Frontier Adds More Flights at MEM
- Thread starter CO738
- Start date
They tried LAX as a focus city, and that didn't work, so, why not try MEM?
I was thinking that too...
...Why not focus on Memphis? Tennessee is the "frontier," right?
Northwest does have hub ops at MEM. I have never been to MEM and I admittedly don't know much about the market. How would MEM residents/pax respond to an F9 build-up there?
Probably less driving to LIT or BNA (what airline serves both but not MEM? <_<) for lower fares...
CynicalResAgent
Veteran
NW is know to be brutal in defending what the perceive to be "their territory". When F9 started service from LAX to MSP NW responded by adding service from LAX to DEN. I wonder what their response will be this time.
Wow, I didn't know about LAX - DEN. I believe it though. As some of you know, NW now flies LGA - DFW due to AA's new LGA - MSP
coolflyingfool
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I think NWA could be just mean enough to go head-to-head with F9 on their DEN-MEXICO service if F9 gets a little to greedy in MEM. NWA is the worst at being revengeful in this business. just my thoughts................
Coffee_Tea_Or_Me
Senior
I have to say that I really respect and admire NWAs hard-a$$ stance on competition. If US Airways had that mentality in the 90s, they would not have killed PSA's west coast operation and pulled out of BWI. SWA ran them off in both markets. I think NWA kind of treats Memphis like the red headed step child -- it is their smallest hub and is mostly RJ service (correct me if I am wrong on this somebody). I guess this will test NWAs commitment to the MEM operation. Should be interesting...
Uh, USAir's operating/labor costs were significantly higher than PSA's at the time of the merger, and I am not sure that USAir employees would have wanted to drop to the payscales at PSA. While people love to blame USAir mgmt for their ineptness in the West Coast situation, they are not ENTIRELY at fault for paying top of scale in the industry at the time. They just could not compete with the lower cost competition.
Mem also has a lot of DC-9 service - smaller than the Airbus family but bigger than Pinnacle's fleet.
CynicalResAgent
Veteran
I'd love to see F9 grow MEM to a full fledge focus city. It would be great for consumers in MEM, I think the only LCC competition there is FL with flights to ATL and one flight to MCO.
Coffee_Tea_Or_Me
Senior
They were higher, true. But, I was making a point that they had significant operations in LAX, SFO, and BWI but ran from SWA. I am willing to bet that NWA's costs are a lot higher than f9's, but they do not seem as likely to run from competition. US could have fought the battle by trying to lower costs, etc., and save its territory. AA has successfully done this for years.
CynicalResAgent
Veteran
Kinda funny that they're going up against their codeshare partner FL on the MEM to MCO route. hmmmmm? :huh:
So far, all F9 flts in/out of MEM are full. The flts to/from MEM-LAS over the anniversary of Elvis' death were a hoot with the impersonators from what I hear out on the line.
