For what it's worth, however, if COS is #4 on this "list" (that people talk about, yet nobody ever really has posted anywhere) and WN isn't planning on adding any new cities this year, then when does COS look forward to this new service? If it was such a goldmine, wouldn't WN want to move in quick and get some of the $$$$ before anyone else?
If you ask me Cart Pusher, #4 on the list IS considered a Gold Mine considered that there are 150 other cities begging for Southwest service.
Regarding the 3 ailing carriers that have come to COS. That doesn't mean squat my friend.
Whether they are ailing or not, does not prove anything about the COS market. The point is 3 airlines came to COS in a period of 6 months, whether they are ailing or not doesn't matter.
Great Plains just announced service to AUS. Now is AUS a bad market because it attracted an ailing carrier? Interesting....
The point is COS is a good sized market, but comparing it to DEN is simply absurd. Of course Delta has much more air service and flies widebodies to DEN. But you are comparing an elephant with a mouse.
Of course Alaska is going to choose DEN over COS for there FIRST Colorado destination. It's only logical. Same goes with Spirit.
AirTran decided to focus instead on continueing expansion on the East Coast which is why they put off COS. It had absolutely nothing to do with COS itself.
Why doesn't COS offer incentives? I don't know, why don't you ask them. Possibly they don't have the funds to offer incentives. COS is not a large city like DEN and therefore there budget is much smaller. That's probably why.
Maybe one day they will offer incentives? They should.
When do I expect Southwest to come into COS? Probably 2005 since it's #4 on the list and since they won't be adding any cities this year. If in 2004 they decide to add more than 2-3 cities, then maybe we'll see COS in 2004.
It'll be either 2004 or 2005.
Regarding those passenger figures. Have you taken a look at them? Have you noticed any pattern?
As in the figures improving?
Allegiant Air is no longer in Chapter 11, they filed Chapter 11 way before they ever thought of serving COS.
There aren't many other kinds of carriers that can go into COS except for low-fare ones. All the majors serve COS already (except US Airways and that's understandable).
COS is a low-fare market because DEN is north.
Western Pacific had to be one of the fastest growing airlines in history. In a year or so, they had nearly 30 aircraft. What happens when an airline grows too quickly? They run into trouble. That's why they failed. That's why they thought it would be wise to move to DEN when it turned out to be a very bad mistake.
I read a lot about the COS market, Cart Pusher. From various airline analysts and they ALL have said that COS is an underserved market. Underserved for 2 reasons, it's close proximity to DEN, the demise of Western Pacific put a bad image on them making them less attractive to airlines.
One thing is for sure and all airline analysts I have read about said this, Southwest WILL come to COS. It's a matter of time. They have other things in mind first, then comes COS.
COS is on it's way back now, the days of WestPac are being forgotten.
You ignored what I said about National Airlines. They failed and they were hubbed in LAS. Does that make LAS a bad market? Did they overestimate the market? Not at all, they were an extremely poorly run airline. A badly managed airline. Same story with WestPac.
For comparisons sake Cart Pusher. COS is a much bigger city than BOI. Yet look at the amount of service BOI gets?
By the way, there is talk that Northwest Airlines will add DTW service from COS soon.
I guess they're overestimating the market, right? Of course, you know better then them......
