screeton

Actually, LIT didn't get a new nonstop to Houston, we had one of our last three LIT-DAL flights diverted to HOU, where fewer convenient connections are available. I fly SWA to HOU about twice a year, but I fly to AUS about once a month from LIT, so I have not been too excited about the schedule change in January. Hopefully it will be fine tuned as 2020 progresses. LIT to AUS, which at times in the past has enjoyed nonstop service, becomes difficult at best with the new 2020 schedules. Very early morning or late night still works through DAL, but mid-day scheduling LIT-HOU-AUS will take almost as long as drive time. As I noted in another thread, it seems that SWA is gradually conceding a lot of this short and intermediate distance travel to other carriers, even though it was this traffic that built the airline back in the day.

argolfer

I was just coming back to post this. I've completed A-List for the year now (despite a gazillion cancellations this winter and spring resulting in my having to fly AA and DL) so I'm not *quite* as loyal for the rest of the year. And not surprisingly, of my next 6 booked flights, 3 of them are on DL because I couldn't get the flights I needed through WN. This is before the DAL flight is cancelled in January.

Couple that with the MAX 8 problems and it's not looking good for 2020...

solarbear

I'm not surprised to see DAL-SFO cut. There is tons of competition on that route, with DFW being an AA hub, SFO being a UA hub, and with Alaska's takeover of Virgin, they fly DAL-SFO too on the "shortest route between downtowns".

I'm also not surprised to see AUS-SFO cut. Alaska and United operate this route, so it's probably tough to price this as a moneymaker, that's good competition. Also, Southwest flies nonstop AUS-SJC and AUS-OAK. I'm guessing a good chunk of the AUS to Bay Area traffic is going far enough south that SJC isn't significantly less convenient than SFO. On these routes, they only compete with Alaska AUS-SJC.

They have to make huge cuts to cover their 11% seat-mile loss compared to expectation with the MAX. They're eliminating unprofitable routes: the ones where there aren't enough passengers like FLL-JAX, and the ones where the competition drives prices down too far to be profitable like AUS-SFO and DAL-SFO.

oopsz

BOS-ATL and NYC-MCO have been bloodbaths. Spirit, Delta and Jetblue are in heavy competition on these routes. I've seen (and booked) regular $39 fares, so it doesn't surprise me that they're getting axed.

formeraa

And, really, WN and other airlines are constantly assessing the profitability of routes and flights. But when your supply of aircraft is unexpectedly reduced, it forces a MORE critical look at routes. Borderline or slightly unprofitable routes might be dropped, when they otherwise would have been retained.

buckeyefanflyer

diver858

AA is finally retiring their last mad dogs - despite the MAX issues
AA MD-80 requiem - final 2019 routes and 4 Sep 2019 final flights wiki offers some interesting information.

argolfer

I booked a last minute flight on DL this week and one of the four segments was on an MD-88. Only seat was right back by the engine.

It's easy to romanticize a plane that has taken me safely to a lot of destinations. But I remember, now. 😬

NextTrip

I'm thinking, SWA is also aware of the profits made on two or three short hop flights vs. one transcontinental flight in the same amount of time.