Locked out of LHR

[AdAstraPerAspera]

In the 1990's, US had more transatlantic service than any other carrier, right?

In an announcement today regarding CO's new service to LHR, CO's chairman and CEO Larry Kellner called Heathrow "Europe's most important business airport."

If, as expected, NW gets some slots from KLM, what is US going to do to remain competitive in its transatlantic bread-and-butter? We already know Envoy isn't cutting it, so they should at least try to get business pax where they want to go, before becoming a complete non-entity...

 

[700UW]

Um no, US was always behind in Transatlantic operation.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

In the 1990's, US had more transatlantic service than any other carrier, right?

In an announcement today regarding CO's new service to LHR, CO's chairman and CEO Larry Kellner called Heathrow "Europe's most important business airport."

If, as expected, NW gets some slots from KLM, what is US going to do to remain competitive in its transatlantic bread-and-butter? We already know Envoy isn't cutting it, so they should at least try to get business pax where they want to go, before becoming a complete non-entity...

You can travel to LHR from North America on * Alliance carriers AC and UA - which offer a better business class product than Envoy. Unless LCC's operations and Envoy product greatly improves (i.e. as it was in the Wolf era) no * Alliance partner airline is going to give up / transfer / sell a LHR slot(s) to US.

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

so I guess LHR-PHL service is a pipe dream of mine, at least for now?

I guess US can be content being the only major US airline without service to Heathrow.

 

[EMBFA]

In the 1990's, US had more transatlantic service than any other carrier, right?

:huh: Huh?

More transatlantic service than any of the carrier... in Pittsburgh maybe?

US has always had the smallest international presence of the Big 6. It's never set foot in Asia or South America for one thing. They didn't have any international routes (please don't give me Canada or Mexico routes folks) until they bought Piedmont and got the single London Gatwick flight in the late 80s.

They added a few destinations in the 90s but most of the transatlantic expansion has been in the last 5 years, doubling the amount of destinations. Even still, other carriers with less destinations have a larger share of the market because they fly and fill larger aircraft. Secondly, about half of US service is seasonal, almost all is once daily, and the majority are served by relatively small 767-200s and even 757s. With the exception of maybe Northwest, I believe US still flies less capacity or seats to Europe than the others.

US Airways is by far the least international of the big 6 airlines.

 

[AdAstraPerAspera]

With the exception of maybe Northwest, I believe US still flies less capacity or seats to Europe than the others.

US Airways is by far the least international of the big 6 airlines.

I'm sure you're right-- for some reason I have it in my head that I saw the cover of an old timetable (circa '97) when I was traveling years ago, which boasted something like "US flies more European flights across the atlantic than any other carrier" or something like that. I could just be sniffing glue. :eye:

- astra

 

[US1YFARE]

US Airways is by far the least international of the big 6 airlines.

And least desirable as admitted to by DoUgIe

 

[PHL]

I'm sure you're right-- for some reason I have it in my head that I saw the cover of an old timetable (circa '97) when I was traveling years ago, which boasted something like "US flies more European flights across the atlantic than any other carrier" or something like that. I could just be sniffing glue.

Get me some of that glue. That was probably in context to PHL if it was 1997. They just expanded the B/C terminal and introduced Envoy at the time. LGW, CDG, FRA, FCO, MAD, MUN (IIRC) were the primary routes. All pre-A330 deliveries. Was AMS flying then?

 

[legacy-to-LCC]

LHR is a veritable cornucopia of distinctive and creative airline liveries.
The amateur new usair livery has no business polluting that longstanding aesthetic reality.

 

[US1YFARE]

LHR is a veritable cornucopia of distinctive and creative airline liveries.
The amateur new usair livery has no business polluting that longstanding aesthetic reality.

Debbie, do you remember that
cornucopia I picked up in IND? I didn't know you could buy them in England?? They celebrate Thanksgiving too?

 

[EMBFA]

I've got cornucopia on my feet from walking from Gatwick to that hotel. I'm also tired of drunkenly trying to find the Gatwick Express after G.A.Y. with the boys and then falling asleep on it. Yes please to Heathrow and a layover in the city.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

so I guess LHR-PHL service is a pipe dream of mine, at least for now?

Actually you could fly LHR-PHL on BA

 

[US1YFARE]

I've got cornucopia on my feet from walking from Gatwick to that hotel. I'm also tired of drunkenly trying to find the Gatwick Express after G.A.Y. with the boys and then falling asleep on it. Yes please to Heathrow and a layover in the city.

NO NO NO...what you have are cornsacopious

 

[legacy-to-LCC]

I'm also tired of drunkenly trying to find the Gatwick Express after G.A.Y. with the boys and then falling asleep on it.

paging big mama...

 

[EMBFA]

Wow, Big D, Big Mama, all the stars are out today!