I work for a university that has very close ties with the airlines. I spoke with an employee who works in network planning/development.

Besides that, I thought it was pretty well known that CVG was in reasonably close proximity to IND,SDF,DAY,LEX. It's not surprising that these airports no longer have flights to CVG.

From what I understand CVG and IND are pretty vocal about competing for passengers. I have not personally seen it but I understand there is a billboard located between CVG and IND that says something along the line of "Fly out of Indianapolis and leave CVG behIND".

I believe MEM is already smaller with it's current schedule of 111 daily flights. I think CVG is still around 120+ daily or so.

Yes, it does. CVG has ~120 departures while MEM is being reduced to 94.

Don't forget that CVG also still maintains pilot bases for the MD-88/90 and Boeing 737. MEM no longer has a Delta pilot base. I'm not sure if MEM still has a flight attendant base.

CVG is also a 737 maintenance base.

From what I have been told the BOD at Delta has given the green light to install new LCD panels in the flight deck of the MD-88. The first MD-88's to receive these new flight decks will be based at CVG. As with everything at Delta, this could change of course.

For the time being though it seems CVG's future is brighter than that of MEM.

What was the original attraction of MEM to NWA? Was it simply their Southeast connection hub, or was is based on O&D?

The reason for my question is, would UA benefit from an attempted build-up in MEM creating a (sorta kinda) Southeastern hub?

NWA inherited the MEM hub when they merged with Republic Airlines in 1986. Republic Airlines was formed from the merger of Southern Airways and North Central Airlines. The MEM hub originated with Southern Airways.

Delta had a mini hub at MEM back in the 1970's but was abandoned after deregulation.

I wouldn't look for UA to make a move on MEM. My guess is that IAH has their southeast cities covered.

I assume that Republic thought this would make a nice Southern hub in a city that wasn't already taken (ATL, CLT, DFW, IAH).

Why would UA want MEM when it has a huge operation at IAH which has a much larger O&D market.

I'm surprised how few flights MEM has. It is significantly smaller than RDU, even though RDU isn't a hub for anyone (anymore). I will miss MEM as a hub. It was the destination for my first ever free upgrade due to status (NWA).

My thought was that UA does not have a hub in the greater southeastern US ala DL in ATL and US in CLT. Anyone who lives in the SE and wants to travel within the SE cant fly UA. additionally, MEM could help southeasterners get to the northeast in the winter without a connection in EWR. and could server as a relief airport to both IAH and EWR in severe weather situations. Im sure the city of Memphis would make great concessions to snag a large hub operator again.

Just a thought.

MEM wouldn't help these problems. MEM isn't really in the southeast, it's in the northern fringe of what is traditionally thought of as the south. Someone wanting to fly intra-southeast would still be inconvenienced to fly NW to MEM and back SE again. Furthermore, MEM is much too far west to serve flows between the southeast and northeast, which are better served by either of IAD or EWR.

Reliever hubs really aren't sustainable in the current marketplace. That's why STL/PIT died, it's why MEM is dying, and it's why CLE/CVG are reduced in significance. The best hope is to garner additional service supporting local traffic, of which STL has certainly had the most success.

Memphians, and all others served by Memphis , will be served by ATL or CLT, like everyone else in the Southeast.

Kill the feed, kill the hub.

I would have thought the rumor mongers, I mean insiders, from the "Skymile Rumor" thread would have been all over this given the depth of their sources.

Even More Reductions in MEM
 

From yesterday's Memphis paper, Delta announces further cuts in service. MEM is down to just 95 daily flights (17 on Saturday). Service to Jacksonville and Birmingham is cut completely, and service to BNA, TYS, RDU, STL, Tulsa, Little Rock, Kansas City, and Jackson, MS is reduced.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...-service-memp/

Does this officially put MEM behind CVG now?

One way you can tell MEM has been reduced to a shell ... this article was posted over a day ago, yet (unless I missed it) no has noted the change on this board.

I don't think MEM has long left at all, which really is quite sad. It's a great place to connect, friendly staff, good food, easy for clearing customs for international flights ...

figured it was only a matter of time for TYS. CHA got the axe on the initial reduction.

I just noticed that MEM-BOS direct flights is reduced to once (from twice) a day starting mid-December. Not sure if this is is a seasonal schedule or permanent.

I agree with most posters that MEM is easy on connections and has a great Sky Club.

Back to connecting at ATL for me :(

So MEM is dying quicker than CVG???? WOW!