After American’s fourth quarter earnings call late in the week, executives gathered for their internal ‘State of the Airline’ comments to employees along with question and answer session. Vice President – Planning Vasu Raja answered questions about the airline’s route plans in what has been called a “network speed round” but this time just a “lightning round.”
In October at a similar event Raja shared that
- They’re looking at making Dallas-Fort Worth – Reykjavik year-round (this was just as Iceland-based Wow Air appeared to be cracking up so less competition in the Iceland low cost carrier market could change this).
- They’ll consider making their new Phoenix – London Heathrow flight year-round also, depending on how it does. (It appears Phoenix – London has been extended in American’s schedule.)
American Airlines in Phoenix - Bringing back the morning Miami – Sao Paulo depends on the Brazilian economy
- Los Angeles – Buenos Aires is looking to be the best of all of American’s Buenos Aires service this winter, but isn’t viewed as healthy enough to go daily.
- They’re always interested in more London Heathrow flights. As a result of their British Airways joint venture they consider London Heathrow to be a hub.
This time there were even better and more specific details about American’s route plans.
Growth in Dallas Will Be Both Mainline and Regional
With American getting access to an additional 15 gates at Dallas Fort-Worth this year,
In May we will grow DFW by..123 [departures], 58 of those will be on the regional opening a ton of new markets, not just domestic markets but international cities as well in Mexico. The remaining call it 65 or so are all on the mainline… 6 of those being on the widebody.
In May we start Munich, we have added trips in Charles de Gaulle, Madrid, and Heathrow as well… As we build Charlotte that will also be a similar story.
American to Launch Chicago – Krakow?
Asked about a possible Chicago – Krakow, Poland route Raja replied with “no comment.” He usually entertains speculation, offers reasons why something might or might not work in response to questions. This time he was just tight lipped, so whether or not this comes to fruition something is clearly afoot with Krakow.
Normally transatlantic expansion happens from Philadelphia, but Chicago’s big Polish community might suggestion some local traffic for such a route.
Phoenix Will Become More of a Seasonal Hub
An employee asked about whether they’d be keeping Phoenix – Grand Rapids and Raja used that route as an example of how over time we’re likely to see more seasonal flying in and out of Phoenixm,
Phoenix – Grand Rapids “is a city we are really really big to from most all our other hubs.
The role of Phoenix especially as DFW expands will change over time and Grand Rapids is a great example of it. We’ll be flying more trips from Phoenix to the Midwest. Phoenix will grow in the Winter when Phoenix peaks in our Northern hubs, their demand tends to trough, and things like Grand Rapids and other Midwest cities are a sign of things to come in Phoenix.
Three New Domestic Flights We Should See From Dallas
Raja was asked about Toledo and we learned a bit more about American’s plans than we usually do here, “Toledo, Akron, Charleston West Virginia are effectively the only 3 cities left that exist in Houston that do not exist in DFW. Without revealing too much that won’t be the case for very long.” (Emphasis mine.)
Doug Parker chimed in, “Whoa, oooh, you’re dropping Toledo, Akron, and what else? Charleston, West Virginia. Pre-release.” Raja added, “probably not for the summer of 2019 but beyond it.:
AA is dropping service from these 3 cities ? I don’t get the meaning here.
“Toledo, Akron, Charleston West Virginia are effectively the only 3 cities left that exist in Houston that do not exist in DFW. Without revealing too much that won’t be the case for very long.”
Doug Parker chimed in, “Whoa, oooh, you’re dropping Toledo, Akron, and what else? Charleston, West Virginia. Pre-release.” Raja added, “probably not for the summer of 2019 but beyond it.:
Wow – flights out of Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix on AA! Who would have thunk?
🙂
The news here is CLT is getting more international destinations – just not this year because gates aren’t ready yet.
Where at DFW are the new gates?
Do you guys have copy editors? Sheesh.
@swag they repurposed the satellite at terminal E for all AA. I believe Delt was using it before.
@William No, actually. There are no “you guys” it is just me, all the writing all the site management and everything else [and no, this isn’t my only job]. 🙂
Although I’m tempted to answer the question, “yes – my readers who tell me when I’ve done something wrong” hah!
Don’t understand the TOL statement-AA is the only real carrier there & they only fly to ORD & CLT as of last year. Not sure where or how Houston comes into that picture. I’ve long stopped flying out of TOL-TSA there is a joke & fares to CLT are even more of a joke. Just can’t justify it to my clients when I can drive to DTW in 45 minutes for much more reasonable fares.
Time to expand DFW nonstops to LGB and year-round to BUR
“Although I’m tempted to answer the question, “yes – my readers who tell me when I’ve done something wrong” hah!”
Nice!
Typical Dallas… always trying to one up Houston.
Surprising to hear that the east coast hubs (CLT, PHL, JFK) appears to be the status quo. They should have a deliberate strategy for this.
I read the quote from Parker as that those cities were being ‘name dropped’ (hinted at) as future DFW routes; not that service was being dropped (withdrawn).
@JAXBA is correct
Flights from Dallas to Gainesville Florida are also being added in March.
https://www.wcjb.com/content/news/American-Airlines-announces-non-stop-flights-between-GNV-and-DFW-494962441.html
@JJ – And trying to marginalize Fort Worth as so many of you love to help it do.
Gary has been saying Dallas for years…despite moving to TX he still doesn’t get it.
Hey Gary how would you like it if people posted internal information about your company online? I mean seriously you don’t work for the company and there are proper channels for this to get shared with the public at large.
Gary..
Tell AA to get rid of that pricey Heathrow hub. The taxes are $300-450 per person even on an Advantage award. I tell people avoid it like the plague. Go to Paris instead and take the Chunnel Train and spend a few days in Paris and even put a couple of hundred in your pocket. You do the math.
Bob Kaufman Author of Italy.. The Best Places to See by Rail… 300 pages on Amazon.
CRW once had non-stop daily service to DFW. The comments from Raja and Parker are confusing. Are the intimating that will add it back?
Mr. Leff-
I am AMAZED at how petty and snarky these comments are!
If AA has half a brain it will make the PHX-LHR flight year-round. While there is already a BA codeshare on that route, that flight (I am told by BA staff) has the WORST on time performance of any BA flight. My personal experience confirms it.
One might ask why. While BA will blame equipment issues, US security and a plethora of other invalid excuses it boils down to gate congestion at T3 LHR. BA has run out of gates. AA, OTOH, seems to have plenty of access, plus, the last time I looked they don’t have bed bugs.
This flight is AA’s to f*ck up.
@Josh G
I agree Gary has no journalism integrity. He uses someones login or asks for a video from the employee to post employee only information. This comes to the public in the future. Its kind of like insider trading using information only available to employees and buying the stock.
Hey Gary how would you like it if people posted internal information about your company online? I mean seriously you don’t work for the company and there are proper channels for this to get shared with the public at large.
Actually your suppositions are false. I do not access any system myself. And I do not ask for video. Sources send me things, which is quite common in journalism in fact it’s pretty core to journalism …