Why is the last LAX-PHX so early?
Aug 23, 2012, 5:55 pm
#16
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To me, what US cares is the connecting traffic from LAX, rather than the LAXPHX O&D traffic. So, get them in (with time to spare for redeyes) for the last connecting bank out of PHX. Local passengers can fly others.
Not exactly great service for people based in PHX whose primary airline is likely to be US.
Not exactly great service for people based in PHX whose primary airline is likely to be US.
Aug 23, 2012, 5:58 pm
#17
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It looks like US continues the 9:30 PM flight when it has a sizeable bank of flights out of PHX - the "PHX flex".
In July, the flex operates a lot of the month and US has 7 flights a day including the 9:30 PM. In September, where the flex hardly operates, US mostly has 6 flights per day with the 5:50 PM being the latest.
From their perspective it makes sense, if you don't carry a large % of the local traffic (and WN will always be the preferred PHX local carrier), then there's no sense having a flight that doesn't connect to much.
In July, the flex operates a lot of the month and US has 7 flights a day including the 9:30 PM. In September, where the flex hardly operates, US mostly has 6 flights per day with the 5:50 PM being the latest.
From their perspective it makes sense, if you don't carry a large % of the local traffic (and WN will always be the preferred PHX local carrier), then there's no sense having a flight that doesn't connect to much.
Aug 23, 2012, 6:00 pm
#18
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Aug 23, 2012, 7:47 pm
#19
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Let's say that LUV offers $69 advance purchase fares each way on it's later flights. US could put a plane on that route and fill it with $69 fares, or they could put the plane on a higher-fare (less competition) route from PHX (say PDX or SEA). As long as they can get their connecting passengers to PHX for those higher fare connections (ELP, etc.), then what do they gain by running late flight. Don't get me wrong...they cut late flights to my home airport in certain seasons from PHL and CLT...I don't like it, so I fly the competition when I have to.
Aug 23, 2012, 7:57 pm
#20
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Let's say that LUV offers $69 advance purchase fares each way on it's later flights. US could put a plane on that route and fill it with $69 fares, or they could put the plane on a higher-fare (less competition) route from PHX (say PDX or SEA). As long as they can get their connecting passengers to PHX for those higher fare connections (ELP, etc.), then what do they gain by running late flight. Don't get me wrong...they cut late flights to my home airport in certain seasons from PHL and CLT...I don't like it, so I fly the competition when I have to.
Aug 24, 2012, 7:16 am
#21
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Interesting thing.
I ran searches for every California airport to PHX and looked at the final departure time. Setting aside the itty-bitty destinations of MRY and SBP, every city in California has a PHX departure after 6:00 pm with nearly all of them being after 7:00 pm.
LAX and SFO are exceptions: SFO's last departure being 5:10 pm and LAX's being 5:50 pm.
Is this a function of the fact that there are non-stop east coast services out of these airports? Or is US lessening competition with United a bit? I noticed that SAN's service to PHX is at 7:15 pm (even though it has late night non-stop flights to PHL and CLT)...
I ran searches for every California airport to PHX and looked at the final departure time. Setting aside the itty-bitty destinations of MRY and SBP, every city in California has a PHX departure after 6:00 pm with nearly all of them being after 7:00 pm.
LAX and SFO are exceptions: SFO's last departure being 5:10 pm and LAX's being 5:50 pm.
Is this a function of the fact that there are non-stop east coast services out of these airports? Or is US lessening competition with United a bit? I noticed that SAN's service to PHX is at 7:15 pm (even though it has late night non-stop flights to PHL and CLT)...
Aug 24, 2012, 4:58 pm
#22
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I'm guessing the only good explanation is that US uses LAX-PHX route mostly for the connections out of PHX. Later flights would need to be for the late night local traffic, which may not be worth serving given all the competition.
Aug 24, 2012, 9:28 pm
#23
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US has significantly cut down on their number of flights between LAX and PHX. In the HP and just after the merger days I think it was between 8 and 10 flights a day including a ~9:30 PM flight and a ~7 PM flight. Sadly, UA has cut down on their number of flights on this route too from their peak of 6 in the mid-2000s. WN seems to be the way to go for frequency 
In addition, as the previous poster mentioned, US is primarily concerned with CONNECTING passengers through PHX, not necessarily local traffic. US has become quite adept at having more flights on peak days/times of year and fewer flights on low demand days/times of year.
Aug 25, 2012, 10:28 am
#24
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Any chance that part of the answer involves the later flights being operated by Mesa? On the smaller RJ's they would have less costs? Do the RJ's have to pay a higher fee to fly out of LAX than the others?
Next week I'm flying into LAX and out of SNA but this was by design based on my schedule. I was surprised to get a $69 fare out of SNA with a week notice. (It is a mid-day flight and I'm guessing competition with WN factors in.)
Next week I'm flying into LAX and out of SNA but this was by design based on my schedule. I was surprised to get a $69 fare out of SNA with a week notice. (It is a mid-day flight and I'm guessing competition with WN factors in.)
Aug 26, 2012, 3:28 pm
#25
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Umm, you forgot that AA and DL have added several flights each per day on LAX-PHX. Even WN has cut back from its peak and, god forbid, you need to go to BUR or ONT. The number of flights from PHX - ONT/BUR is skimpy these days.
In addition, as the previous poster mentioned, US is primarily concerned with CONNECTING passengers through PHX, not necessarily local traffic. US has become quite adept at having more flights on peak days/times of year and fewer flights on low demand days/times of year.
In addition, as the previous poster mentioned, US is primarily concerned with CONNECTING passengers through PHX, not necessarily local traffic. US has become quite adept at having more flights on peak days/times of year and fewer flights on low demand days/times of year.
Aug 26, 2012, 3:59 pm
#26
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And frequency at WN, US, and UA has taken a hit because AA and DL have added flights. I thought we were discussing why US had cut back on frequency in the evenings. As I pointed out, the entrance of AA and DL has had a negative effective on US and WN frequencies. In addition, most airlines have gotten better at scheduling fewer frequencies at off-peak times.
Aug 26, 2012, 4:47 pm
#27
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And frequency at WN, US, and UA has taken a hit because AA and DL have added flights. I thought we were discussing why US had cut back on frequency in the evenings. As I pointed out, the entrance of AA and DL has had a negative effective on US and WN frequencies. In addition, most airlines have gotten better at scheduling fewer frequencies at off-peak times.