danwer930

Hi all,

I'm an NY-based AA Platinum Pro headed for EXP in 2024, and I am increasingly distressed about the dissolution of the NEA. Specifically, it seems like AA ceded a lot of nonstop routes to major cities (Atlanta, Denver, Vegas, all of Florida except Miami, etc.) to JetBlue during the NEA days but doesn't appear to have any plans to reinstate them on AA metal now that the NEA is no more (outside of BOS-LGA).

It's cute that they're adding stuff like Halifax and Bangor, ME and supplementing already-plentiful Iberia service to Madrid, and we can make do on Alaska to most of the west coast, but where does that leave those of us in New York who want to fly AA nonstop to basic, major business and vacation destinations but just can't right now? Are those routes ever coming back that we know of? Because right now they seem to have one foot in and one foot out of New York as an actual hub.

Would love any insights anyone may have.

GNRMatt

You can connect on AA, or fly another airline non-stop to those destinations that AA doesn't serve non-stop. It's really simple. I know that some people think that the airline should make everything revolve around NYC and they should fly non-stop to everywhere, but they are in this to make money. If they feel they can make more money using those planes elsewhere, that's what they'll do.

While NYC is obviously a top destination for many, and there is a large population/money for NYC-based folks, that doesn't necessarily translate to profitability or the best place to make money. Something like JFK-LAS on an A321 for $300 round-trip is not going to make them as much money as CLT-OMA on an A321 for $500 round-trip (coach).

Antarius

Save for a brief period under Horton, AA hasn't had a strategy in general since Crandall.

In the last few years, we've seen

• Modified EQD numbers
• Elimination of EQD for LP
• Changes to the LP thresholds
• Elimination of Business Extra with 4 months of notice
• Elimination of Airpass
• PHL-is-our-TATL-gateway Part 1 - Tons of new flights that lasted a year
• PHL-is-our-TATL-gateway Part 2 - Tons of new flights that lasted a year
• NEA + PHL really isn't anyone's first choice
• PHL-is-our-TATL-gateway Part 3 (Now)
• SEA-is-our-new-hub
• lol jk, SEA isn't a hub
• AUS-is-our-new-hub
• lol jk, AUS isn't a hub

And more. It's just throwing darts randomly at a wall and seeing what sticks.

The problem is that AA underperforms the competition by every single financial metric and has for years. I'm not convinced that they understand the concept of revenue maximization.

dw

I believe there are still AA slots being used by B6 which are to transition back over the next few months, so it’s possible some of the dropped routes will be back eventually.

pauleeepaul

I am optimistic, perhaps naively.

lrdpenn

It’s not just “ceded” routes to b6. They’ve also terminated new ones they ran post NEA like to IAH.

There is no strategy. AA - the airline that wants to fly you to HND and YHZ but not to ATL, DEN, IAH, etc. But hey, at least the app considers PHL a NYC airport so maybe AA thinks you’ll go down and take a flight from there

only1percent

I bet they bring back IAH. Great service for premiums, not at all substituted for by connecting flights.

ATL definitely comes back.

At least one of FLL or PBI will come back, leaving a lot of money on the table there. MCO not so much.

My guess at least one of DEN, SAT or LAS comes back. SAN and SEA I think they are happy with the Alaska code-shares.

safari ari

DEN is not coming back, between UA Hub-Hub, and competition from B6 and DL (WN somewhat, but I don’t fly on them) where o/w go for Sub-$150, AA pulled out of the direct to DEN, partly because they ran terrible times on it and because every time I flew them the plane was maybe 25% full.

I couldn’t believe they didn’t fly a single NYC-Florida route (RSW/FLL/MCO/TPA) when I needed to use them last month, would expect yields on some of those winter routes to be somewhat relevant to Bring back.

ty97

Depending on your travel patterns, it can be very difficult to be loyal to AA out of NYC. It unfortunately doesn't work for me. TPA/RSW are my most frequent destinations and I am not going to connect at CLT or DCA when I have multiple airlines that fly non-stop from NYC.

AA can't be everything to everyone everywhere. It's simply not the best airline for most NYC-based fliers.

Repooc17

NYC is one of the places in the country where you don't have to stick with one airline/alliance. And, if you fly enough, you will hit your mark (desired status) organically, even flying based on best schedule/cost/other factors. I am a true believer of being free agents because "loyalty" runs one way only, and it is not coming from the direction of the airline. Make them work for your money instead handing it to them.

rmontelbon

The domestic flights in and out of NYC are just as, if not more important as connectors to international flights as they are to serving New Yorkers.

moondog

Not as long as the strategy remains to use PHL, and to a lesser extent CLT, to fulfill that role. Also, don't forget about BA's 28 US destinations.

Antarius

it's clearly not a winning strategy, given that they tried the NEA while PHL was there all along. Its better than nothing, but it's got, what, 4 international tails? Better, more financially sound airlines don't see any value in flying there.

Were on PHL-is-the-solution part 3. 1 and 2 were comically bad.

donotblink

There’s a bunch of different things going on here:

There’s a pilot shortage, American Airlines is allowing JetBlue to continue to use some of it slots because it doesn’t actually have the pilots to fill those planes

More broadly, both JFK and LaGuardia are slot restricted, American has limited capabilities to expand.

moondog

I didn't mean to suggest it was a winning strategy, merely that it's the strategy that I believe we're witnessing at present.