Next USA city?
Aug 23, 2018, 3:00 am
#106
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 439
I'm not at all surprised at the love for SJC and my experience is that in premium cabins, SJC is regularly more expensive than SFO already at some times of year (priced ex LHR anyway).
SJC is broadly a joy to fly into though - I suspect I'm driving away in my rental car before I'd even be out of the airport and on the AirTrain to the rental centre at SFO. Given equal driving time from either, I'd fly to SJC every time. It's a pretty well timed flight too in my view - slightly later than the second SFO rotation. I suspect it is something of a goldmine for BA given the loads I've seen and a lot of it is corporate travel (which is to be expected - anybody working for or with Google, Facebook, Apple or Netflix head offices for starters is going to find SJC *much* more convenient).
To be honest, I'd think if BA were looking at unnecessary alternatives then I've always struggled to understand the point of EWR...
Which raises a question - do BA have a slot for another NA route or would this be necessarily coming from removing something or reducing a frequency somewhere?
SJC is broadly a joy to fly into though - I suspect I'm driving away in my rental car before I'd even be out of the airport and on the AirTrain to the rental centre at SFO. Given equal driving time from either, I'd fly to SJC every time. It's a pretty well timed flight too in my view - slightly later than the second SFO rotation. I suspect it is something of a goldmine for BA given the loads I've seen and a lot of it is corporate travel (which is to be expected - anybody working for or with Google, Facebook, Apple or Netflix head offices for starters is going to find SJC *much* more convenient).
To be honest, I'd think if BA were looking at unnecessary alternatives then I've always struggled to understand the point of EWR...
Which raises a question - do BA have a slot for another NA route or would this be necessarily coming from removing something or reducing a frequency somewhere?
I’ve always thought BA cut a flight or two to JFK and add it to EWR actually. Friendliest staff you’ll meet on the East Coast too working there
Aug 23, 2018, 3:03 am
#107
Join Date: Jan 2018
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 439
As for those asking about BWI, BA won’t cut this route as it’s being quite heavily subsidized. It’s also not a bad option into DC so has a dual purpose. Flown on it a couple of times and it’s been rammed on both occasions
Aug 23, 2018, 3:37 am
#108
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,682
I was one of those, this is interesting thank you. Is the subsidy public, or insider knowledge?
Aug 23, 2018, 4:59 am
#109
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold4life, ICH RA, Hyatt Gold and others
Posts: 701
Yes, challenge is that BA will have to figure out a better value proposition than just wide network out of LHR to compete with DL. There are already 32 flights/week between MSP and two *S hubs in Europe (AMS & CDG); DL effectively taps a very large feeder network on both sides of the pond. That's pretty much what BA/AA does in ORD - a short (334 miles) hop from MSP. So, unless there's a huge untapped demand originating from MSP (although a large metropolitan area, it is actually # 14 in the US - smaller than SEA but larger than DEN) there is a slim chance BA will launch this service. And this demand has to be huge - margins won't be high, as DL will fight tooth and nail for TATL ex-MSP.
Aug 23, 2018, 5:33 am
#110
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Aug 23, 2018, 5:39 am
#111
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: Brighton. UK
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Posts: 14,189
most of these 'subsidies' relate to a discount on landing fees for a period and paying for marketing campaigns 'come visit XXX and fly on BA to get here' sort of thing.
Aug 23, 2018, 6:41 am
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Aug 23, 2018, 6:45 am
#113
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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Aug 23, 2018, 6:54 am
#114
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Going off topic but that was the plot of a Jeffrey Archer novel - there was a document that gave Russia the right to buy Alaska back by a certain time for the original price but said document had vanished ...
Aug 23, 2018, 10:10 am
#115
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,264
If taxpayer money is involved in the USA side, and it usually is at least in part because these things typically involve landing fee waivers, then there are assorted freedom of information/'sunshine' laws about public records that typically kick in if you know which bureaucracy to ask for the documents to be pulled from.
Aug 23, 2018, 10:31 am
#116
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold4life, ICH RA, Hyatt Gold and others
Posts: 701
I will try to relocate a source that indicated (at least) one of BA's recent new US routes had established itself so quickly that the guarantee has not been drawn upon so far, and was unlikely to be drawn upon if the positive trend continued.
Aug 23, 2018, 10:42 am
#117
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: LHR/SEA/YVR
Programs: BAEC G/*O E
Posts: 917
For the US BTS publishes this data albeit with a 6 months delay. Not sure if same is available for Canada.
Below is an example of BA's historical load factor ex-SJC
Below is an example of BA's historical load factor ex-SJC
Aug 23, 2018, 10:44 am
#118
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci.
Posts: 2,047
Aug 23, 2018, 11:00 am
#119
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Glasgow, UK
Posts: 11
I think there's a good chance that BA quickly enter a new market in the US now that Tehran has been suspended. Slots to fill and all that...
Raleigh/Durham would be interesting. Could the complement or support AA there?
Raleigh/Durham would be interesting. Could the complement or support AA there?
Aug 23, 2018, 11:48 am
#120
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: BA bronze, Aeroplan peon
Posts: 4,744