AA PHX-LHR how is it doing?
Apr 26, 2019, 12:21 pm
#18
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,734
Apr 26, 2019, 12:26 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 230
OTP, or rather Bucharest is a lovely city. I’d love to go back. Sadly, since moving across the pond, the ability to go there for $200 return and a 4* hotel for $75 a night aren’t as attainable.
Apr 26, 2019, 12:43 pm
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,507
Cutting LAX is never going to happen. Too many corporate accounts.
But BA's strategy has been to deploy to more and more cities in the US - I think they are in over 25 now. Getting AA to help with the second flight lets BA deploy to another smaller city 4x/week. Since it's a JV, all those BA flights from smaller non-hub cities give fliers the ability to overfly the AA hubs and get to London for their connections to the rest of the UK and the Continent.
But BA's strategy has been to deploy to more and more cities in the US - I think they are in over 25 now. Getting AA to help with the second flight lets BA deploy to another smaller city 4x/week. Since it's a JV, all those BA flights from smaller non-hub cities give fliers the ability to overfly the AA hubs and get to London for their connections to the rest of the UK and the Continent.
Apr 26, 2019, 1:40 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Posts: 4,629
Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the US. The often implied perception that it is some American backwater (actual words used once on the BA board) continues to baffle me. It is a huge city and regionally isolated.
Apr 26, 2019, 3:22 pm
#23
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: AUS / GRK
Programs: AA, HHonors, Hertz
Posts: 13,485
I think it just moved to daily in the last 5-7 years, then as someone else indicated, they added a second seasonal PHX-LHR flight.
From what I've heard from my sources, sales for AA PHX-LHR are doing far better than they expected.
Apr 26, 2019, 10:53 pm
#24
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,417
Folks, please stay on topic.
This thread is about the PHX-LHR route. Whilst discussion about AA business strategy, hubs, and profitability may come up, discussion about individual airline executives is better suited for other threads/fora.
Thanks. /Moderator
This thread is about the PHX-LHR route. Whilst discussion about AA business strategy, hubs, and profitability may come up, discussion about individual airline executives is better suited for other threads/fora.
Thanks. /Moderator
Apr 27, 2019, 12:16 am
#27
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Diamond, IC Amb
Posts: 5,510
Apr 27, 2019, 5:48 am
#28
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 691
but as a hub? why is there a constant threat on the board about cutting LAX, ORD, JFK? those are world class cities -- pmAA had a great set of hubs. to now have to swap out for PHX, PHL, and CLT makes me constantly think about changing to DL.
Apr 27, 2019, 8:35 am
#29
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Lifetime Plat, SPG Plat, AMEX Plat, Hertz PC, Travels too Much Platinum
Posts: 3,290
World class cities often generate higher margin O&D traffic, but capacity, infrastructure and cost issues can make them less profitable to route connecting traffic through.
Apr 27, 2019, 9:12 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: USA
Programs: Chase Sapphire Reserve, WFBF
Posts: 1,573
AA is big enough that they can pursue both strategies (high margin OD and cheap connections) at the same time in different cities that fit those strategic niches.