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FlightGlobal: United seeks return to New York JFK

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FlightGlobal: United seeks return to New York JFK

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Old May 31, 2018, 3:39 pm
  #16  
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Originally Posted by physioprof
The massive office buildup in Hudson Yards should shift the balance for business travel further in favor of EWR over JFK: half hour drive to EWR.
...and Hudson Yards just a couple of blocks walk from NJtransit at Penn. Google at Chelsea Market. Construction near the Whitney. West Side is happening. East side a bit static w/ far fewer re-development opportunities.
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Last edited by IAH-OIL-TRASH; May 31, 2018 at 3:51 pm
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Old May 31, 2018, 3:43 pm
  #17  
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Originally Posted by hughw
And for those of us who would rather not risk sitting in a massive traffic jam, there are frequent trips from Penn Station to both JFK and EWR on the long island railroad and new jersey transit, respectively, both about 22 minutes. Then add about 10-15 minutes for the air train at JFK and about 5-10 minutes at EWR. And truth be told, from midtown its' usually about 30-35 minutes by car to EWR and at 45-60 minutes to JFK, except at rush hours.
+1. All I've learned from flying to New York is that the airport situation is absolutely deplorable no matter which one you use. No (direct) trains from terminal to city, no airport close to Manhattan, an absolute mess by car.. I've never understood the strenuous push for any airport being attractive relative to Manhattan. I swear NRT is more convenient to Tokyo than any NYC airport to downtown..
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Old May 31, 2018, 3:54 pm
  #18  
 
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This thread tile is a bit of a misnomer. "Seeks to" and "Would like to" are two different things. The linked article clearly indicates that there are no immediate plans (as in "seeks to" ) for actively pursuing service at JFK.
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Old May 31, 2018, 3:55 pm
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by BearX220
It's like LHR versus LGW. Rationally, you know Gatwick is only ten minutes further away from London via train, and in many respects a friendlier, more usable airport. But perception-wise, Heathrow is "close in" and Gatwick is "in the middle of nowhere," and business travelers are most averse to Gatwick. EWR, same bias. I'm sure EWR costs United overseas-originating business, too, because everyone around the world think of JFK as synonymous with NYC, but Newark isn't even in the same state as NYC.

It was dead foolish of UA to leave JFK and I expect AA, DL, and B6 will move heaven and earth to obstruct a return.
All of that sounds great, but it's not really the case in practice. Since the end of Bermuda II, which artificially created a certain demand profile due to restraints on LHR operations, LGW has not profitably supported either a global business-oriented O&D operation OR a major connecting hub complex, which EWR has in both respects (and has done so for more than 20 years). After B-II and Open Skies, the more traditional high-yield business traffic that previously used LGW substantially fled to LHR. According to Kirby, EWR (along with SFO/IAD) manages 8-10% higher margins than competitor coastal international hubs, so it's a bit delusional to think that business travelers view EWR as "in the middle of nowhere." If so, they're hopelessly ill-informed.

Gatwick, on the other hand, actually is about twice as far from 'central' London (as if that actually exists) as LHR using the fastest methods of transportation, and the scope of service reflects it. Neither EWR nor JFK have such a significant advantage over each other in terms of access. In fact, I'd argue that both are easier to get to from major business districts in NYC than LHR from most of London.

I don't think there is an analogue of the EWR/LGA/JFK situation anywhere else in the world, and the well-worn "EWR isn't even in New York" argument is silly, because it's really a distinction without a difference.

The other point, that is often lost in the whole discussion, is how yields on the LAX/SFO-JFK routes have plummeted due to the competition in the market. These used to be ironclad, uber-high-margin, gold-plated routes for AA/UA. That's no longer the case with anyone...
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Old May 31, 2018, 4:00 pm
  #20  
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Kirby's feelings about this are not new --- https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...-decision.html from a year ago.
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Old May 31, 2018, 4:21 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by xzh445
This thread tile is a bit of a misnomer. "Seeks to" and "Would like to" are two different things. The linked article clearly indicates that there are no immediate plans (as in "seeks to" ) for actively pursuing service at JFK.
It's the title of the article, but I agree with your assessment.
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Old May 31, 2018, 4:27 pm
  #22  
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I was sad to see UA left JFK.
Now I don’t miss it at all....don’t miss LGA neither.

I am just fine with EWR.....
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Old May 31, 2018, 4:57 pm
  #23  
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I just can’t see the logic in wanting to restart JFK operations. UA won’t be able to build a network of connecting traffic that would support international destinations and, as many have already said, JFK vs EWR isn’t really a thing anymore. For all intents and purposes, they’re equal distance to Midtown but distance and time. UA also has what no other airline has: being the single hub/focus city at any one NYC airport. They do what they want at EWR.
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Old May 31, 2018, 5:06 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by physioprof
The massive office buildup in Hudson Yards should shift the balance for business travel further in favor of EWR over JFK: half hour drive to EWR.
I just went back to NY for a wedding and sitting around talking to a few different groups of people (living in HK, UWS, Chelsea) it came up a few times that they just discovered how convenient it can be to use EWR.

Originally Posted by IAH-OIL-TRASH
...and Hudson Yards just a couple of blocks walk from NJtransit at Penn. Google at Chelsea Market. Construction near the Whitney. West Side is happening. East side a bit static w/ far fewer re-development opportunities.
Seems each time I got back more and more getting built up. I remember in 06 when I moved to NY I lived for 1 year at 57th/11th and people were dumbfounded at that idea. Now being far west is no cause for alarm.
​​​​​​​The only thing I can think of on the East Side is that new giant tower at the base of the Manhattan Bridge.
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Old May 31, 2018, 5:07 pm
  #25  
 
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Why not have UA start up a premium (PS-like) run from EWR to LCY (London City Airport), comparable to what BA does from LCY to JFK? From London's financial district, it can be faster to LCY than to LHR. That would be an interesting way for UA to get its toes back into the NYC-London premium market.
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Old May 31, 2018, 5:19 pm
  #26  
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Originally Posted by williambruno1975
not even remotely close to Apples to oranges. Westminster to LHR is 15.8 Miles and to LGW it’s 27.2mi, a good 72% further. it makes sense to fly the closer airport.
It's actually amusing that you picked Westminster because it's far more convenient to get to LGW than LHR from there....Victoria, which is right on the edge of Westminster, has non-stop trains to LGW which take less than 30mins.
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Old May 31, 2018, 5:33 pm
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by AndyPatterson
Why not have UA start up a premium (PS-like) run from EWR to LCY (London City Airport), comparable to what BA does from LCY to JFK? From London's financial district, it can be faster to LCY than to LHR. That would be an interesting way for UA to get its toes back into the NYC-London premium market.
Running an all-J 73G or A319 would be interesting, but aside from neither being ETOPs-certified (I think), the one thing I never found appealing / would find irritating would be the westbound fuel stop. Maybe there’s a way to do a configuration so light that they could still make money and avoid the fuel stop?

Certainly interesting to think about, but it won’t happen anytime soon.
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Old May 31, 2018, 5:35 pm
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by PsiFighter37


Running an all-J 73G or A319 would be interesting, but aside from neither being ETOPs-certified (I think), the one thing I never found appealing / would find irritating would be the westbound fuel stop. Maybe there’s a way to do a configuration so light that they could still make money and avoid the fuel stop?

Certainly interesting to think about, but it won’t happen anytime soon.
They can be ETOPS-rated, but neither are certified for the extra-steep 5.5 degree approach into LCY. The 318 and CS100 are the only mainline-size aircraft with transatlantic range that can land at LCY, and neither can make it to the East Coast off the <5000ft runway with sufficient fuel (ETOPS reserves++) for the westbound TATL leg.

BA recently reduced their A318 fleet to a single ship (G-EUNA) after selling G-EUNB to Titan, with a commensurately reduced schedule, so it must not be a huge moneymaker... To loosely paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen, I knew Concorde, and A318, you are no Concorde!
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Old May 31, 2018, 5:42 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by JVPhoto
I just went back to NY for a wedding and sitting around talking to a few different groups of people (living in HK, UWS, Chelsea) it came up a few times that they just discovered how convenient it can be to use EWR.
Once they get past the whole "but it's in NEW JERSEY" thing, it's all downhill from there....
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Old May 31, 2018, 6:00 pm
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by EWR764
They can be ETOPS-rated, but neither are certified for the extra-steep 5.5 degree approach into LCY. The 318 and CS100 are the only mainline-size aircraft with transatlantic range that can land at LCY, and neither can make it to the East Coast off the <5000ft runway with sufficient fuel (ETOPS reserves++) for the westbound TATL leg.

BA recently reduced their A318 fleet to a single ship (G-EUNA) after selling G-EUNB to Titan, with a commensurately reduced schedule, so it must not be a huge moneymaker... To loosely paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen, I knew Concorde, and A318, you are no Concorde!
I think the BA flight stops at Dublin not only for fuel, but for pre-clearance into the US. So it's not a total waste of time.
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