MKEflyer95

From what I looked up and how many flights are out of ORD to European destinations, LHR (or possibly LGW) probably would be the only destination from MKE going anywhere in Europe. But it would more likely be a longhaul low cost carrier like Norwegian or possibly Virgin Atlantic. And I found out ORD-CDG has only one flight daily so MKE-CDG aint happening.

BlueHorseShoe2000

While I like your optimism, there is almost no chance of MKE landing LHR service anytime in the foreseeable future. First, a slot for the route would need to become available. Second, you would need an airline with a suitable aircraft to operate the route with. The only candidate I could see for this route would be Delta with a 757, but my guess would be places like RDU, etc. would be a far bigger priority for them than MKE.

As others have said, IF MKE gets Trans-Atlantic service it will be to a place like KEF, DUB, or perhaps LGW. Flights would probably be seasonal and/or operate less than daily.

For better or worse, ORD is just down the road and has substantial European service to all of the major cities and connecting hubs. Even if MKE does secure a European flight, there will still be a number of people that will continue to use Chicago or connect due to flight schedules, frequent flier benefits, price, etc.

Btw, Chicago has three non-stop flights to Paris. American, Air France/KLM, and United all serve the route.

As an interesting side note to this discussion, back in 2005 or so Northwest Airlines looked at MKE-AMS. Apparently, they thought the numbers were there for a 757 but the plane did not have the range to make it to the Netherlands non-stop.

mizzou65201

In April, F9 is starting MKE-DFW and MKE-PHL on TRSu, and MKE-ATL on MWFSa.

F9 in general isn't up my alley (esp with no TSA Pre) but I suppose more service is better than less...

MKEflyer95

I don't really get why we need more flights to DFW, PHL, and ATL since they're already served by one or more airlines. I can see why due to competition but I don't think they'll be going very well. On another note, PHL starts in June.

dhuey

Seems like there could be enough of a local and northern Chicago suburbs market to justify a 787 route to LGW or CDG, especially with fuel costs so low now. Drive times from Highland Park to MKE and ORD are pretty close during much of the day, and MKE is so much easier getting in/parking/getting out.

BC Shelby

...interesting they pick Portland (where I currently live) as one of the examples of skipping O'Hare. Often during the summer travel season Southwest has one-stop through flights between the two cities. Northwest also used to have through service via MSP from time to time.

Consolidation has really hurt service at MKE and other mid sized airports as it has destroyed any notion of competition which was the reasoning behind the Deregulation Act of 1978. Once the mergers began in earnest the 1980s it has been a downhill road from there.

Before 1978 the major poswtwar (WWII) airline mergers were:

Delta - C & S (1953)
United - Capitol (1961)
Pacific Airlines - Bonanza - West Coast Airlines (1968 to form Air West)
Allegheny - Lake Central - Mohawk (1968/1972 to form US Air)
Delta - Northeast (1972)

Since Deregulation, American alone made four acquisitions, five if you count acquiring Eastern's Miami gateway and Latin America/Caribbean routes after that airline ceased operations.

Air California (1987)
Reno Air (1997)
Trans World (2001)
US Air (2013)

For the traveller, one of the downsides of Deregulation was the move the industry made from a primarily linear route system which offered more through one- or muliti stop flights to the current hub and spoke system which usually requires one change of plane in each direction (prior to Deregulation even smaller cities like Wausau/Stevens Point and Madison had through flights to places like Detroit, New York, and Washington DC).

BC Shelby

...there is also the Amtrak station just west of the airport with free shuttle service to the terminal. All Hiawatha runs serve Glenview, IL in the northern Chicago suburbs.

"Thin" long haul routes are as I understand, what the 787 was developed for. I could see LGW served with a 787-8. The longest range 757 (series 300 with blended winglets) would require a technical stop in either Gander or Shannon.

Back in the very early 70s BOAC (as the airline was known then) actually expressed interest in serving MKE. Would have been nice to see a VC-10 touch down there.

BC Shelby

...viewed some recent plane spotting vids at MKE and couldn't help but feel a sense of loss and disappointment.

I remember what it was like during the "golden age" of plane spotting ate MKE. Used to routinely head to the end of One Niner on Layton Ave or Seven Zero R by the Howell Ave. overpass depending on the winds to watch arrivals and departures. Then there was also the observation deck on the roof of the old A (now "D") Concourse which offered great views of both main runways and excellent photo platform for a 10¢ fee.

Just about everything from DC-6s, Viscounts, and Electras, to Caravalles, 707s, and DC-8s landed there. There were also the Metros on NC, FH 227s ("gooney birds") on OZ, KC-97s for ANG refuelling wing and C-119s for the 440th reserve wing. The real exciting days were when O'Hare was shut down by weather and the bigger planes were forced to divert to MKE (still remember how sleek looking yet noisy and smoky those 990 Astrojets were). That was how the 747 made it's first appearance there (Pan American flight 59 from London - "Clipper Rainbow" - May 30th 1970 which diverted because of oil pressure issues).

In later years 747s on Northwest as well as DC-10s on Northwest, United, and Continental were a usual sight.

In the crop of current videos I viewed, just about every plane I saw was some model of regional jet which made the occasional 737-700 on WN or A-320 on DL, F9, or AA almost look like a jumbo jet in comparison. Crikey, even an old 440 metro was both larger and more exciting to watch land or take off in comparison with flames belching from the exhausts.

I can easily understand the excitement that was generated when news that something big like the A-380 (en route to Oshkosh) or AN-225, and most recently, the advanced A-350 made an appearance.

About the only large planes that seem to touch down at MKE on a regular basis today are 757PF, Airbus 300 and MD-10/11 freighters for UPS and FedEx as well as the KC135s for the Air Guard wing.

Yeah, I feel the those "heady days" of plane spotting at MKE will be little more than memories any more considering the trend airlines are heading these days with regards to medium sized markets.

dhuey

What about all the long-past-deregulation glory days at MKE when Midwest Express provided business class service for the price of coach, on scores of nonstop routes throughout the country? Of course the pendulum has swung far in the other direction since the demise of Midwest Express, but it's far from clear that MKE is locked in now to the level of service and competition that it currently has.

MKEflyer95

I don't know if this matters that much but I just realized Delta squeazed in another flight on a CRJ daily starting April 4th between the original 7:00 AM (normally on an MD-90) and the 9:00 AM (normally on a 757-200 most of the time) flights to MSP leaving at 8:00 AM. I wonder what this extra frequency is all about. So by then there'll be 7 daily flights, not 6 going to MSP. It doesn't show it for the summer yet but it'll probably show that 8:00 AM flight once the schedule gets updated for that timeframe.

And I know DTW has an extra flight leaving at 10:30 AM approximately during the summer months but didn't show that in April.

traveller001

Frontier has pretty much axed it's charter business (Funjet/Apple) so they have planes and crews to spare.

They're picking routes that are overpriced on O&D without realizing AA, DL use those largely for connecting traffic.

I was surprised they didn't add IAH competing with United. Maybe they expect something else coming?

After Southwest has switched a lot of the International flying from ATL to DEN and HOU a lot of connections are impossible without an overnight stay one way or another. Something tells me a 2x per day MKE-HOU would make sense. HOU has a lot of other connections available if early morning or late evening flights were available.

traveller001

DL frequently flys 752s and 753s into MKE. They've upgaged virtually all their routes (717s replacing RJs and larger RJs replacing smaller ones) with no response from competitors.

traveller001

Ontime data is real. ORD can be a mess but they offer more directs so that affects less passengers.

Connecting from MKE-ORD IMO I'd opt to drive to ORD.

Keeping this in mind this presentation was done under a new Deputy Director with no leader above him. Not the normal smooth and always better MKE promotion.

WIRunner

I used to regularly fly MKE-ORD-Elsewhere on UA. It isn't as bad as it seems. The shorter security lines, cheaper parking, no toll roads, and less insanity made it worth it. Rarely did I get delayed, thankfully. Same flying GRB-ORD.

traveller001

E is staying open because investment in a restaurant apparently (and short sighted) guarantees it for 5yrs.

If it were to close it could stress TSA checkpoints on C or D until a single checkpoint in the works is operational.

As for E being an International port that was shutdown some time ago as too much work. It pretty much would have to be torn down and rebuild to separate passengers. As an inbound only it might work though still with a lot of work. Towing an inbound aircraft from E to D or C is not quick or easy.