Air TRan starts STL-SRQ nov 1st.Lets see how much AA loves STL and add more fla flights. After all this is our hub :blink:
AA stl-florida
- Thread starter jj
- Start date
I'll be very interested to see how FL does on this route. TWA did horrible on it. Before any of you assumes it is simply because TWA sucked, keep in mind two much more important factors:
1- TWA had more western spokes to connect to their SRQ flights than AA currently has out of STL
2- TWA had low fares on the market already (through lowestfare.com a.k.a. Karabu).
Had TWA had RJ's, it may have been a more viable route but that is unlikely. Given its proximity to other cities, and the relatively small local population & O&D demand...I don't see this as a 2 carrier route.
1- TWA had more western spokes to connect to their SRQ flights than AA currently has out of STL
2- TWA had low fares on the market already (through lowestfare.com a.k.a. Karabu).
Had TWA had RJ's, it may have been a more viable route but that is unlikely. Given its proximity to other cities, and the relatively small local population & O&D demand...I don't see this as a 2 carrier route.
- Thread Starter
- #5
Trans States flew this route with a 50 seater and it went out with good loads.Yeild must not be their.
eolesen
Veteran
- Jul 23, 2003
- 15,988
- 9,428
FL entering a route is hardly worthy of note or competitive response. They're notorious for entering a lot of point to point markets just to abandon them a few months later.
SRQ is a flea that can't even find a dog to leech from. The only real market there is human remains coming north for burial...
SRQ is a flea that can't even find a dog to leech from. The only real market there is human remains coming north for burial...
I think the big draw there was the islands of Long Boat Key, Anna Marie Island and Siesta Key which I saw on the Travel Channel as one of the top 10 beaches in FL. Lotta money, europeans there. OZ's and TW flights were always full. Personally, I thnk it has the prettiest beaches in FL.
WozTWA,
TWA flights from STL were RARELY full the last 3 years they served the market...thus the cancellation.
TWA flights from STL were RARELY full the last 3 years they served the market...thus the cancellation.
You must have been on different flights than I worked. The yield was low, thus the cancellation.
If the 'yield" was low, it was because of Mr, Icahn., by the time you came along. Our connections were hooked up to cities that provided money! Ozark never lost money off any city they provided. That is why we were in the black, when we were "acquired". I'm surprised at you, Nancy.
Why should you be surprised at me? I was there long before Ichan. Every flight I flew to ANYWHERE in Fl was full. With full flights, if you're not making money, then the yield is too low. If you continue to give away the product, the yield suffers. I still marvel at how short sighted airlines were when they let the frequent flyer programs get out of control. I have known people that pay for EVERYTHING with credit cards that build flight credit. They take "free" family trips, none of the miles having been earned from flying. I fault the airlines for that policy. Ergo, full Fl, full HNL, full anywhere nice, little to no profit. It will only change when the airlines go back to rewarding miles for flights (only) that you may see some change. Surprisingly, one of our must lucrative flights was Springfield Mo to St. Louis...go figure.
At one point our most profitable flight (yield, not total revenue) was STL-DSM. Monopoly route, so we could put just enough capacity on it to take care of the need and charge whatever we wanted. I assume Springfield was like that.
For decades US Airways and its predecessors made a bundle in the eastern US flying to little "unexiting" places.
MK
upsilon
Senior
- Aug 20, 2002
- 372
- 2
I doubt you will ever see that change – as long as there are FF programs! The Revenue Management departments make sure their airlines do not "give away" many seats that could be sold. It is an established fact that FF programs are now profit centers and a very valuable asset, not "chump change". During bankruptcy, the airlines considered selling them; and in the very recent quarterly earnings conference calls all were asked by financial analysts about the possibility.
The income from selling the credit card miles required to fill an otherwise empty seat more than covers the cost of hauling the pax. Otherwise, why would they do it.
I'm sure eolsen and FWAAA can add more about this subject
You're correct. I believe AC sold their FF program (Aeroplan; or a good portion of it) for a couple hundred million.
You've got it backwards.
AA actually makes money on credit card miles sold to Citi and others; miles awarded by AA for flight activity provide AA with no income. Power credit card chargers like the people you have known are simply buying their tickets with their credit card usage. Last year, AA took in about $750 million from AAdvantage miles sold to partners like Citi, hotels and car rentals.
upsilon is correct - AA knows how to restrict award redemptions.
