Northwest Taking On Airtran

[weatherman]

Looks like NW is taking on AirTran. They just announced new nonstop service from GRR and FNT to TPA and MCO. Also FNT - FLL on Sat. Can't think of many other point to point services that NW offers other than to MKE and SEA. Clearly a reason for this new service.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

I wonder if NW is/has looked into the posibility of flying Non-Stop (2/3 days a week to start) from DTW to the middle east (Dtw to Cairo, or Amman)

The logic being, the huge middle eastern/muslim population in southern Michigan.

NH/BB's

 

[AAG2000]

The local community is certainly pushing for it: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/030926/na_fin_us_m..._flights_2.html

The best approach might be for NW to enter into a codesharing agreement with a strong Middle Eastern airline, e.g., Royal Jordanian (which already flies to Detroit a couple times a week), Egyptair, or best of all, Emirates. I'm not sure if NW's 744s have the range, but a 3x-weekly DTW-DXB nonstop in cooperation with EK would allow passengers to tap into EK's enormous hub network, with connections throughout the Middle East as well as to India and beyond. This would also give U.S. access to Emirates, which has been frustrated in its attempts to begin DXB-NYC service due to the UAE's Category 2 status.

Back on the initial topic, this move looks very similar to NW's move into MKE, which has always seemed to me more of a preemptive strike against AirTran than an attempt to push Midwest out of business. It's nice to see that, unlike some of the other majors, NW is not willing to cede its important leisure markets to the low-fares without a fight.

 

[nwa400]

oh, sign me up to go to the middle east. I wonder if any airline would take on such a risky venture. Will they have fighter escort or chaff pods? I'm thinking that it will be a long time before they do that flight and I think it will go very junior. I wont be going. I feel a cold coming on.

 

[AAG2000]

I don't think flying into Dubai is any riskier than flying into Tel Aviv, which Continental does every day. But in any event, I'm sure NW will just continue putting its code on KL flights to the Mideast.

 

[Ch. 12]

I don't think flying into Dubai is any riskier than flying into Tel Aviv, which Continental does every day. But in any event, I'm sure NW will just continue putting its code on KL flights to the Mideast.

I don't know as though the middle east is any more dangerous than EWR or GYY.

 

[AAG2000]

LOL. Good point.

 

[Kev3188]

Hey don't be to suprised if NW does wind up flying to the mideast....Don't forget, they were awarded the route authority to serve Baghdad.