRU, FRA, MUC). Who knows about ZRH.
I get there is more business demand between CLT and Germany than PHL, but I am skeptical that CLT-MUC can support 2x daily. Unless someone can prove me wrong with O&D/PDEW numbers.
US Airports that support multiple MUC frequencies across any carrier: EWR, ORD, IAD, SFO. All *A hubs with more local demand than CLT.
JFK: We'll serve the top tier business markets and 1 or 2 solid leisure markets...forget about 2nd tier business markets and the rest of the leisure markets
PHL: We'll serve the leisure markets across southern and eastern Europe, but we can't make business markets work (BRU, FRA, MUC). Who knows about ZRH.
I get there is more business demand between CLT and Germany than PHL, but I am skeptical that CLT-MUC can support 2x daily. Unless someone can prove me wrong with O&D/PDEW numbers.
US Airports that support multiple MUC frequencies across any carrier: EWR, ORD, IAD, SFO. All *A hubs with more local demand than CLT.
I think this is more AA throwing in the towel on another market they cannot compete and seeing if it sticks with connections through CLT instead, since CLT has connects to more domestic markets than PHL. Oddly enough, it's like taking a page from JFK playbook where they have given up on key business routes they can't compete on.
Aug 22, 2018, 1:15 pm
#1011
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: oneword Emerald
Posts: 20,623
Aug 22, 2018, 4:32 pm
#1012
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
I get there is more business demand between CLT and Germany than PHL, but I am skeptical that CLT-MUC can support 2x daily. Unless someone can prove me wrong with O&D/PDEW numbers.
US Airports that support multiple MUC frequencies across any carrier: EWR, ORD, IAD, SFO. All *A hubs with more local demand than CLT.
Sep 2, 2018, 8:19 pm
#1013
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, UA 1K 1MM, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat
Posts: 400
Agreed! Showers if you’re serious and to provide a consistent lounge product. Otherwise, I would choose a connecting point with better amenities.
Sep 2, 2018, 8:24 pm
#1014
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, UA 1K 1MM, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat
Posts: 400
Sep 5, 2018, 7:25 am
#1015
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Maybe AA can lock up the US-origin market, but probably not the other way around.
Sep 5, 2018, 9:37 am
#1016
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA 1.6MM EXP; UA GS; SPG LTG,Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,477
I am not sure I would take that bet. Routes go two ways. There is a ton of manufacturing and high tech in NC/SC and a good amount of the plant machinery is likely German made. I have worked in plants where German techs would fly in to work on stuff all the time. Plus German bankers, PE guys, other capital markets folks probably come into CLT, which is a financial center, with frequency.
Maybe AA can lock up the US-origin market, but probably not the other way around.
Maybe AA can lock up the US-origin market, but probably not the other way around.
ETA - AA may be able to lock up the US-origin market - but only to Munich and its environs. MUC is not a good OW connecting point. What I said about MUC being a pleasure to connect through - that only applies to *A (T2). Terminal 1 at MUC is the exact opposite; it's really not set up well for connections at all, since it's principally an O/D terminal for non *A carriers. If you want to go anywhere but Munich on OW, you'd want to connect elsewhere (read: LHR, or if available, via PHL/JFK/DFW/ORD)
Sep 5, 2018, 10:03 am
#1017
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
I had read somewhere (some time back), so this is purely anecdotal - that LH has a cargo and travel contract with BMW (Global HQ near MUC, US HQ/plant is an hour from CLT). That, plus the financial services in CLT, should fill the belly of the LH nonstop, as well as its front cabin consistently enough that no amount of low-yield connecting AA traffic would drive it away.
Sep 28, 2018, 6:36 pm
#1018
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: DL GM, AA PLAT, Hilton Gold, AMEX Plat
Posts: 256
Not speculation. These are already loaded in the system. Some are weekends only.
1/12/19 - 9/1/19 PHL-SRQ
2/16/19 - 8/31/19 PHL-EYW
2/16/19 - 9/1/19 PHL-MLB
2/16/19 - 8/31/19 ORD-EYW
3/9/19 - 9/5/19 ORD-ECP
3/9/19 - 9/5/19 ORD-PNS
3/9/19 - 9/5/19 ORD-VPS
1/12/19 - 9/1/19 PHL-SRQ
2/16/19 - 8/31/19 PHL-EYW
2/16/19 - 9/1/19 PHL-MLB
2/16/19 - 8/31/19 ORD-EYW
3/9/19 - 9/5/19 ORD-ECP
3/9/19 - 9/5/19 ORD-PNS
3/9/19 - 9/5/19 ORD-VPS
Oct 27, 2018, 11:53 pm
#1019
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Usually in SAN or Central Europe.
Programs: AA:EXP/1MM. Accor/Radisson:Silver; HH:Gold; ICH:Plt Amb.
Posts: 22,307
It appears that AA will be starting two new routes from LAX in April:
LAX-Tulsa (Eagle) and LAX-Louisville (mainline).
I was wondering when SDF would finally be connected to LAX given that AA service exists to a number of other stations in that region (IND/BNA/CMH).
LAX-Tulsa (Eagle) and LAX-Louisville (mainline).
I was wondering when SDF would finally be connected to LAX given that AA service exists to a number of other stations in that region (IND/BNA/CMH).