DL2SXM

With CO leaving ST by the end of next month, there will be a very large void to fill with no more non stop NYC to SXM service by a ST airline.

As much as I love DL, I would almost always choose CO's direct flight out of EWR. With DL, only way to SXM out of NYC was with a connection through ATL and it would turn a direct flight of just under 4 hours (on CO) into an all day journey on DL. (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Now, with CO leaving ST soon, the only way to SXM from NYC on ST equiptment is with that connection in ATL.

CO offered a nice alternative although the price to pay was forgoing any chance at a UG.

If there was one new destination I would love for Delta to begin, it would be non-stop JFK to SXM service. Even though Jetblue, AA and CO all go direct from NYC, I think DL would have a better then decent chance of succeeding, if for no other reason then for the fact that no other ST airline will service non-stop NYC to SXM service. Seasonal service would suffice and I bet they would fill up the planes.

Thoughts?

WBurcham

Please don't take this in a negative way but big void...

JFK-SXM isn't that large of a market.

I think that you answered the issue of service by saying there are already 3 airlines serving the market.

DL2SXM

and none of them a ST airline. With JFK a rather large hub for DL, you would no doubt get loyal DL flyers to fill up a 737. If jetblue can operate twice daily, DL would do just fine with 1x daily.

pbarnette

Every flight anyone ever wants to take is a big void if DL doesn't offer it. I mean, I can't believe that DL can't find a way to support JFK-CPH, and there are times I convince myself that it is a market that could work, even though it probably can't. The reality is that SXM is a small, leisure market that is served well, including LCC coverage and CO. As for AA, don't discount their relationship with Liberty Travel, which is a big player in the Northeast-Caribbean routes and who really pushes AA flights as part of their packages.

My suggestion is to take B6 for this route - it really is a great product.

baccarat_king

I was thinking the same thing. IMO, really robust service to a leisure destination that's probably not a "top" leisure market in volume.

Try living in the BOS area, our Caribbean service is rather sparse. [but, still better than our non-existent non-stop service to Asia ]

And, as has been mentioned many times on FlyerTalk :
full flights DO NOT EQUAL profitable flights,

remove the business traveler (i.e. full fare, last minute etc.), and you are stuck with a not so profitable flight year round.

Yep, an excellent suggestion. ^

StayingHomeIsBetter

Or, to put it in FT terms, it is only a big void if it is a destination I need to get to. If it only inconveniences others, it is not a big void.

[Not my attitude, but a common one here.]

DL2SXM

Someone suggested trying JetBlue, that is all well and find but the cost is losing nearly 5,000 MQMs so that is out. With all the leisure non stop caribbean routes that Delta flies to out of JFK, SXM would seem like a no brainer. I mean, SXM in peak travel season demands a pretty expensive RT fare. And, out of most of the carribean countries, SXM, IMHO, is one of the more expensive countries in comparison to the others, so you might a few to some passengers paying a full premium first class fare.

Nothing personal against jetblue, but I'd rather connect 20 times to get to my destination then take jetblue.

NHFL9

To be fair, fares to SXM are usually very high for the distance covered. Best you can usually get out of NYC is $450-550ish round trip, which is quite a bit to go 1,700 miles in economy class.

I enjoyed the CO EWR-SXM service; however, I don't mind flying via ATL to stay on DL. Other option of course is to fly AF JFK-CDG-SXM or KL JFK-AMS-SXM

hfly

Many Caribbean destinations out of NY are very low yielding and only make it with subsidies from the islands (and huge travel agent deals as someone has cites AA's deals with liberty). Airlines tend to only fly to them from their hubs, where they can make a go of it. It makes sense that CO flies there from EWR as does AA from JFK to many Caribbean destinations, as it does with DL from Atlanta.