adamj023

Hi. Lately Delta seems to be going through a huge migration in NYC as many know.

Will Delta be using LGA for all domestic and JFK for all international flights?

Seems like this would make the most sense.

Vuelos

And how would you get from JFK --> LGA (and vice versa) conveniently for connections?

stencil

Everyone who's anyone lives in NYC, didn't you know?

javabytes

Not a chance. For one, how would you connect from domestic to int'l and vice versa?

adamj023

Well I once waited at the airport for Delta when there was a broken down jet to bring a replacement from the other airport and the truth is it took longer to fly the plane between the two airports than taking a cab.

So I don't think a shuttle plane between the two airports would work well.

I would suggest a shuttle bus between the two airports and a future expansion of the Air Train to cover LGA.

I know the Port Authority is actively looking to upgrade LGA and Delta is swapping terminals with US Airways because of the slot swap and connect the two terminals.

But I believe it would be smartest for all fliers if JFK was turned into the international hub for all International flights while LGA was turned into the airline for all domestic flights for Delta. It would allow Delta to run more international flights since LGA can't handle those especially because the airports in the area are slot constrained.

Remember, international flights also create more revenue for Delta as well. I know Delta has a mix of domestic at JFK and LGA right now.

But the truth is T2 is old @ JFK and Im hoping Delta would considering phasing out T2 which is only capable of the smaller domestic flights.

nytraveller53

I thought LGA has a distance limit...?

LGANightOwl

In addition to all the above concerns, I believe LaGuardia is one out of a few airports that have the 1500-mile "perimeter rule." So for those that need to travel beyond 1500 miles, they'd have to connect somewhere, which wouldn't make traveling from NYC fun at all.

javabytes

Yes, 1,500 miles except on Saturdays and any flights to Denver.

amolkold

This. For those of us on the west coast, we have to fly into JFK if we want a direct flight. We could always connect, but you can't fly SLC-LGA, so some west coast cities would need 3 flights (AAA-SLC-HUB-LGA)

adamj023

LGA was made for Domestic flights. Exactly right.

LGA doesn't have any international flights. JFK has Domestic and International flights.

With Delta becoming a new HUB at LGA with a more modern upgraded terminal,
it only makes sense for Delta to expand its international routes and keep those domestic flights @ LGA.

Delta has significantly improved OTA and has every opportunity to turn LGA into a great domestic airport hub.

I didn't realize the distance limit was 1500 miles.

Ok so then taking this into account, I guess I would say that the long distance domestic flights and international flights should be at JFK while short range flights should be out of LGA.

So all the bigger planes out of JFK while LGA would be the smaller more regional planes.

LGA should be kept with those smaller routes under 1500 miles, anything above out of JFK.

Newark is international and domestic and MacArthur is just domestic.

Looking at Delta right now they have a small few regional flights that are short distance out of JFK which would be better if these were at LGA instead.

Reason I say this is because while some may want to use JFK, it would allow JFK to be more appropriately utilized for the capabilities of the airport.

So it will allow Delta to have more longer haul domestic and international @ JFK while keeping those regionals at LGA.

One can right now fly flights well under 1500 miles at JFK from Delta.

javabytes

Perimeter issue aside, what benefit do you see to this that wouldn't be outweighed by all connecting passengers having to get on a bus and transfer? Connecting traffic would plummet, in favor of either another Delta hub or another airline altogether, and I don't see how a vastly expanded international presence as you suggest could be supported so heavily by O&D.

tonypct

Don't see that happening. Clearly, not enough room at LGA for all of DL's domestic flights, especially on Comair or other Connection flights. LGA is an absolute nightmare for those flights.

amolkold

How would you funnel traffic through JFK? No one is going to want to fly domestically to LGA, take a taxi to JFK, check-in/go through security again, then fly out.

Also, DL serves a few eastern Canadian cities from LGA.

Ebes1099

Is anyone able to enlighten as to why LGA has a 1500 mile permiter rule?

LGANightOwl

It was spawned when JFK came along because they feared that no one would use the new airport because it was less convenient to go all the way to the south-shore of Queens. To counter that, they enacted the rule so that international and long-haul flights out of JFK. I think you can do a search for a more eloquent explanation.

Hey, I don't mind it at all. My house is on one of the flight paths to LGA and it's noisy enough. If they allow long-haul flights to/from LGA, that would most likely mean bigger planes and louder noises.