corporate-wage-slave

I have managed that at JFK T7, though I accept it's a lottery, there again it would also be similar at T8, PreCheck there is not always slick. The First Wing under construction at T7 will hopefully help there. At places like SAN, AUS, PHX it's also possible, albeit with only a general lounge. BOS is also quick and fast too, in my experience . So it depends where you are really

MarkedMan

Alas, if you are a VS flyer these days you're pretty much flying Delta+ (how much plus open to debate I suppose) and ORD is not a DL destination of any use. ORD has a lot of traffic, to be sure, but so much of it connects, so if you're not with OW or *A there isn't much point flying there. VS is pretty much keying into critical O/D plus ATL & SEA, DL's core hubs on the eastern and western seaboard. ORD just doesn't fit.

T7 far side kerb to CCR is easy in 5 minutes if there's no queue at security - hence the lottery, I guess. To T7 GF you'd have to run to make it in 5, though

T8 even through their Flagship check-in is mostly a lottery as you get dumped at the front of the ID check point for Pre-Check, but then at the back of the security line. It can actually take quite a bit and again is totally dependent on queue size at security. Generally speaking there are a lot of variables as to how quickly you can get through security which make something like T5's First Wing stand out so far. I have yet to stand in any kind of line there. Last time I was at SAN they had massive queues even for Pre-Check, admittedly earlier than you would be there for BA's flight.

Ldnn1

My point is that ORD is - or I'd have thought would be - critical O/D. It is surely the biggest US O/D market from London that VS/DL doesn't serve.

mikeyfly

I know it's not going to SYD, but regarding your point, the 380s sit idle for hours daily at JNB & SIN. I guess an 8/9 hour USA flight is optimum for one.

orbitmic

One point to bear in mind is that an o/d market is really two o/d markets. I think ord o/d is very predominantly ex-us, just like, say atl and Dfw and unlike sfo, Mia, or even Iah. I think vs has very little market power ex-us (much more ex uk) and dl is very weak in the Chicago area so in a way I'm not entirely surprised by their choice. Dl also fly nonstop to lhr from dtw and msp so some of the long commuting catchment (e.g. People who'd drive 4-8 hours to a major airport to avoid a sometimes expensive connection from Wisconsin and Minnesota for instance) are already catered for.

orbitmic

is that a full F wing like the lhr one? If so it certainly sounds positive when not flying F! I've also had many very fast departure checks from t7 when lucky - in fact much better than from t8 in my case. Unfortunately, without kiosks (for non ge pax) t7 arrivals are often extremely slow and on that from t8 feels better.

corporate-wage-slave

That was the way it was portrayed, yes, so a new area combining check-in and security. I suspect it would be Gold, CW and First, however.

Ldnn1

An interesting point. As a hunch I would've guessed that ORD would be less ex-US biased than ATL or DFW, but wouldn't know. It would be good to see the stats on it.

I have read that London O/D as a whole is roughly even inbound vs outbound.

p.s. I'm assuming LondonElite's call of ORD as the A380 station is correct, otherwise this discussion is a bit OT.

LondonElite

I'm just a messenger!

Steve_ZA

The mock-up certainly includes CW: https://hotline.ba.com/en-gb/informa...rk-jfk-changes

orbitmic

thanks for the link! ^

Cap'n Benj

completely annecdotal but a friend on VS LHR-BOS-LHR last month said that the majority of the plane seemed to be Americans

energydj

Well it was talked in February and then nothing more.

No option to book, no further information.

orbitmic

Yes but that's the thing, dl (which is in a Jv with dl) has a much stronger market position in bos, JFK, or atl than it does at ord where it is marginalised by two very large players.

srbrenna

I believe you!