AA was forced to give up their 2 gates at DAL as part of the AA/US merger. They were leasing the gates to DL, but the DOT forced them to sell to an LCC, which ended up being VX. If the DOT hadn't forced AA to sell the gates, AA was planning to re-start DAL service as soon as the Wright Amendment expired in October, 2014.

Perhaps the ;) and the reference to the long running forum punchline of "hourly LIT-NRT shuttle" wasn't clear enough... these threads are almost always "Hey, why don't they run the airline like I would do it? Because I want (insert service I want here)! It would be a good idea!" and it's hard to take them incredibly seriously.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...f66aa9a5f4.jpg

Also: yes, AA will keep paring JFK service by throwing it over to PHL (and using PHL as a Atlantic NE connecting hub), while prioritizing JFK O/D feed. To stay on topic. AA execs are on record as wanting PHL to play that role.

Gary Leff chimes in

https://viewfromthewing.boardingarea...rican-failing/

I'm on the new JFK-DEN route in July, the plane seems half empty as of now as the flights are pretty poorly timed. Unfortunately there will probably be further domestic cuts in NYC

On top of domestic cuts, there isn't even direct to FRA or ZRH and AA claims "get focused on the business customer"?

But you've got all of those flights to LHR so you can connect to FRA and ZRH; which is all know is such a painless process. How can you pass up the opportunity to connect and bask in the glory of that "refurbed" Concorde Room??? :p

From the looks of it, AA is more than happy to get to you to London and then leave you to BA's sham Euro Club class.

"You are hired!" - DP

As much as I love CX lounges at LHR, it's probably one of the few airports I would love to avoid, even if AA/BA makes the same T3 airside connections in the future.

Gary writes: "they said they were the airline to bring customers to New York rather than the airline for New Yorkers". Pretty much explains the direction AA is taking in NYC.

That was their original strategy, but now they are trying this "boutique" strategy. Otherwise why spend all the money on all of the Flagship offerings and the transcon offerings in NYC?

Also, they keep talking about combining the BA and AA Terminals. Is that in the cards? I like T8 and JFK because it is not that crowded, adding BA would ruin that

Combining AA and BA in terminal 8 makes sense. Allows for easy connections between AA and BA flights. Terminal 8 is underutilized, so it has enough room to add BA.

Whats the need to connect AA with BA? Only a handful of AA people will change at JFK to BA, and vice versa. NYC is for O&D not a connecting hub. There is no need to all be under T8.

JonNYC hints something:

I'm doing AA F JFK-LHR with an onward connection to BA J out of T3 next week, so I guess I fit perfectly into their plan.

But wait, I'm flying in from DCA, and could only get space into LGA, so just kidding, it's clear that AA hates me. :D

That would make sense. Am flying out 763 later this month and SWU still hasn't cleared, not looking forward to it.

But what's going on with AMS and FRA? Wait for Brexit implementation?

At least at T3 you could enjoy the lounge and no need to clear EU immigration while NYC, hmmm not sure what to see other than rain and cloud next week:D

I do very much enjoy the T3 lounge offerings, for sure! Looking forward to having the customary tour of all of them. Qantas is new since last time I passed through.

But first, have make that inbound DCA-LGA flight work on what's likely to be, as you note, a rainy afternoon. And to keep things interesting, I'm going to try for the always-enjoyable multimodal public transit option on the LGA-JFK connection. Wish me luck!

TBH I have never taken public transit between LGA and JFK, but my cab ride was mostly stuck in the traffic.

I also have hard time finding T3-T3 connections at LHR. Adding more convenience, I believe BA won't even check through your bags unless it's on the same PNR. I don't mind taking the bus from T3 to T5, but it's just annoying.

Looks like you're flying AA F and BA J, so may I ask why you're taking public transportation instead of a cab/Uber between LGA and JFK?

It's an award routing, so if you're implying that I'm made of money, that's not the case. Either way, with traffic the differential on time saved can come out to be less than one might expect, I kind of enjoy the "active" nature of taking public transit (as opposed to sitting stuck in a cab), and it's $30-40 saved that we can use elsewhere. We have a 6 hour connection so not pressed for time.

If the DCA-LGA leg is part of the award routing, you can keep checking for award availability on the DCA-JFK flights to avoid the ground transfer.

With a six-hour LGA-JFK connection, you have time to stop for a meal, if desired. For kosher deli, take the Q72 bus from LGA to Rego Park, and try Ben's Best, just across Queens Boulevard. For excellent pizza, try Nick's on Ascan Avenue in Forest Hills (75th Avenue stop on the Jamaica-bound F train from Roosevelt Avenue/Jackson Heights).

Absolutely. For TATL trips through JFK I almost always start out having to book the LGA/JFK split and then check, check, check for the DCA-JFK leg. Some trips I get lucky and make the change, and some I do not. This one is looking like the latter - AA hasn't been releasing any inventory close-in on that route whatsoever. Presumably saving it for people who actually wish to purchase (with money!) such a connecting itinerary...beggars can't be choosers I suppose.


Tempting - I like the look of those two! Will see how tight the schedule ends up being. I've not done as much eating in Queens as I'd like - every time I make the transfer at Roosevelt Avenue/Jackson Heights I always want to take some time and eat through the multitude of Himalayan places, but I'm usually dragging a bunch of stuff and in a hurry...

Yeah. Specifically addressed by Raja in Leff's piece:
So JFK-LHR traffic is 70-75% O&D, most of 20-25% beyond LHR, and a tiny amount beyond JFK. Consistent with my general impression, but I've not seen those numbers.

But that said, he still talks about a need/desire to colocate, presumably because of efficiencies in staffing and resources.

with 6 hours, I'd get to JFK and try out the bridge or flagship first dining if possible. It's too easy for someone from outside of New York to get lost in Queens, especially if he wants to stick with public transit.

even if you are, nothing wrong with public transit.

Heck, the sooner Americans get over the public transit stigma, the more likely we are to get some decent public transit. Sitting for 2 hours in traffic isnt what I call luxurious. Ugh.

The sooner our state and federal governments put a higher priority on better public transit, the more likely we are to get some decent options. But taxpayers don't want to pay for it. Democracy in action. Our country wasn't rebuilt after the 1940's like many other WW2 war torn countries. Most of our public railways are still designs and layouts from 2 centuries ago.

I dont disagree. But part of that is the stigma which leads to appropriations being slated towards highways and the rest vs. Viable public transit. As you said- democracy in action.

It isn't just funding. Denver spent a fortune on public transit and it hasn't amounted to marked better ridership. One theory is the disparate systems we have and the bus stigma. In several places, you take a train which is timed with a bus connection for your last mile dropoff. That isnt a thing here.

anyways, this is pretty OT. Broader point was that pooh-poohing at taking transit was what I found objectionable.

I'd take JFK-FRA in a heartbeat :(

I've certainly flown into LGA/JFK in F or J and hopped on public transit. JFK is particularly convenient for public transit but the Q70/M60 out of LGA works OK as well. Now the Greenline at LAX to go to DTLA stinks but at least you can stop right by the JW/RC at LA Live.

With service already provided by DL, LH, and SQ on that route, I doubt AA would ever enter that market. There is no void to flll as far as product offerings are concerned.

With construction at LGA where busses have priority exit/entrance over cars, plus huge construction on the VanWyck EXPRESSWAY:rolleyes:, the E (subway) from 74th-Roosevelt to the Air Train bypasses most of the road delays.
[I ride the VW daily and there are monster traffic jams in both directions, even at 11 pm:td:. The AirTrain is not "perfect" either--standing room only, particularly when TSA shift changes occur.]

The LIRR from Woodside is another option, and perhaps a little more pleasant than the E.

I wonder, would DCA-CLT-JFK or DCA-BOS-JFK be an option, rather than DCA-LGA//JFK? If it were me, I think I would prefer the extra flight over the ground transfer.

Im also doing an award routing this coming summer out of JFK that was not available out of DCA.

If you want a little trick that helps you avoid the mayhem of LGA --> JFK connectors and transits, consider flying BWI to JFK non stop. The MARC/Amtrak service to BWI airport from Union Station is much more predictable and convenient than the bus. $7.00 on MARC and $12.00 on Amtrak. That puts you into BWI and there is a 10:30 BWI-JFK flight that gets you into JFK by noon and ample time to enjoy the Flagship Lounge. I booked this for $110 one way.

Alternate #2 which is cheap is to simply take the Amtrak NEC to Penn Station for $49.00 (sometimes as low as $39.00), take the E train from Penn Station to Sutphin Blvd. and the JFK Aitrain from there to JFK.

Those routings do automatically pop up on AA award searches for WAS-NYC; they've been coming up intermittently here and there but not for the day I'm flying.


On paper, perhaps. But with the summer thunderstorm machine already having gotten started for the year (see last week's chaos all up and down the East Coast), I'd rather be in DC with a bunch of direct shots at NYC (via hourly LGA shuttles or the couple JFK flights) than stuck in CLT or BOS. There are lots of options onward to Europe from NYC; fewer out of those markets.


I generally avoid adding paid feeder flights to award tickets just out of principle. Plus, I'm more time-rich than cash-rich at this juncture, so saving a couple hundred bucks is worth it.

Re: Amtrak, the whole flight to LGA and transfer to JFK would come in at about time parity with getting to Union Station and NEC to Penn for me, even assuming Amtrak runs on time.

Generally, my philosophy is that I want to be on my single-ticket itinerary as soon as possible. I trust myself to get from LGA to JFK more than I trust Amtrak to get me to Penn Station (or BWI for that matter). It's an imperfect philosophy, for sure, but it's worked OK for me so far.

Understand. I'm a relatively frequent train passenger these days so I've got a decent feel for Amtrak, As long as the train isn't coming from somewhere south of DC, the trains typically run on time.

Yeah, frankly I'd like to be a more frequent Amtrak passenger. I like the space, the ability to walk around, etc. But for me, getting to/through Union Station actually takes longer than getting to my plane at DCA, the slow chug along the NEC is infuriating (this would be a 2-hour ride elsewhere in the world...), and the lack of seat assignments is worse. Especially on Acela coming back from NYP/Newark.

Hey I just did the cattle car connection from LGA to the 74th/Broadway station to catch the F train into the city ! Not bad, only an hour and a half from touch down to landing :-(

Aren't "touch down" and "landing" the same thing? :confused:

If AA thinks they are going to move "business" travelers to the most important business markets they obviously don't give a crap about RDU. Almost all the flights have been downgraded to E-140s while Delta offers nothing but 2 class RJs. Sucks

A little love for NYC: LGA-CHS/SAV starts on 8/25!