AA buys LHR slot for $31 million from Cyprus Airways

[FWAAA]

http://famagusta-gazette.com/cyprus-airways-sells-heathrow-slot-for-us-million-p23979-69.htm
 
Not a bad price;  less than half what CO spent on its slots to gain access for EWR and IAH
 
To gain EU approval for the merger,  AA/US committed to provide a slot at LHR that was appropriate for a new entrant competitor to begin PHL-LHR service.   So far, I haven't heard of any airline stepping up and giving that a go.  

 

[IORFA]

Now the speculation begins on what gets added. I'm thinking its a toss up between PHL and CLT. I'm leaning towards PHL.

Edit to add the slot times. Looks like a 1315 arrival and 1425 departure. Not sure if LHR makes a distinction between the 2. The place is weird to me in that they still don't allow combined operations on any runway to add capacity. Unless I missed the change. I personally avoid the place like the plague since they still treat crew members like known terrorists.

 

[MetalMover]

http://famagusta-gazette.com/cyprus-airways-sells-heathrow-slot-for-us-million-p23979-69.htm
 
Not a bad price;  less than half what CO spent on its slots to gain access for EWR and IAH
 
To gain EU approval for the merger,  AA/US committed to provide a slot at LHR that was appropriate for a new entrant competitor to begin PHL-LHR service.   So far, I haven't heard of any airline stepping up and giving that a go.  

I hear DL is preparing to file a lawsuit as to why they missed this one!

 

[FWAAA]

Now the speculation begins on what gets added. I'm thinking its a toss up between PHL and CLT. I'm leaning towards PHL.

Edit to add the slot times. Looks like a 1315 arrival and 1425 departure. Not sure if LHR makes a distinction between the 2. The place is weird to me in that they still don't allow combined operations on any runway to add capacity. Unless I missed the change. I personally avoid the place like the plague since they still treat crew members like known terrorists.

Based on those times, that would mean a 1:00am departure from PHL, which seems a bit late, and no business traveler is going to want to get to London from the East Coast in the early afternoon.   From CLT, it would be a midnight departure, but the arrival time would still suck for any business travel.   
 
PHX-LHR (BA 747) arrives LHR at 1325, so it looks like it would work from PHX.   

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

Maybe it's to chase DL off LAX-LHR

 

[FWAAA]

Maybe it's to chase DL off LAX-LHR

 
Bring back that second daily LAX-LHR.   The time would work for a 1845 departure from LAX.   

 

[IORFA]

We already fly LAX-LHR at virtually that same time. I guess we could add a 4th flight to the joint venture. Maybe it's to add a second flight from SEA to the JV? Just to irritate WT. Or SFO, PDX, DEN, SLC. Who knows. PHX probably makes more sense after paying more attention to the slot times.

 

[eolesen]

Maybe AA is taking over the PHX service, allowing BA to move their slot pair?...

 

[jimntx]

Considering the scarcity of LHR slots, is this a case of Cyprus Airways burning the furniture? Or, just a practical realization on their part that they will never get optimal arr/dep times at LHR for one flight/day, and their Lanarca-London business does not depend upon LHR connection possibilities?

 

[eolesen]

They're moving their daily flight over to STN.  The implosion of Greece really hurt them back in 2011, so there may be some truth to burning the furniture, but with Cyprus being a tourism destination, it's probably not the worst move for them to make.  LHR's a high-cost airport, STN isn't.

 

[AC AA LA FA]

SFO is the only base city that AA does not operate service to LHR on it's metal. BA has two daily flights. With the business climate and demand in the Bay Area only increasing it could make sense that AA tap into this market with plenty of O&D pax to make it a winner.

 

[IORFA]

SFO is the only base city that AA does not operate service to LHR on it's metal. BA has two daily flights. With the business climate and demand in the Bay Area only increasing it could make sense that AA tap into this market with plenty of O&D pax to make it a winner.

Don't forget DC, STL and BOS. Although this slot isn't conducive for the east coast. Also, PHX doesn't either. I assume you meant PMAA base cities. Although I think the PHX idea is worthy allowing BA to move the flight. I would prefer SFO instead.

 

[WorldTraveler]

We already fly LAX-LHR at virtually that same time. I guess we could add a 4th flight to the joint venture. Maybe it's to add a second flight from SEA to the JV? Just to irritate WT. Or SFO, PDX, DEN, SLC. Who knows. PHX probably makes more sense after paying more attention to the slot times.

or maybe they will use it to restart BOS-LHR, a market that DL began and in which DL now operates the only US carrier service since AA left.

oops.... the slot times don't work real well for a BOS flight.

Given that DL and UA now operate two flights/day from the west coast to LHR, AA is indeed behind the 8 ball.

 

[AC AA LA FA]

BOS has seasonal service IIRC?? True about DCA..With the DC area and SFO being a UA fortress AA has balked at any direct competition in these markets. Once the merger is done-DC will be a different story for AA..
 As for BA reallocating equipment per PHX service-it could do so in SFO too by removing the second frequency from its schedule.
And s for STL..?????

 

[AC AA LA FA]

I cant recall-did BOS loose all service to LHR Ive been out of the loop for some time...!