US applies for 2nd PHL-LHR and new CLT-LHR

[Crash Pad DCA]

http://www.philly.co...year_s_end.html

US Airways has petitioned the European Union to add an additional flight each day from Philadelphia to London's Heathrow Airport and to begin new service from Charlotte, N.C., to Heathrow.

"We did submit an application to the European Union slot trustee on Aug. 23 requesting that slots be allocated for proposed new service," the company said. US Airways currently has one daily Philadelphia flight to Heathrow.

[background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]Oneworld here we come![/background]​

 

[nycbusdriver]

Oneworld here we come!

Exactly!

Buh-bye, Frankfurt!

 

[FWAAA]

Actually, this is backstop planning in case US does NOT merge with AA. One daily flight to Heathrow and one daily flight to Gatwick doesn't provide much connectivity to London for Philly and Charlotte.

I didn't know that there was a slot pool from which the EU could hand out new slots to airlines - since DL, NW and CO all acquired their slots from alliance partners or in the open market. CO paid more than $200 million for three slot pairs, IIRC.

If AA and US merge, then there's no way that the airline gets to keep these new slots given the massive slot holdings of AA/BA/IB (the immunized joint venture). Recall that the EU required that the joint venture make available slots for two BOS flights and a MIA flight (and NYC flights if UA/CO had not added flights - which it did) as a condition of antitrust immunity. Against that, the joint venture would probably have to relinquish these new slots to DL or UA or another competitor if US and AA merge.

 

[BoeingBoy]

It's my understanding that there are available slots at LHR. The problem is that all the slots at the highly desired times are taken, which is why airlines pay to procure those slot times from other carriers that have them.

Jim

 

[zethya]

If US/AA merge, the requested PHL-LHR slots seem supportive of the speculated JFK-PHL scenario of dedicating JFK to O&D (due to slot issues) and filtering significant connecting domestic-international traffic through PHL. With One World connections, the 2 existing and long established PHL-LHR BA flights, which are 100% O&D, would either need to be increased, and/or the new AA would seem to need at least 2 daily PHL-LHR flights. Since BA would not need to request new slots to add PHL flights, it seems the plan is for the new AA to have 2 flights. CLT-LHR is likely, as someone already implied, a replacement for CLT-FRA. Since CLT-LGW is a US Airways niche route (no one else flies U.S. - LHW non-stop) and supposedly a good US performer, it'll be interesting to see if its retained or the 333 switched to LHR. One World connections via LGW are essentially non-existent.

 

[MUTATIS MUTANDIS]

You mean, PHX -LHR was not requested, are you sure?

 

[MUTATIS MUTANDIS]

It's my understanding that there are available slots at LHR. The problem is that all the slots at the highly desired times are taken, which is why airlines pay to procure those slot times from other carriers that have them.

Jim

YA THINK?

 

[BoeingBoy]

YA THINK?

I try to. You obviously don't...

Jim

 

[strangiatotheme]

You mean, PHX -LHR was not requested, are you sure?

I believe the qualifier for their intent to launch PHX-LHR was something to the effect of "the newly combined airline," so no surprise there.

 

[Crash Pad DCA]

British Airways (BA) goes from 6 flights per week PHX-LHR (Boeing 747) to daily starting 5-Dec-12. Hello (more) Oneworld!

British Airways is upgrading its London Heathrow-Phoenix schedule to daily service.
British Airways will add another nonstop Phoenix-London flight starting on Dec. 5
British Airways is adding an extra transatlantic flight between Phoenix and London

 

[firedougparker]

Ol' Douggie is very optimistic. Why would AA need more PHL-LHR and CLT-LHR when it already has so many frequencies from established hubs like JFK and MIA?

At some point all the JFK and PHL frequencies would just compete against themselves. Good plan, Doug.

 

[USFlyer]

Ol' Douggie is very optimistic. Why would AA need more PHL-LHR and CLT-LHR when it already has so many frequencies from established hubs like JFK and MIA?

At some point all the JFK and PHL frequencies would just compete against themselves. Good plan, Doug.

Some people will just never be happy. During the 2000-01 UA-US merger days, folks criticized US for not continuing to manage its business (i.e., the "there is no plan B" mantra) until the deal closed. In this case, US is continuing to manage its business and is now criticized for doing so.

 

[wings396]

Take the post for what its worth, and who it's coming from.....