ORD Announces Major Expansion, DL Wants In On It
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: ORD / MDW / FLL
Programs: DL DM/1MM, AA EXP, SPG Platinum, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Platinum
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ORD Announces Major Expansion, DL Wants In On It
Mayor Emmanuel and ORD officials announced a major expansion of terminal space at ORD today. T5 gets 9 new int'l gates with one to accommodate A380s. T2 gets demolished, replaced and expanded. Expansion also planned for T1 and T3.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ens-soon-after
Interestingly, embedded in the story was the following comment: "Delta, for instance, after all but abandoning O'Hare a few years ago, now uses eight gates and wants a "significant' expansion."
Very interesting as I thought DL had no interested in ORD other than connecting it to hubs. I wonder what they mean by "significant." Let the speculation begin!
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ens-soon-after
Interestingly, embedded in the story was the following comment: "Delta, for instance, after all but abandoning O'Hare a few years ago, now uses eight gates and wants a "significant' expansion."
Very interesting as I thought DL had no interested in ORD other than connecting it to hubs. I wonder what they mean by "significant." Let the speculation begin!
#2
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD/MDW/MKE
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 786
Pure speculation here, but I could see DL wanting to connect ORD more with the west coast (either more/more mainline SLC or flights to LAX and SEA). Also, I could see DL wanting to consolidate ops during the winter when they run CDG so that they can have all of their flights out of one area instead of being split between Terminals 2 and 5.
#3
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: delta dm
Posts: 1,677
Mayor Emmanuel and ORD officials announced a major expansion of terminal space at ORD today. T5 gets 9 new int'l gates with one to accommodate A380s. T2 gets demolished, replaced and expanded. Expansion also planned for T1 and T3.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ens-soon-after
Interestingly, embedded in the story was the following comment: "Delta, for instance, after all but abandoning O'Hare a few years ago, now uses eight gates and wants a "significant' expansion."
Very interesting as I thought DL had no interested in ORD other than connecting it to hubs. I wonder what they mean by "significant." Let the speculation begin!
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ens-soon-after
Interestingly, embedded in the story was the following comment: "Delta, for instance, after all but abandoning O'Hare a few years ago, now uses eight gates and wants a "significant' expansion."
Very interesting as I thought DL had no interested in ORD other than connecting it to hubs. I wonder what they mean by "significant." Let the speculation begin!
#4
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD/MDW/MKE
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 786
Do you really think DL wants more Europe over what it already has? I can't imagine Europe is anything but fierce competition out of ORD and DL has no connections on the stateside. The only reason they do the winter flight to CDG is to take over for AF. I do recall that they were thinking of doing winter LHR as well but nothing ever came of that.
#5
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: delta dm
Posts: 1,677
Do you really think DL wants more Europe over what it already has? I can't imagine Europe is anything but fierce competition out of ORD and DL has no connections on the stateside. The only reason they do the winter flight to CDG is to take over for AF. I do recall that they were thinking of doing winter LHR as well but nothing ever came of that.
#6
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD/MDW/MKE
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 786
Given that western Europe is within 757 range from ORD, I could see possibly some sort of less than weekly service, but I think it's less likely than west coast.
#7
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: delta dm
Posts: 1,677
Florida I could see also. Also perhaps seasonal and/or less than daily CUN. DL seems to love doing Saturday CUN service from a whole host of places. I think west coast is definitely the most likely though.
Given that western Europe is within 757 range from ORD, I could see possibly some sort of less than weekly service, but I think it's less likely than west coast.
Given that western Europe is within 757 range from ORD, I could see possibly some sort of less than weekly service, but I think it's less likely than west coast.
#8
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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what confuses me is that if DL wants expansion then why have the reduced their number of gates in T2? UA has creeped down T2 well into spaces that used to be occupied by DL. DL did take over the old US gate but I still think they are down a gate or two from a couple of years back.
My sense is that very little international makes sense given the strength of the UA and AA hubs here and the fact that nearly every major carrier in Europe and Asia already flies into ORD so I see little opportunity to DL here without a hub and I can't imagine that happening.
I could see service to SEA and +/- LAX (though there are five carriers already flying ORD/MDW - LAX). Aside from this, I'm struggling to see how or where DL expands. I live in ORD and would love to see DL increase their flight option out of here. In particular, I'd love to see connectivity with large domestic business destination and major FL airports though I fear I may be holding my breath.
#9
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: delta dm
Posts: 1,677
DL already has this through all of the their JV partners.
what confuses me is that if DL wants expansion then why have the reduced their number of gates in T2? UA has creeped down T2 well into spaces that used to be occupied by DL. DL did take over the old US gate but I still think they are down a gate or two from a couple of years back.
My sense is that very little international makes sense given the strength of the UA and AA hubs here and the fact that nearly every major carrier in Europe and Asia already flies into ORD so I see little opportunity to DL here without a hub and I can't imagine that happening.
I could see service to SEA and +/- LAX (though there are five carriers already flying ORD/MDW - LAX). Aside from this, I'm struggling to see how or where DL expands. I live in ORD and would love to see DL increase their flight option out of here. In particular, I'd love to see connectivity with large domestic business destination and major FL airports though I fear I may be holding my breath.
what confuses me is that if DL wants expansion then why have the reduced their number of gates in T2? UA has creeped down T2 well into spaces that used to be occupied by DL. DL did take over the old US gate but I still think they are down a gate or two from a couple of years back.
My sense is that very little international makes sense given the strength of the UA and AA hubs here and the fact that nearly every major carrier in Europe and Asia already flies into ORD so I see little opportunity to DL here without a hub and I can't imagine that happening.
I could see service to SEA and +/- LAX (though there are five carriers already flying ORD/MDW - LAX). Aside from this, I'm struggling to see how or where DL expands. I live in ORD and would love to see DL increase their flight option out of here. In particular, I'd love to see connectivity with large domestic business destination and major FL airports though I fear I may be holding my breath.
#10
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD/MDW/MKE
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 786
Im a chicago native dont currently live there but fly through often. Lax sfo pdx and sea are no brainers. I could also see bos. All the typical florida routes are no brainers. Cancun and a few carribean mexico seasonal destinations. And I really think delta will eventually try Europe. Growing up i remember when ord was a delta hub.
#11
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
Im a chicago native dont currently live there but fly through often. Lax sfo pdx and sea are no brainers. I could also see bos. All the typical florida routes are no brainers. Cancun and a few carribean mexico seasonal destinations. And I really think delta will eventually try Europe. Growing up i remember when ord was a delta hub.
Those are the exact routes I thought DL would like to add out of ORD...maybe SJC instead of or in addition to SFO. But in rank order I would say for DL priorities
ORD to:
SEA
LAX
BOS
SFO/SJC
PDX
Then perhaps MEX once the JV with AM goes through
And some wild cards being
RDU
IND
CMH
#13
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MLB, MCO
Programs: Delta Plat, IHG Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,315
I really hope they don't expand too much there. ORD is an absolute mess all winter, and with AA and UA even the hint of snow in the forecast causes flight delay ripples through their whole networks. I've never figured out why MSP, DTW, or even MDW can handle the winter just fine but ORD fails so badly.
#14
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,394
I really hope they don't expand too much there. ORD is an absolute mess all winter, and with AA and UA even the hint of snow in the forecast causes flight delay ripples through their whole networks. I've never figured out why MSP, DTW, or even MDW can handle the winter just fine but ORD fails so badly.
The biggest single reason it seems that the others do better is simple volume. According to RITA stats,
MDW is 24th in pax
DTW 14
MSP 12
ORD is 2
So there is a lot less tolerance for disruption at ORD than the others.
#15
Join Date: Dec 2008
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"Expansion" could also mean increased frequencies (in addition to SEA, LAX, etc). eg: ATL, DTW, LGA could all go to hourly, and SLC could go to every couple of hours, ignoring details like available slots at the other end, etc.