With all of the new Saturday service in the recent press releases, U is obviously trying to a) capitalize on lack of LGA perimiter restrictions on Saturdays and B) utilize a/c that otherwise would be sitting on the ground due to reductions in Saturday service in other markets. There are also two major problems with U''s thinking, however. 1) with one flight/week service, it is extremely easy for competitors to sink fares and revenue manage for a loss on their flights in competing time slots as it will only affect one of their weekly flights and will force U to match fares/availability guaranteeing that the market will not be profitable for U and 2) with one flight/week, U is greatly dictating the (non)flexibility of travel plans. Although the Saturday markets are all obviously leisure (most flexible passengers), it is asking ALOT of a passenger to have no choice in flight times. U may get passengers one-way but lose the return to a competitor. If anything, this is a good way for U to introduce its FFs to the service of competitors since the FFs (with less flexibility in general) will need to fly another carrier on 1/2 of the trip.
U is effectively the spill carrier on these routes and what is deemed an intelligent decision to utilize a/c is actually a poorly thought out, expensive venture.
....just my 2 cents.
U is effectively the spill carrier on these routes and what is deemed an intelligent decision to utilize a/c is actually a poorly thought out, expensive venture.
....just my 2 cents.