AA s LAX-SFO New comp.Frontier

[jj]

I wonder if this route will become A-eagle also with Frontier starting 5 nonstops Jun 29th.

 

[jimntx]

That would be the sensible thing to do. Anytime someone introduces a new or almost new 737 on a route, we should always downsize to a turboprop or an RJ. That will keep those EPs flying with us!

 

[FA Mikey]

With UAL and SWA already the major players there, we are doing fine. So why would Frontier, want to take on all that? Is it one flight a day or something like an east coast shuttle operation they trying to start up?

 

[flyhigh]

...well the chance of having many EP's on the AA flights is minimal. AA is the #3 carrier on the route. With WN & UA fighting for the vast majority of the business. F9 entering the market may not be smart but will hurt AA most and likely cause a downgauge in the future. F9 will not bring fare stimulation, but having 4 players is never good. AA being the weakest of the current three will have a harder time on their hands here...

 

[jimntx]

For reasons known only to the scheduling gods, we have sequences out of STL that include an LAX-SFO or SFO-LAX leg. As a matter of fact, every time I have worked one of those legs there have been quite a few platinum and executive platinum passengers in F/C.

 

[eolesen]

Uh, IIRC, WN hasn't been at SFO for a while now. It's just AA and UA in the market, and AA's got some oneworld feed from both sides. Plus, I think you'll find a few more top tiers on those flights than you'd expect.

 

[FWAAA]

For reasons known only to the scheduling gods, we have sequences out of STL that include an LAX-SFO or SFO-LAX leg. As a matter of fact, every time I have worked one of those legs there have been quite a few platinum and executive platinum passengers in F/C.

BINGO!

AA doesn't fly SFO-LAX seven times a day (and SJC-LAX nine more times daily) trying to attract the local traffic between the two cities.

Those flights are connecting passengers to/from LAX-NRT, LAX-LHR and myriad other OW connections, like the three daily CX HKG flights and the various QF 747s.

Nearly every time I fly to/from the Bay area on AA/AE, I overhear Brits or Aussies. These flights are very heavy with OW and AA elites. 25 years ago, AA invented airline Green Stamp Crack, and AA now boasts of 50 million addicts - of which a million or two are Very Frequent Customers. And most of them will put up with a stupid80 or a junglejet for a 50 minute ride that adds a few dollars to the LAX-Destination fare and garners 500 miles.

Frontier can go F9 itself. AA doesn't have anything to fear from this announcement.

AA as the weakest carrier on this route? Hardly. Frontier is a few months - at most - from the federal courthouse.