The one thing that CLT has going for it over ANY other AA hub (or for that matter, probably any other US3 continental US hub) is that it has extremely low LCC/ULCC penetration. There is no NK service at all and F9, WN, and B6 service is minimal.

That is due to the low amounts of O&D, of course. But the good news for AA is that it's at least able to keep the O&D traffic paying high fares.

Definitely. But it's not going to be an apocalyptic contraction. CLT is very important for AA and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

Noticed that ORD-PVD is now on the schedule in April. Not sure when that starts but I am very happy about it.

Wow - looks like AA is starting 2x/day SWO-DFW service (Stillwater, OK - home of Oklahoma State University for those of you who live outside of Oklahoma which I imagine is 99% of you reading this post)! Interesting to say the least - wonder how this market will do for them.

Source: http://www.ocolly.com/news/article_b...116c94399.html

At just 60 miles from OKC and 67 miles from TUL, I'm a little surprised that AA is adding Stillwater. One thing SWO has going for it is that OKC and TUL are on the far side of their respective cities if you're driving from Stillwater, so much less driving thru traffic.

Wow, didn't see this coming.

My first thought: Boone Pickens express? (though I seriously doubt that he flies commercial, perhaps his subordinates?)

Also LaGuardia-Louisville resumes June 2nd.

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My understanding is that AA is still sitting on serveral prime/good JFK departure slots for further international expansion, but are there any thoughts about when/if that will translate to additional international flights from JFK? Delta has really solidified its foothold in NYC the past few years. Do you think that caused AA to rethink its NYC strategy?...How likely is it that AA will resume its own metal service to Japan?

Thanks and Safe Travels

More importantly they are both about 80 miles to the airports. Thats what matters. Typical drive time is 90 mins with traffic.

WN (will) announce LAX-PIT
 

So WN will start LAX-PIT (seems confirmed; that came out of nowhere).

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/26201934-post22.html

https://twitter.com/e_russell/status/700078643347857408

I know that Parker can fight off WN better than anyone, but is it time to cross off LAX-PIT from the AA route map?

No, I don't think it's time to write off AA on routes like this.

Los Angeles features tons of O&D, and, on top of that, AA is connecting PIT to SYD, HND, NRT, PVG, PEK and AKL (later this year).

LAX-PIT is almost five hours from boarding to deplaning; that's a very long time to sit in the miserable Southwest (D)evolve seating. For an hour or two, WN isn't torture. But four or five hour flights? Miserable.

Southwest is no longer a low-fare carrier now that its costs are creeping up to AA's costs. It gets worse for WN, however - as it still has another billion dollars plus worth of bad fuel hedges (yet to be settled and paid for) that will help keep WN from undercutting AA on price.

To some extent, WN is out of routes to add, much like VX and B6. So WN is adding long-haul routes to PIT, where it never has been very successful.

The Japanese and US governments are currently negotiating daytime slots for US airlines at HND. It is almost certain that AA/JL will use at least one of those slots for a JFK flight, although it is far from certain which airline would fly the route.

Yeah, I'm shocked that WN is even trying this. It's not like LAX-BWI where it is basically a hub-to-hub. Perhaps a generous subsidy from PIT (or Allegheny County, or whatever)?

Will be interesting to see how AA responds (the optimist in me says AA will fight off WN like US did at PHL, the pessimist in me says AA will run away like US did at LAS).

IMO airlines only fight when there is turf to defend. I think AA would not consider LAXPIT to be important enough to defend.

AA is still flying LAX-STL despite WN's multiple daily flights on that route. Admittedly STL is stronger for AA than PIT, but still.

Also, airlines generally only start where there is turf to attack ;).

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSL3N15X3TP

This new development goes directly to your question of who will fly these routes... There are now 6 slots, up from 4. I'd imagine the Japanese carriers will want to fly to the US as well. My guess is that all the US carriers end up re-timing their fights, but what happens to the new slots is anyone's guess.