AA Cuts All JFK-SJU Non Stops in September
Apr 3, 2017, 6:58 am
#31
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Puerto Rico is still a hundred billion dollar economy.
Apr 3, 2017, 7:03 am
#32
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Apr 3, 2017, 7:52 am
#34
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There are ALWAYS issues with JFK slots (at least from 6am-11pm). Read the FAA order. DL and B6 would like to grow too, so each carrier is essentially locked into its schedule.
https://www.regulations.gov/document...007-29320-0052
AA does not have a properly sized connecting hub at JFK and relies almost exclusively on O&D to feed its flights there. DL and B6 can serve leisure routes more profitably out of JFK than AA, thus AA chooses to focus on business heavy and/or unique routes both into and out of JFK (i.e. EGE and TUS). SJU does not meet that requirement. AA can more profitably connect those pax through MIA/CLT/DFW.
Although you may not like it, AA is in the business of making money. While I don't agree with all of his decisions, DP and his team are astute enough to play to their strengths and using their limited JFK slot allocation for flights to SJU is not one of them. Honestly, I'm excited to see how they end up recycling the slots.
https://www.regulations.gov/document...007-29320-0052
AA does not have a properly sized connecting hub at JFK and relies almost exclusively on O&D to feed its flights there. DL and B6 can serve leisure routes more profitably out of JFK than AA, thus AA chooses to focus on business heavy and/or unique routes both into and out of JFK (i.e. EGE and TUS). SJU does not meet that requirement. AA can more profitably connect those pax through MIA/CLT/DFW.
Although you may not like it, AA is in the business of making money. While I don't agree with all of his decisions, DP and his team are astute enough to play to their strengths and using their limited JFK slot allocation for flights to SJU is not one of them. Honestly, I'm excited to see how they end up recycling the slots.
Apr 3, 2017, 8:32 am
#35
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PHL is another connection option.
Maybe USdbaAA will start JFK-PHL to connect more of NYC (LGA-PHL already exists) to its northeast hub.
2) It doesn't seem like we should have to wait to see how the slots get recycled. Unless they're just leaving the slots empty (in which case the FAA can take them back), presumably the replacements should already be on the revised schedule. Since we haven't heard anything interesting, I'm not holding my breath assuming that there's a wonderful new destination coming as a result of this change.
Apr 3, 2017, 8:48 am
#36
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Isn't the power of a network carrier in...the network? In that regard, is analyzing routes on a one-off profitability basis really appropriate? Not taking a strong position, just having a bit of pause with the seeming assertion that an airline is just the sum of its individual routes.
AA has seen it fit previously to match the competition in some aspects of its product - most recently in-flight catering in Y got a lot of attention. Is matching the competition on network coverage not really a valid strategic concern?
AA has seen it fit previously to match the competition in some aspects of its product - most recently in-flight catering in Y got a lot of attention. Is matching the competition on network coverage not really a valid strategic concern?
Apr 3, 2017, 9:03 am
#37
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Largest airlines at JFK (2016)
Airline Passengers
Delta Air Lines 15,878,784
JetBlue 13,592,114
American Airlines 7,080,110
Source: Wikipedia
Expanding on my previous post, AA is half the size of DL and B6 at JFK. It simply cannot match the breadth of their respective networks out of NYC. If AA could grow at JFK, it would, but it's stuck with a limited slot portfolio. With their smaller size, they can't be everything to everyone like they can in CLT or DFW.
SJU was a great destination when AA operated a mini hub down there, but today it's a leisure route and AA has ceded that market out of NYC to focus on business markets. Remember that corporate contracts make up a huge portion of AA's revenue. That's the market they're chasing.
Airline Passengers
Delta Air Lines 15,878,784
JetBlue 13,592,114
American Airlines 7,080,110
Source: Wikipedia
Expanding on my previous post, AA is half the size of DL and B6 at JFK. It simply cannot match the breadth of their respective networks out of NYC. If AA could grow at JFK, it would, but it's stuck with a limited slot portfolio. With their smaller size, they can't be everything to everyone like they can in CLT or DFW.
SJU was a great destination when AA operated a mini hub down there, but today it's a leisure route and AA has ceded that market out of NYC to focus on business markets. Remember that corporate contracts make up a huge portion of AA's revenue. That's the market they're chasing.
Apr 3, 2017, 9:36 am
#38
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This is my first year flying primarily American out of NYC after flying Delta for many years. Delta probably has a slight advantage in non-stop destinations, but American has some nice routes (EGE) and nice planes (SFO, JFK). I think the right call for NYC fliers is to split status if possible. I also fly JBLU occasionally.
Apr 3, 2017, 10:01 am
#39
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Isn't the power of a network carrier in...the network? In that regard, is analyzing routes on a one-off profitability basis really appropriate? Not taking a strong position, just having a bit of pause with the seeming assertion that an airline is just the sum of its individual routes.
But I think overly focusing on just the profitability of one route may be a tad myopic.
Nonetheless, it still feels like a big loss for NYC-based travelers (even more so for AA FFers), and presumably there's a large amount of O-D traffic on this route, even if at lower yields.
Apr 3, 2017, 10:01 am
#40
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I highly doubt that CLT or PHL can be an option when I posted already that they only flight direct on weekends. No more weekdays out of ORD/CLT/PHL. The only direct service to SJU is 1x DFW and 5x MIA. I seem to recall that at one time MIA had 8X to SJU.
Apr 3, 2017, 10:06 am
#41
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Apr 3, 2017, 1:08 pm
#42
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Where do you see this? PHL does not appear to operate on Tuesday's. But through Sept still has varying frequencies the remaining 6 days of the week. Same with ORD and CLT does not operate Tues/Weds/Thurs. PHL returns to daily service the week of 10/9. Daily service to CLT appears to return in early Nov.
Apr 3, 2017, 3:34 pm
#43
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Apr 3, 2017, 4:10 pm
#45
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Where do you see this? PHL does not appear to operate on Tuesday's. But through Sept still has varying frequencies the remaining 6 days of the week. Same with ORD and CLT does not operate Tues/Weds/Thurs. PHL returns to daily service the week of 10/9. Daily service to CLT appears to return in early Nov.