readywhenyouare

Really, would you mind sharing who those companies are?

KDCAflyer

And are they as valuable as the hundreds of tons of high-end engine parts that GE ships on that flight each year?

MIDWESTERNFLYER

No, my original, original point was that IND-AMS makes more sense than CVG-AMS, considering CVG already has a flight which is seeing a decline in seat utilization (78%-2015 to 69%-2016). Meaning adding an additional TATL would take pax away from the flight they already have. I am not sure why you can't bear the fact that IND could get a flight to AMS before CVG. Considering IND has more pax to AMS, IND has just as much if not more cargo to europe (RR, Cummins, Dow Agro, Lilly, Roche, Allison Transmissions, e.t.c), and the fact that DL has corporate contracts with most companies in the Indianapolis CSA (from the NWA/DL focus city days), just like CVG does.

cfabar1

CVG was a ghost town... literally 4 people in the club... no one in the restaurants... no investment in maintaining the facility... imagine being in the DTW north terminal and there being 4 flights in a 6 hour period... I'm amazed the businesses stay open... I have to say, it was (after SLC) one of the first airports I ever connected in years ago... downright jarring to see what had happened... I believe there were still multiple terminals in those days... I"m told now it has been demolished... There are some GREAT articles about this once great airport.. Hopefully the new infrastructure bill will devote some funds to rebuilding it up.

MIDWESTERNFLYER

The arrangements I'm currently aware of are Eli Lilly and Roche because I know people there.

Eli Lilly currently ships Pharmaceuticals on CargoLux and FedEx

Roche Diagnostics based in Switzerland has it's North American headquarters in IND, and also currently uses Cargolux to ship its pharmaceuticals. Roche alone carries 4,160,000 pounds a year on the CargoLux flight to LUX, which is equivalent to how much DL carries for GE a year on CVG-CDG (4,200,000 pounds)

Cummins (engines, generators, filtration, e.t.c) Dow Agro(chemicals) Rolls-Royce (engines) Allison Transmissions (Transmissions) Biomet (Medical Devices) Thor Industries (Recreational Vehicles) Berry Global (plastics) are also some large companies that frequently ship into and out of Europe and beyond as well, however I am not sure what each of their arrangements are.

If I am not mistaken doesn't GE aviation have one of its 3 plants in the world for assembling and repairing the engines in Lafayette, Indiana. Which is much closer to IND than to CVG, so they could send more parts through IND as well if this flight were to happen.

hockeyinsider

In the winter, I was diverted there after our plane circled and circled Detroit and ran out of fuel. Why Delta didn't divert us to some airport in Michigan I have no idea. We ended up at CVG. I believe it was a MD-88.

When we arrived, there was no red jacket. There was one gate agent. The passengers flooded her. Nobody from Delta came to help her. No vouchers. Nothing. Some people waited over an hour to see the agent. I made my way to the lounge, where the agents were friendly and tried their best to help and re-accomodate. I think there were maybe 10 people in the whole lounge.

IndyDave

Late 80's or early 90's, the Delta IND sales manager told me that Delta was considering IND instead of CVG for expansion, but since Indiana didn't observe daylight saving time at that time, it would be too complicated for their scheduling. He may have been blowing smoke, but it sounded good.

irishguy28

If it needs a party "willing to put up the money", then it's not a profitable route! @:-)

(Yes, I know what you are saying. But in your extreme example, you must realise that the "party" will soon tire of throwing good money after bad, when they could just send their (so few!) employees on an indirect service. Heck, it might even be cheaper for them to rent a private jet [at that average load factor, the daily pax load is only about 21-26 pax] rather than paying for the 90% of empty seats or however many they need to get that flight off the ground!!!!!)

kop84

It's not that the ME3 is subsidized...it's how much they are subsidized.

If my folks give me $100, and my sister $1,000,000 we are both being subsidized by them....doesn't mean it's the same thing.

irishguy28

You must have been a VERY difficult child!!!

greycap7

I haven't read the whole thread. But you know the CVG CDG flight is called the Proctor and Gamble express right? Despite being the P&G Express (and the boardroom handshakes between P&G and Delta for this flight), Delta makes more money under the seats than it does above the seats...

The beauty of the relationship between GE and Delta is symbiotic. Initiating a new route takes an incredible amount of effort, time, and money. Without the two corporate sponsors i.e GE and P&G, I don't think Delta would have this route.

The RR facility (which only does Defense aircraft, civil helicopters, regional and business jets, and power systems for U.S. Naval vessels.) is an hour away from IND and the GE facility is about 35 minutes away.

Keith2004

For all the statistics being cited here...

Has IND ever had service to Europe?

What is the extent of the current international service?

Has IND ever been a HUB?

I would be really surprised if service to AMS popped up at IND, Usually when a US city has a single destination in Europe it is London, Paris or Iceland

Edit: Ireland in Connecticut and Norwegians adventures in New England would be exceptions to this

KDCAflyer

Why would GE send parts to AMS? Last time I checked there wasn't a major Airbus facility in NL.

flyerCO

No i don't think there is one major or even minor in Niger.

KDCAflyer

Hey you never know 😂