changes coming UA DCA
Aug 12, 2011 | 7:46 am
#31
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 739
Originally Posted by Driving by DCA
Plus, DCA isn't really a connection airport.
Aug 12, 2011 | 8:22 am
#32
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA MileagePlus cattle, DL SkyPesos peon, HHonors Blue
Posts: 480
every flight i have been on between DCA and ORD has been full the past year - and i do that route almost every week. i think the demand is there to keep it as an hourly flight...although there is going to be cuts to capacity, i just dont see this route being one that is cut...
Aug 12, 2011 | 1:54 pm
#33
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: USA
Programs: MYOB
Posts: 1,456
Functional does not always come into play. "having" AA move is a lot easier said than done. They would need to want to move (or be forced by the airport auth).....AND in most cased like this the requesting company (UA/CO) in this case would have to offer to pay for all of AA's expenses to relocate. That gets weighed against the preceived advantage to new space. Lots of moving parts.
Aug 12, 2011 | 2:07 pm
#34
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA MileagePlus cattle, DL SkyPesos peon, HHonors Blue
Posts: 480
Functional does not always come into play. "having" AA move is a lot easier said than done. They would need to want to move (or be forced by the airport auth).....AND in most cased like this the requesting company (UA/CO) in this case would have to offer to pay for all of AA's expenses to relocate. That gets weighed against the preceived advantage to new space. Lots of moving parts.
Aug 12, 2011 | 2:33 pm
#35
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Plat & 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 8,704
I think these may be in jeopardy. Remember with the DCA perimeter rule, in the UA network, ORD was the only airport they could reach from DCA (the single DCA-DEN is a perimeter exception). This essentially necessitated that all DCA slots be used to ORD and ORD only (single DCA-DEN exception aside)
With the combined network, UA will be able to serve DCA-EWR/CLE/IAH/ORD before perimeter exceptions, possibly reducing demand for the DCA-ORD frequencies.
With the combined network, UA will be able to serve DCA-EWR/CLE/IAH/ORD before perimeter exceptions, possibly reducing demand for the DCA-ORD frequencies.
Aug 12, 2011 | 2:46 pm
#36
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: USA
Programs: MYOB
Posts: 1,456
They don't care
Some airport authorities are just downright difficult. I'd place MWAA, BOS and LAX in the top 5. Remember MWAA are the good folks that brought you the "temporary" concourse C at IAD.
To directly answer your question - With the smaller respective size of UA and AA operations at DCA......MWAA could not care less........unless is was convenient for them.
Aug 12, 2011 | 3:03 pm
#37
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: UA MileagePlus cattle, DL SkyPesos peon, HHonors Blue
Posts: 480
Absolutely. With a merger, though, might MWAA want to step in and re-allocate some gates since the combined UA ops can probably get by with what, 4-5, and they can hand out the extras to WN, Sun Country, etc.?
Aug 12, 2011 | 3:15 pm
#38
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: USA
Programs: MYOB
Posts: 1,456
WN? They don't fly there, and it probably does not fit into their plans. If you mean an open gate as an enticement, MWAA doen't care as long as the gates are all leased. Sounding harsh, but refer to the three airports above. MWAA would be a close 2nd behind MASSPORT.
Even NY/NJ Port Authority is easier to deal with than MWAA.
Aug 12, 2011 | 3:39 pm
#39
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NYC
Programs: UA1K - SPG Plat
Posts: 921
ORD is the 3rd largest city in the country - there may be lots of connections, but there is also a lot of O/D traffic as well. i dont see shifting to EWR unless UA is going to make a run at a shuttle - but since US and DL already have hourly shuttle service to LGA, i dont see UA entering into that game. i think all the ORD flights stay - it gets people in and out of DCA - with maybe one or two equip downgrade to an E170 on some mid-day flights. when congress is in session every flight to DCA is oversold.
Aug 12, 2011 | 3:46 pm
#40
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
But FL does. Along with LGA & ATL, the slots and gates at DCA are a huge part of why WN bought FL. :-:
CO used to operate on a schedule that roughly approximated a schedule. It didn't last for many reasons. These days the slots at both EWR and DCA are worth more for other service. Keep in mind that it wasn't long ago that CO traded away DCA slots for EWR slots (with FL, I believe).
CO used to operate on a schedule that roughly approximated a schedule. It didn't last for many reasons. These days the slots at both EWR and DCA are worth more for other service. Keep in mind that it wasn't long ago that CO traded away DCA slots for EWR slots (with FL, I believe).
Aug 12, 2011 | 3:55 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: LAS
Programs: UA 1MM, Marriott Lifetime Plat, Southwest A-List Preferred
Posts: 2,846
I have been using the CO gates a lot recently at DCA, and I wonder if UA (or DCA) plans on building a bathroom down in the wing. Right now, you have to use the PC bathroom or walk back to the Delta gate area.
Aug 12, 2011 | 3:57 pm
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: somewhere
Programs: their are many of them
Posts: 1,614
You still wouldn't have full integration because US is mostly in C. There's a bus but it's really faster given the short security lines at DCA to walk it.
Plus, DCA isn't really a connection airport. It's an origination or destination airport. Given that, there's not a real reason to have all of *A together.
Plus, DCA isn't really a connection airport. It's an origination or destination airport. Given that, there's not a real reason to have all of *A together.
Have you ever been in dca... it is the only usairways hub the isn't called a hub. DCA has tons of connecting traffic on US...
I reccomend spending some time at dca at getting familar with the airport...
Aug 12, 2011 | 4:13 pm
#43
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Various tier levels of frequent flyer/hotel plans received for bellyaching about minor flaws in the service I received.
Posts: 610
FWIW - Last Sat. I asked the PC agents about this very issue. Their response: anything you've heard is pure speculation. I know that employees at that level have rarely have access to that type of information; just throwing that in.
I sure hope they keep the PC agents: I can go months between seeing one of them, and the next time I'm there, they greet me by name like I'm one of their cousins.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Aug 13, 2011 at 5:50 am Reason: merge
Aug 12, 2011 | 4:46 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SNA
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 4,055
a couple things...yes, AS does DCA-LAX/SEA, but i'd rather have UA.
second, there are some connections for US at DCA, but for the most part, it's primarily an O&D airport.
WN will be at DCA, and they badly want to get in on that.
second, there are some connections for US at DCA, but for the most part, it's primarily an O&D airport.
WN will be at DCA, and they badly want to get in on that.
Aug 12, 2011 | 5:00 pm
#45
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: USA
Programs: MYOB
Posts: 1,456
Headslap....Yes yes, I keep forgetting about the "FL factor" However, the original point I was making was that "operational sense" does not always come into play in gate assignments, and a less than helpful airport authority, that may not be willing (could not care less) to engage in brokering a swap, makes it much more difficult.