Speculation: Future of AA at PHX / Phoenix Sky Harbor?
#76
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It's not 2001, AA's financial structure isn't a disaster any more. And it's not time to turn planes into beer cans again. PHX is fine.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jun 23, 2017 at 9:01 pm
#77
Join Date: Aug 2010
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WN has zero hubs in the classic sense of "hub". They make a lot of money flying people in airplanes, though. So does B6 out of BOS service. SEA is not exactly well positioned to be a hub for DL, but they have O/D. MSP isn't ideally geographically positioned, either. DL didn't ditch it post merger.
It's not 2001, AA's financial structure isn't a disaster any more. And it's not time to turn planes into beer cans again. PHX is fine.
It's not 2001, AA's financial structure isn't a disaster any more. And it's not time to turn planes into beer cans again. PHX is fine.
PHX is indeed fine. My only point was that the geography of PHX for at least intra-US connections isn't ideal (as carlosdca says, it's pretty well positioned for CA - MEX connections). PHX has a good population base, a fair bit of industry, and a good amount of sunbird tourism. All that's going to stay in favor of it remaining a hub. But cross-country itineraries can just as easily connect in ORD or DFW as PHX, so it's prominence in the network, relative to pmUS days, may well diminish as the network gets less redundant.
Edit to add:
SEA is an Asia gateway for DL, not a connecting hub by any means. Sort of like MIA/PHL and to a lesser degree JFK for AA but on a much smaller scale. Not even close to comparable to PHX which has barely any OW, and no AA metal, long-haul international connectivity.
WN has a very different business model relative to AA, as does B6. AA is a traditional (and strident) hub/spoke carrier - so the fact that WN and B6 can make money flying point-to-point routes is sort of irrelevant to AA. My point on this front was that BOS, a large metropolitan area (top 10), does not support a connecting hub by reason of its geography and climate, and despite its catchment area, wealth, business climate, etc. Lots of O/D, no hub. Why it's not a gateway, though, I don't get.
Last edited by scnzzz; Jun 23, 2017 at 11:46 pm
#78
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PHX does well at domestic connections within the western US, and LAX does well as a trans-Pacific gateway. Two different roles. LAX does not have room to handle PHX's traffic. Dehubbing PHX would mean a significant reduction in market share in the west.
#79
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Of all of the LUS hubs, I have seen the the most benefit from PHX. Always a way to get home from secondary cities on the west coast via the PHX redeye. And a way to get to all the secondary cities from O'Hare. PHX and CLT are the biggest reasons I supported the merger, and I know I can't be alone.
#81
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#82
Join Date: Apr 2013
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I'm based in PHX so I guess I'm biased, but having connected through DFW and LAX many times post merger...PHX is way better. If I were flying on AA to somewhere out west and I had to make a connection, I would gladly take up to an 1 hour difference in total travel time to go through PHX. I fly through DFW at least twice a month and I am delayed almost 1/2 of the time. LAX you may have to catch the bus... I never connect here but PHX is super connection friendly as the two gates that are farthest apart are less than a 10 minute walk. The only advantage I would give LAX and DFW domestically is their Admirals club...the one's in PHX can get crowded.
#83
Join Date: Oct 2007
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I've decided that it is personally better to have one longer and one shorter flight if you can't fly non-stop (doesn't matter which carrier).
With the disappearance of the /morelax url, I agree that AA wanted to maximize LAX, but it has been way too slow to keep up with the demand. I agree with others that PHX almost always offers the better late connection time that DFW doesn't offer.
HP, I mean US, sorry AA has plenty of ops space to manage whatever size operations. I am quite confident PHX will also offer almost any concession if needed after the antitrust hub maintain ended.
Do I get upset when I see the nonstop flight to LAX right next to my flight to PHX? Maybe for a second, but getting home from LAX is either too expensive, too tiring or too stressful.
Rasheed
With the disappearance of the /morelax url, I agree that AA wanted to maximize LAX, but it has been way too slow to keep up with the demand. I agree with others that PHX almost always offers the better late connection time that DFW doesn't offer.
HP, I mean US, sorry AA has plenty of ops space to manage whatever size operations. I am quite confident PHX will also offer almost any concession if needed after the antitrust hub maintain ended.
Do I get upset when I see the nonstop flight to LAX right next to my flight to PHX? Maybe for a second, but getting home from LAX is either too expensive, too tiring or too stressful.
Rasheed
#84
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