urbanSTL

Condor also is flying New Orleans/Frankfurt among others. That to me is another one that could make sense.

jshank83 wrote:

matguy70 wrote: I doubt we get a direct flight to Paris but either way they will have a layover so maybe this way they have the layover in London instead of Atlanta/Chicago/New York.

Have you ever connected at LHR?

It is a nightmare. The security screenings required make the TSA look like they are friendliest, fastest security organization in the world. Add in that OneWorld airlines are spread across two different terminals (literally) miles apart.

Greg

^ I picture it can only get worse at LHR as well if EU citizens have to go into the line at customs with everyone else in the near future with the UK leaving it. This issue might make BA more shy about adding new routes if it hurts connections there and economic issues as well, though it is significantly cheaper to visit the UK now.

gregl wrote:

jshank83 wrote:

matguy70 wrote: I doubt we get a direct flight to Paris but either way they will have a layover so maybe this way they have the layover in London instead of Atlanta/Chicago/New York.

Have you ever connected at LHR?

It is a nightmare. The security screenings required make the TSA look like they are friendliest, fastest security organization in the world. Add in that OneWorld airlines are spread across two different terminals (literally) miles apart.

Greg

Agreed, LHR is the worst connecting airport on the planet.

I'll be holding you accountable if it doesn't happen.

I wonder if all of the recent high-profile terrorist attacks in Europe start to slow tourist travel from the US. If it continues at a similar pace, I bet it will.

I have not connected through LHR so thanks for the info on that. I will keep that in mind in the future!

Lambert Saint.Louis International Airport might become Saint.Louis International Airport at Lambert Field..

St.Louis1764 wrote:Lambert Saint.Louis International Airport might become Saint.Louis International Airport at Lambert Field..

St Louis International Airport at Lambert Field has a nice ring to it.

Southwest released their spring schedule today. No new markets.

It's hard to compare year over year because they only provide a comparison of January vs March 2017.

However, I suspect there is growth as Lambert will be up to 108 daily departures.

Increases in frequency between January & March (all +1) are BWI, BOS, FLL, LAS, OMA, MCO, ECP, PHX & TPA.

Greg

I think the naming proposal is more for non-locals and how airports tend to be named globally with city name first.

Also the southwest schedule, that's actually i think 5 more daily departures next spring than this summer. There's still growth, just not new markets but more frequency. Likely a result of some of the new routes filling up other routes with connecting feed. Its a shame you don't see year over year comparisons, but do know that the Boston increase is interesting, since they have only done that for the summer season, but next year start much earlier. That could be a route with good growth in local traffic due to the startup scene along with carrying feed from some of the routes started this year (LIT, DSM, and ICT for examples)

It's nice when they add more than one flight a day to some places like Boston, so you have some options. Hopefully any of the places there only is one flight now increase to two, so they can have morning/evening.

I saw SFO is getting an extra southwest flight over the holidays. I don't know if that was the case in the past?

I do hate that a lot of days the one southwest to SFO and one to Oakland leave at almost the same time. Spread them out.

While it is nice to get new destinations, I kind of feel like all the domestic ones we really need we already have. Now we just need more frequent flights or more carriers to places one airline already goes for competition. Grand Rapids and Albequeque would be nice to have back but I know those aren't big sellers. JFK would open up some extra international options.

What domestic locations would other people in here like to see that make sense? I know many people in here have a lot more background in all of this than I do.

^ Boston increased frequency or expanded schedule is interesting also considering the guy now running Sigma specifically stated they desired more service in and out of Boston on a recent interview, believe for PD a few weeks back. Also, does Southwest see more demand in and out of Boston area as Cortex/Wexford along with plant science build up in St. Louis continues

jshank83 wrote:What domestic locations would other people in here like to see that make sense? I know many people in here have a lot more background in all of this than I do.

I too would really like to see JFK added, and a daily non-stop to ONT would be great as well.

Jeff

dredger wrote:^ Boston increased frequency or expanded schedule is interesting also considering the guy now running Sigma specifically stated they desired more service in and out of Boston on a recent interview, believe for PD a few weeks back. Also, does Southwest see more demand in and out of Boston area as Cortex/Wexford along with plant science build up in St. Louis continues

I flew to boston a couple weeks ago and the plane was packed. Then again, most southwest flights seem packed these days. I would think we could support the two flights a day. I know Delta has a mini hub there. I am a little surprised they didn't fly a smaller plane once a day there.

jeffrk wrote:I too would really like to see JFK added, and a daily non-stop to ONT would be great as well.

I have to imagine JFK will come back sooner or later.

ONT - don't hold your breath. Passenger traffic there is down over 40% since 2007.

Greg

I flew a full Delta 737-900er from ATL-STL (unintentionally, got rerouted after 2 cancellations). It was a very nice plane with a fully-loaded IFE system (lots of international movies). Wish Delta had more service out of STL, since they definitely have the best planes and in-flight experience.

I flew Delta on exactly the same route a few years back and it was a rather tattered MD-80. Mind you, it was a good ride and the seats were quite comfortable, if worn. They still have a over a hundred MD-80s and sixty odd MD-90s. Are any of those young enough to have much in the way of IFE? Mine certainly wasn't. I'd actually say my best experience with a contemporary domestic carrier has generally been American. But I've flown Delta very little and Southwest not at all. (I've always flown internationally. When traveling domestically I like to drive. I very much enjoy seeing what's between here and wherever I'm going even if it takes a week.) Anyway . . . no real objection to Delta, but I don't think their fleet is really all that different from anyone elese's. The youngest fleet seems to be United, but I would prefer not to fly them anymore anyway.

Randy wrote:Wish Delta had more service out of STL, since they definitely have the best planes and in-flight experience.

Actually, Delta has the oldest fleet in the country, with an average age of 17 years.

American has the youngest at 10.7 years. Having said that, STL still (thankfully, IMO) sees mostly MD-80s which are all 16+ years old.

For reference, Southwest is 12.3 and United is 13.8.

Greg

You are right Greg on Boston not being a Delta hub. Wikipedia had it listed as one and when I was there it seemed to have a fair amount of Delta International flights so I assumed it was. So I take back my STL-BOS comment. oops.

Thanks for the info.

jshank83 wrote:You are right Greg on Boston not being a Delta hub. Wikipedia had it listed as one and when I was there it seemed to have a fair amount of Delta International flights so I assumed it was.

Delta does have a number of international flights out of BOS -- but those are all markets where they have a joint venture with another airline (Virgin Atlantic, KLM & Air France) where revenue is shared.

Unlike the AA / BA joint venture where each airline operates routes from it's hubs (AA flights to London are all out of AA hubs such as JFK, ORD, PHL, CLT, ORD, DFW, LAX while BA serves non-AA hubs such as AUS & SEA), DL and it's joint venture partners do a lot of mixing and matching to get the right size aircraft in a market. So, DL may flight BOS-CDG while AF flights ATL-CDG.

Greg