DL to exit MEM-AMS & JFK-VLC
Oct 30, 2012, 12:15 pm
#1
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DL to exit MEM-AMS & JFK-VLC
Update at 1600GMT 30OCT12
DELTA in Summer 2013 season is cancelling Memphis – Amsterdam and New York JFK – Valencia service. These routes in Summer 2012 season operated 4 times a week.
Summer 2012 schedule:
Memphis – Amsterdam
DL594 MEM1925 – 1125+1AMS 767 x567
DL595 AMS1420 – 1515MEM 767 x567
New York JFK – Valencia
DL198 JFK2145 – 1135+1VLC 752 x247
DL199 VLC1400 – 1650JFK 752 x135
DELTA in Summer 2013 season is cancelling Memphis – Amsterdam and New York JFK – Valencia service. These routes in Summer 2012 season operated 4 times a week.
Summer 2012 schedule:
Memphis – Amsterdam
DL594 MEM1925 – 1125+1AMS 767 x567
DL595 AMS1420 – 1515MEM 767 x567
New York JFK – Valencia
DL198 JFK2145 – 1135+1VLC 752 x247
DL199 VLC1400 – 1650JFK 752 x135
http://airlineroute.net/2012/10/30/dl-amsvlc-s13/
Too bad for the Memphis community and those in nearby states wanting easy connections to Europe. Can't say I'm really surprised, the seasonal suspension was a leading indicator. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but back in the NW days this flight was daily year round DC-10 and later 333, and for a period of time even had KL metal. Very sad.
Oct 30, 2012, 12:34 pm
#3
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Just another step towards MEM becoming another CVG
The VLC cut is interesting too... guess leisure travel to Spain is down with the crappy economy both here and there.
The VLC cut is interesting too... guess leisure travel to Spain is down with the crappy economy both here and there.
Oct 30, 2012, 12:59 pm
#5
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I assume DL doesn't fly MEM-CDG even seasonally, so all TATL must go through a hub such as ATL now. What other flights use customs and immigration at MEM? LCCs to party islands and Mexico beaches such as Cancun? NW used to have a daily flight to San Juan, PR.
Oct 30, 2012, 12:59 pm
#6
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Oct 30, 2012, 1:04 pm
#7
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Maybe a seasonal CUN flight, I know AC exited MEM and several other transborder markets served by Jazz earlier this year but of course customs and immigration was processed at YYZ, not MEM.
Oct 30, 2012, 2:48 pm
#8
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Another hit on MEM, Wharton and company must be right by Anderson's office by now. I wonder if he again flies Delta to plead for business.
MEM probably won't become CVG, mainly due to the amount of "blood money" they have available now thru various means. So it looks more like DAL will be exiting within the next half a decade or so.
MEM probably won't become CVG, mainly due to the amount of "blood money" they have available now thru various means. So it looks more like DAL will be exiting within the next half a decade or so.
Oct 30, 2012, 3:01 pm
#9
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KL625 AMS1520 - 1750MEM M11 x137
KL626 MEM2030 - 1200+1AMS M11 x137
Oct 30, 2012, 3:54 pm
#11
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Thanks for posting this. I was looking at award redemptions last week and I found the JFK-VLC flight at low levels. A couple of days later it was gone. I kept thinking that I had imagined the whole thing!
Oct 30, 2012, 6:25 pm
#12
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Here's the view from the MEM paper.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...m-flight-next/
As the paper notes, just last year DL and MEM celebrated how successful the flight had been. And as posters in the article note, the flight was supposedly profitable for a long, long time. I took that flight many times, and it was always packed.
Many people like to avoid the insanity of customs at ATL, JFK etc. I find it very hard to believe there wasn't a very tangible, solid market for this flight. But of course once DL also cut all of the connections (as if passengers in ATL aren't connecting!), no one who took the MEM-AMS flight could get where they needed to go in the US if it weren't MEM (nor could they get to MEM to feed the flight).
Am I right to think the only reason a flight that successfully operated daily for 17 years became untenable was solely because of decisions DL made? The whole thing strikes me as ridiculous.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...m-flight-next/
As the paper notes, just last year DL and MEM celebrated how successful the flight had been. And as posters in the article note, the flight was supposedly profitable for a long, long time. I took that flight many times, and it was always packed.
Many people like to avoid the insanity of customs at ATL, JFK etc. I find it very hard to believe there wasn't a very tangible, solid market for this flight. But of course once DL also cut all of the connections (as if passengers in ATL aren't connecting!), no one who took the MEM-AMS flight could get where they needed to go in the US if it weren't MEM (nor could they get to MEM to feed the flight).
Am I right to think the only reason a flight that successfully operated daily for 17 years became untenable was solely because of decisions DL made? The whole thing strikes me as ridiculous.
Oct 30, 2012, 6:50 pm
#13
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Here's the view from the MEM paper.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...m-flight-next/
As the paper notes, just last year DL and MEM celebrated how successful the flight had been. And as posters in the article note, the flight was supposedly profitable for a long, long time. I took that flight many times, and it was always packed.
Many people like to avoid the insanity of customs at ATL, JFK etc. I find it very hard to believe there wasn't a very tangible, solid market for this flight. But of course once DL also cut all of the connections (as if passengers in ATL aren't connecting!), no one who took the MEM-AMS flight could get where they needed to go in the US if it weren't MEM (nor could they get to MEM to feed the flight).
Am I right to think the only reason a flight that successfully operated daily for 17 years became untenable was solely because of decisions DL made? The whole thing strikes me as ridiculous.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...m-flight-next/
As the paper notes, just last year DL and MEM celebrated how successful the flight had been. And as posters in the article note, the flight was supposedly profitable for a long, long time. I took that flight many times, and it was always packed.
Many people like to avoid the insanity of customs at ATL, JFK etc. I find it very hard to believe there wasn't a very tangible, solid market for this flight. But of course once DL also cut all of the connections (as if passengers in ATL aren't connecting!), no one who took the MEM-AMS flight could get where they needed to go in the US if it weren't MEM (nor could they get to MEM to feed the flight).
Am I right to think the only reason a flight that successfully operated daily for 17 years became untenable was solely because of decisions DL made? The whole thing strikes me as ridiculous.
DL forever has thought that it will eventually outmuscle FEDEX's influence on MEM, this is another case of it throwing its toys out of the pram. It is the team Fedex that has been touting (recently) MEM to Frontier, Jetblue and Southwest (sigh!). DL obviously looks at MEM as a disposable hub mainly because of its proximity to ATL and it is this decision making that will eventually lead to DL looking at becoming the new Sony Electronics of Airlines.
I love flying on DL as much as the next guy on this forum, but this kind of mentality will make DL lose the market it has in the south eventually. Its not like ATL has space to expand, and its not like MEM is limited in capacity.
Star Alliance will look to gain from this, disturbingly so!.
Interesting comment from a Delta Does Memphis Fan in the article:
Delta bought Northwest to eliminate competition, not to improve service or lower consumer prices.
The fact is with no sizeable competitor in the Memphis market and no viable alternative within 100 miles, Delta knew they would be able to hollow out their Memphis-based coverage without risking losing significant business.
Diverting regional flights to and thru their Atlanta hub was always Delta's goal. Draining Memphis of its passenger traffic allows Delta to utilize the capacity already on hand in Altanta and cut jobs in Memphis by eliminating consumer options. Delta need not fear that customers will take their money elsewhere, because they eliminated the competition.
We can see their plan was to promise stabily (lie) while following a plan of steadily cutting back flights under the guise of suddenly discovering cost savings. Delta knew from the start that the merger would allow them to save money by shifting flights to Atlanta, but they dare not state that goal from the start for fear of the backlash that has now arrived. I expect the cutbacks will continue as will the price hikes.
Memphis' plight is a perfect example of why anti-trust (monopoly blocking) laws exist. From a business perspective, Delta as done an excellent job of cornering the market and turning the screw.
Demand is more of less constant, supply has been and will continue to be cut, and so prices & profit will rise at the expense of the consumer.
Fewer flight choices, more mandatory connections, longer overall flight times, reduced tourism and higher costs for everyone in the area. More profit for Delta.
Delta Does Memphis.
The fact is with no sizeable competitor in the Memphis market and no viable alternative within 100 miles, Delta knew they would be able to hollow out their Memphis-based coverage without risking losing significant business.
Diverting regional flights to and thru their Atlanta hub was always Delta's goal. Draining Memphis of its passenger traffic allows Delta to utilize the capacity already on hand in Altanta and cut jobs in Memphis by eliminating consumer options. Delta need not fear that customers will take their money elsewhere, because they eliminated the competition.
We can see their plan was to promise stabily (lie) while following a plan of steadily cutting back flights under the guise of suddenly discovering cost savings. Delta knew from the start that the merger would allow them to save money by shifting flights to Atlanta, but they dare not state that goal from the start for fear of the backlash that has now arrived. I expect the cutbacks will continue as will the price hikes.
Memphis' plight is a perfect example of why anti-trust (monopoly blocking) laws exist. From a business perspective, Delta as done an excellent job of cornering the market and turning the screw.
Demand is more of less constant, supply has been and will continue to be cut, and so prices & profit will rise at the expense of the consumer.
Fewer flight choices, more mandatory connections, longer overall flight times, reduced tourism and higher costs for everyone in the area. More profit for Delta.
Delta Does Memphis.
Oct 30, 2012, 7:12 pm
#14
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You guys confuse me. Some of you think MEM leads CVG? After the cut backs in flying announced for MEM I believe it is now the hub with the fewest flights. Also, there is no more pilot base left at MEM. CVG still has an MD-80/90 and 737 pilot base. CVG is also a 737 maintenance base.
Cincinnati also has a decent business community to support flights. CVG-CDG has always performed well financially thanks to be business community in Cincinnati, namely P&G. Delta recently announced that Starting this summer CVG-CDG will now be operated with the newly reconfigured 767's.
I have family members that live in Memphis so I fly there a few times a year. While I enjoy the Skyclub and the friendly Skyclub staff I can't share that sentiment wight the rest of the airport. Old,dirty, and way outdated are the words that come to my mind.
Cincinnati also has a decent business community to support flights. CVG-CDG has always performed well financially thanks to be business community in Cincinnati, namely P&G. Delta recently announced that Starting this summer CVG-CDG will now be operated with the newly reconfigured 767's.
I have family members that live in Memphis so I fly there a few times a year. While I enjoy the Skyclub and the friendly Skyclub staff I can't share that sentiment wight the rest of the airport. Old,dirty, and way outdated are the words that come to my mind.
Oct 30, 2012, 7:23 pm
#15
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You guys confuse me. Some of you think MEM leads CVG? After the cut backs in flying announced for MEM I believe it is now the hub with the fewest flights. Also, there is no more pilot base left at MEM. CVG still has an MD-80/90 and 737 pilot base. CVG is also a 737 maintenance base.
Cincinnati also has a decent business community to support flights. CVG-CDG has always performed well financially thanks to be business community in Cincinnati, namely P&G. Delta recently announced that Starting this summer CVG-CDG will now be operated with the newly reconfigured 767's.
I have family members that live in Memphis so I fly there a few times a year. While I enjoy the Skyclub and the friendly Skyclub staff I can't share that sentiment wight the rest of the airport. Old,dirty, and way outdated are the words that come to my mind.
Cincinnati also has a decent business community to support flights. CVG-CDG has always performed well financially thanks to be business community in Cincinnati, namely P&G. Delta recently announced that Starting this summer CVG-CDG will now be operated with the newly reconfigured 767's.
I have family members that live in Memphis so I fly there a few times a year. While I enjoy the Skyclub and the friendly Skyclub staff I can't share that sentiment wight the rest of the airport. Old,dirty, and way outdated are the words that come to my mind.
I am not sure I understand this,so Memphis does not have a business community? Is that what this is about? Because that is really not true. Every airport does not have to be AMS or JFK in terms of equipment, and in terms of traffic MEM does provide a pretty strong base, if you do count the folks that travel to BNA or LIT to seek cheaper flights.
The gates etc would have been maintained if they saw traffic accordingly. MEM does compare to CVG in terms of state of the terminals (currently empty) then doesn't it?
I wonder why folks berate an airport that is a no hassles airport better than the "hubs" some airports claim to be. And FWIW, US Airways has been consistently improving capacity to MEM (jets wise if not frequency) so you cannot tell me that the demand is not there.
FYI : I just "live" in MEM, not born here, not settled here, but I live here mainly because its a convenient get-in/get-out airport