Bad terminology on my part. In my defense, I did put it in quotes :)

It's been a very profitable route for AA. Even without the contracts it will live on, but I do not believe it would have started without it.

Yep, all AA hubs have flights to LHR already (PHX has BA).

I think one of IND/CMH/CLE/PIT with a 75L would be most likely to start a new route -- it seems like less initial risk. And based on how non-hub RDU got flights to CDG/LHR, there are probably some benefits being worked out for AA.

All AA hubs have service to LHR, plus RDU, MSY, AUS, SJC, SFO, ATL, SAN, IAD, BWI, BOS, DEN, EWR, LAS, SEA, PDX, SLC, DTW, and IAH.

That leaves CVG, CLE, IND, STL, CMH, and PIT without service to LHR. (MCO/TPA/FLL/OAK have LGW)

Although I am biased, I personally see IND as being the one because AA wouldn't have to worry about WW/FI/e.t.c eating into yields(unlike STL/CLE/CVG/PIT). And, as I mentioned earlier, IND is the largest unserved US destination from Europe and has high average fares as well. Subsidies are ready to go also. With CVG DL already has corporate contracts with the major employers, and with PIT I'm hearing Aer Lingus is planning to announce flights soon so I doubt there is space for EI/DL/WW/DE/and AA to all go TATL from PIT.

Presumably, AA could work out contracts with Rolls-Royce/Cummins/Eli Lilly/and or Roche for cargo and or pax...

If memory serves, I think IND and CMH are the only airports that have never had nonstop service to Europe, that I know of. CVG, CLE, STL, and PIT were all hubs at some point and had service that has since been pulled.

You are correct.

But not all hubs have service on AA, which was my point. One doesn't, although admittedly PHX seems farfetched.

Fair point, although I interpreted what he said to mean that it was going to be from a non-hub market.

Also, why would BA increase frequency two weeks ago if AA was going to add service LHR-PHX service soon?

Not quite, DL still flies CVG-CDG.

For what it's worth, there were reports in the Columbus media 2-3 years ago verifying CRAA was in talks with BA about service. The story about "London nonstops" then popped back up at the start of 2016 on the local ABC affiliate (WSYX).

A BA 787 would be too much airplane for CMH, but an AA 757? Might not be a bad place to start. AA has actually gotten around DL to become #2 in market share at CMH behind WN.

edit- Come to think of it, there have been ongoing renovations at CMH for about that length of time. Maybe that was a holdup?

This is a classic utilization flight, gone from JFK 20:50-05:35. With fuel prices reasonably low, I don't see why AA needs paid F or business travelers to keep utilization flights covering costs at the least, and they don't have anything better to do with a domestic airframe at that hour. And if you're not willing to fly a redeye, you're no worse off than you were before AA started offering this flight.

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com...tional-nonstop

^^ According to the Indiana Secretary of Commerce, there were talks this summer between an airline and IND about service to London, and at the time he said it would be announced in a "matter of months." Earlier in the summer, the Airport director for IND echoed the same sentiment about an announcement in late summer/early fall...

I was referring to additional daily flight on JFK-SAN/SEA. Complimentary upgrades on these routes are not given even for EXP, so I would imagine there is a fair amount of paid F. I missed one this year when they only had 1 F for upgrade. AA's schedule haven't been great, so I'm not sure how many of the last minute purchases they are getting. If there is a lot fewer paid F passengers, can they sustain 3 daily flights to SAN or SEA? I can't imagine so.

STL just announced Rejkavik service starting May 2018 on WOW, while "talks continue with BA on STL-LHR nonstop," according to local business reporting.

I think it is great that the route is introduced, but perhaps when I saw it, I confused it with B6 as the times are so.... jetBlue.

I feel like the new LHR flight, if it's in the Midwest, is going to come down to if AA/BA want to go head-to-head with the Icelandic or have a market all to themselves. If it's the former, CLE and STL are in play. If not, CMH or IND.

Even then, wasn't there talk DL seemed more interested in launching IND-AMS?