US Airways-Albuquerque?

[~Luke]

I live in Albuquerque, and sometimes make short trips to Phoenix. I was curious as to why US Airways has cut/downsized service so much to ABQ. We went from getting a daily 737, a random collection of CR2s and CR9s, a weekly A319, to the same collection of CRJs, and the weekly A319, which is going to end on the 26th. I also remember maybe a year or so ago, correct me if I’m wrong, but ABQ was being serviced by several A319/733s, maybe even a A320. And way back several several years from America West, Albuquerque got service to LAS as well as PHX, as well as an ABQ-PIT flight some time in the 90s. Is it just the low season for ABQ or PHX, the economy, bad loads, or a combination of the four?
Thanks.

 

[hp-csr-phx]

Southwest dominates the market, same with El Paso and Burbank.

 

[~Luke]

Southwest dominates the market, same with El Paso and Burbank.

So ABQ is simply another spoke that doesn't warrant competition, but token service only? (I realize that ABQ is a very minor part of the US system, however, so ABQ isn't in any form a route that would make or break US' profits.)

 

[DCaf]

With fuel prices high, marginally profitable routes become money-losers. US management pulls the plug pretty quickly.

 

[cynic]

So ABQ is simply another spoke that doesn't warrant competition, but token service only? (I realize that ABQ is a very minor part of the US system, however, so ABQ isn't in any form a route that would make or break US' profits.)

It doesn't warrant losing money to compete for low revenue tickets. It doesn't make any sense to operate a route in a way that loses money. Any route that loses money is likely to see changes in service, as there is likely somewhere else that those airplanes can generate more revenue.

 

[BoeingBoy]

On the bright side, I saw today that Eagle is going to start ABQ service, to DFW I think.

Jim

 

[hp-csr-phx]

Eagle started LAX-ABQ and LAX-PHX today. AA has served DFWABQ for decades.