Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Southwest comes to New York. Eventually.
It looks like Southwest, the low cost carrier that grew to enormous proportions based on a strategy of using under-utilized secondary airports is now poised to fully crack the New York City market sometime next year.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Southwest is buying the operating certificate and gates and slots of now defunct ATA Airlines for 7+ million dollars. This will allow Southwest to fly 7 flights a day in and out of New York City proper. Currently, the airline has operations out of Islip on Long Island, but does not fly out of any of the major airports in the New York area. When these flights will start isn't exactly clear. The current slots are leased to AirTran Airways and will be in use through at least sometime in 2009, unless Southwest can buy out those leases earlier.
Also, Southwest is purchasing ATA's operating certificate which may allow Southwest to begin international operations to Mexico and the Caribbean, something that ATA once did and that Southwest is looking into. It makes a lot of sense, and as Brett at Cranky Flier guesses, it is probably great for Chicago bound travelers as it the most likely primary destination for those flights. (It might however come at the expense of Delta's increased LGA-Chicago Midway operation)
According to the Houston Chronicle, Southwest is buying the operating certificate and gates and slots of now defunct ATA Airlines for 7+ million dollars. This will allow Southwest to fly 7 flights a day in and out of New York City proper. Currently, the airline has operations out of Islip on Long Island, but does not fly out of any of the major airports in the New York area. When these flights will start isn't exactly clear. The current slots are leased to AirTran Airways and will be in use through at least sometime in 2009, unless Southwest can buy out those leases earlier.
Also, Southwest is purchasing ATA's operating certificate which may allow Southwest to begin international operations to Mexico and the Caribbean, something that ATA once did and that Southwest is looking into. It makes a lot of sense, and as Brett at Cranky Flier guesses, it is probably great for Chicago bound travelers as it the most likely primary destination for those flights. (It might however come at the expense of Delta's increased LGA-Chicago Midway operation)
Labels: AirTran, ata, lga, new york, new york city, southwest, travel
Saturday, June 21, 2008
United - Making Travel More Difficult.
Yesterday, United dropped a bomb and brought back fare restrictions that most airlines got rid of decades ago for domestic travel, the minimum stay. It used to be, and for international travel still is, that the cheapest round trip ticket would require a minimum stay of a day or two or sometimes a whole weekend. However, in the fight for domestic business travel, most airlines removed these restrictions a long time ago.
United appears to be among the first to bring them back, in the hope of domestic business travel becoming more profitable for the airline. Will it work? Good question. Given the climate of record high fuel prices, it's an understandable risk as every airline seems to be racing to be the first to bring back fee x or fee y. The problem is that there are other airlines, like JetBlue and Southwest which don't seem too eager to reintroduce all the fees. If this kind of rule isn't matched by more airlines that cater to business travelers, I think we'll either see United drop the rule before it gets implemented or many businesses shift to other airlines in a relatively short time.
It should be noticed that United raised pricing, again on its lowest price tickets - an increase of between 1 and 90 dollars each way as well.
United appears to be among the first to bring them back, in the hope of domestic business travel becoming more profitable for the airline. Will it work? Good question. Given the climate of record high fuel prices, it's an understandable risk as every airline seems to be racing to be the first to bring back fee x or fee y. The problem is that there are other airlines, like JetBlue and Southwest which don't seem too eager to reintroduce all the fees. If this kind of rule isn't matched by more airlines that cater to business travelers, I think we'll either see United drop the rule before it gets implemented or many businesses shift to other airlines in a relatively short time.
It should be noticed that United raised pricing, again on its lowest price tickets - an increase of between 1 and 90 dollars each way as well.
