myadvice

While I don't know how long the service will last, it is important to note that one difference is that US has traditionally been an airline with very high (CASM) costs.

While PIT is not Chicago, or New York, there are still many businesses in PIT that do business internationally. A few examples are Bayer, PPG, US Steel, and Westinghouse.
See: http://www.alleghenyconference.org/P...dquartered.pdffor a more complete list.

I would describe the population in PIT as being stable rather than contracting. The population has only shrunk by 0.41% between 2000 and 2006. Much of that decline has more to do with a disproportional elderly population dying off than it does with the working age population.

Jumpgate

PIT will really have to rally around this flight. You can bet that there were some heavy incentives given to DL for this flight. The fact that it's a 757 is good - US only operated 767s and A333s which they definitely could not fill anymore once PIT lost its hubness.

You can be sure DL is offering this on a trial basis.

That being said, PIT, though not the massive industrial center of yore, does still have a solid foundation of internationally inclined companies.

Seagate, Bayer, Heinz, Ariba, Emerson, Westinghouse (what's left of it), Alcoa, PNC Bank, Mellon Bank, Federated Funds, RAND Corporation, Siemens, PPG, US Steel, GlaxoSmithKline, and NOVA Chemicals all are either located in the PIT area or have very large operations in or near PIT. Google and Intel both have research operations.

Also, don't forget Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh - both high achieving internationally acclaimed schools.

So there is the potential for this route to do well. However, all the aforementioned entities need to actually make a point of utilizing this route.

PSU Mudder

US ran A-333s on the route with 254 or so seats. DLs 752s have only 174 seats so the economics are different. Also, when US pulled down the routes they claimed they were profitable, but they had better utilization opportunities for the aircraft.

The PIT market has over 300 European O&Ds per day, so I think they have a pretty good chance of making this work. Admittely, though, this would be easier if a *A airline ran a route to FRA instead of DL/NW to CDG because they could pick up connecting traffic from US. Nobody is going to connect in PIT from ATL, DTW, CVG, or MSP.

Air Brian

Think of this not as a RDU-CDG flight, but as a CDG-RDU play. VCE, for instance, isn't a DL/AF hub but there is a flight between VCE-ATL. There may well be European demand for such a route in the reverse of how most here are evaluating it. By taking this approach, you can then start to think about whether all those European scientists and pharma-types might just have some business interests in the Research Triangle...

pitflyer

As someone who flies internationally from Pittsburgh, it is an interesting gamble to see Delta put up the route. I think a 757 may be 'right sized' for the route for business travellers in Pittsburgh who don't want to connect in New York (that can be a mess in the winter) and lose the extra time by back tracking to Chicago (often that route is not even offered). I haven't flown to CDG in nearly a decade, so if connections there are easy, then it may work -- since right now its often a double connect (PIT-PHL/WAS/NYC-European hub-destination vs PIT-CDG-destination).

As per the constant PIT bashing, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated" we will never have close to enough people to justify the white elephant of an airport, but there is enough globalization everywhere to support one international flight of a day.

DrivingRain

There really isnt a need for a CRC. Currently, the PIT terminal areas offer more square feet per passenger than most airport lounges because of the decrease in traffic in recent years.

WBurcham

Everyone has to think of this as a DL/AF decision.

AF took over the JFK-CDG flights with larger planes than the 763.

DL then took over the PHL-CDG flight with a smaller guaged 757 (versus the Airbus)

Now AF/DL think they can sustain 5x weekly flights on 174 seat aircraft from PIT/RDU. These are BETTER uses of the ETOPS 757's than transcon runs ex-ATL because of the incremental revenue to be gained. There have to be more than 175 customers going from PIT/RDU to Europe daily that can be captured utilizing a european connection versus a US connection.

PSU Mudder

DL got guarantees from the PA gov't


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08311/925956-100.stm

PSU Mudder

DL got guarantees from the PA gov't

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08311/925956-100.stm

chalf

PIT-CDG will not be served primarily by O&D, but by 'beyond' traffic. Only major Eurpoean destinations served non-stop from the US are reachable on a one-stop basis from PIT, and often with limited or inconvenient schedulings or routings. If one wants to go to a European hub city (LON, AMS, FRA, MUC, PAR) or a limited number of other cities there are currently good options, but almost any secondary European city requires a double connection. Now, options such as PIT-CDG-WAW are available with a single connection when previously two connections were required, and there is now one-stop competition on numerous other routings.

Even where one-stop service was available the eastbound transatlantic timings from PIT were often unhelpful, requiring mid-afternoon departures in order to make an evening connection from a US hub. The DL flight departs in the evening, and arrives in time for morning connections from CDG, potentially another benefit for business travellers.

Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central and East Asia all become much more accessible from PIT as a result of the single non-stop to a European hub. FRA would have done even more, but perhaps in time. LON would be nice to see, and might also support a daily 757, but it would need to rely more heavily on O&D traffic (as neither *A nor SkyTeam currently has a hub in London, neither BA nor AA is likely particularly interested).

TTT

I wonder what this move will mean for AMS once all is said and done. Are we going to see two European hubs for DL/NW/AF/KL? If not, I vote CDG goes away.

Just as a note, GSK announced earlier this week that it will be closing its PHL HQ and moving to RTP (RDU). Will its PIT operations remain at their current level?

myadvice

I haven't heard anything locally. Their PIT facility contains the consumer healthcare division, (separate from pharmaceuticals.) About 5 years ago, the PIT division considered a move to the RDU area, but instead moved to a new 300,000 sq ft. building near the PIT airport. If I recall correctly at the time, they purchased the building instead of leasing it.

Jumpgate

This is INCREDIBLY nit picky of me but I just couldn't resist.

You can do PIT-EWR-WAW right now on US and LOT. One stop. (My uncle flew this route relatively often).

(sorry)

WBurcham

Yes but the problem is that it's split between two alliances and the only way to buy the ticket would be through a travel agent versus direct through the airlines.

me4yankees

US and LOT are both Star Alliance carriers, so I am confused as to what you mean by "two alliances." As far as I know, you can book this route through the airlines.