too much competition

B6's two stated growth markets are BOS business markets and the Caribbean/Latin America. From DCA, BOS fits the bill as frequent service at a premium price with only US to compete against works well. As Latin America/Caribbean routes are beyond perimeter, that traffic can go through Florida. In addition, B6 is already well known in Florida markets. They are relatively new to DCA. To introduce the maximum amount of people to their product, serving high density flights to strong markets makes a lot of sense. As more people learn about their DCA service, they can always move those slots around to other destinations. It is not in the airline's financial interest to start experimental flights from an airport which they are spending millions to gain greater access.

There are also beyond perimeter slots coming up soon from DCA. They could apply for west coast or SJU service. Thus cutting a frequency from a Florida market early on would not have as great an impact as starting a new city pair and yanking it a couple months later.

Darn! I didn't even know that. It's getting more tougher competition against DL, US, B6 and others, too.

I say: Bullsht. BOS-LGA fares run around $200 while BOS-JFK fares run around half that. If B6 can make money on BOS-JFK, surely BOS-LGA must make even more money.

I hadn't thought of the "parking" theory - that makes some sense, especially if B6 wins a beyond-perimeter slot or two.

Today, Ted Reed examines B6's decision to use most of its new expensive slots for Florida flights:

http://www.thestreet.com/_yahoo/stor...FREE&cm_ite=NA

Because it's too extremely overcrowded who flew from BOS-NYC everyday. Way too much competition! It's will get more tougher competition. That's why they won't start a direct flight BOS-LGA.

You mean they rather would make $100 than $200? Makes no sense.

Very happy to see the addition of LGA - SRQ. Fly JFK SRQ frequently, but LGA is a bit more convenient. And the added capacity is great sinice the JFK flights are almost always booked. Went to the JB site to book flights out of LGA during summer & noted the fares are much LOWER from LGA (and flight time much better too). Do they do some sort of Intro fare, and then raise them later, or are the fares out of LGA really going to stay lower than JFK?

airfare quotes are hardly an indicator of whether an airline makes money on a route

the president just signed the new FAA bill yesterday, and in that, DCA will get 8 round trip beyond perimeter slots. wonder if B6 will file for DCA-LGB.

You think that the cost of operating BOS-JFK is much different from BOS-LGA?

Who decides which airline will get those slots?

Only 8 slots would require B6 to use every slot for BOS/LGA to be even remotely competitive. The whole selling point of the shuttle operations is that they are at least hourly so that you never have to wait around. If there are large gaps in the schedule, the business goes right to US/DL. This route is no longer the money maker it once was.

As for the beyond perimeter slots at DCA, 4 will be awarded to large incumbent carriers (US/DL/UA/AA). The other 4 will be for carriers with limited or no service--which includes jetBlue. I would say SJU or LAX would be the two most likely choices for jetBlue. For one of the few flights non-stop from the West Coast to DCA, choosing a business airport or an access point to the Caribbean would make the most sense.

As there is no service from SFO to DCA non-stop it would make sense for UA and VX to request that.

Don't forget too that B6 is accounting for both slot purchases as assets. The long term value may be higher than the present value and thus make money on what you can now and seize opportunities that arise in the near and/or distant future.

i don't know the facts, but i bet slots at LGA are much more expensive than JFK.

the DOT determines who gets the slots. and i would say B6 would do LGB, since AS already has an LAX flight. plus, better connections to SFO/OAK/SMF/LAS for LGB.

UA will probably get SFO.

looks like UA applied for DCA-SFO...i wonder if B6 goes for AUS and LGB. apparently bids have to be submitted by march 12.