Swa wins dca slots

[humveedriver]

The new AA will blister your ass at DCA...like we did in PHL. You guys are not all that anymore. There are guys in my squadron that are leaving the corn dog and going to the legasy airlines.

Thank god! Those academy grads deserve to fly for the best!

 

[Dan Roman]

At least they will fly bigger airplanes in there than most others, it's about time. DCA has become an RJ fest, just like LGA.

I use to fly for Henson in and out of there, went back to DCA for the first time in 20 or more years and was blown away by the shift to mostly RJ's.
SWA may not be that competitive against mainline, but if they are competing against a bunch of RJ's I expect they will do very well.

 

[General Lee]

I use to fly for Henson in and out of there, went back to DCA for the first time in 20 or more years and was blown away by the shift to mostly RJ's.
SWA may not be that competitive against mainline, but if they are competing against a bunch of RJ's I expect they will do very well.

The USAir RJs mainly flew to smaller cities, like Lexington or Huntsville. I doubt SWA will add cities like that, they just dropped 17 former AT cities that were served by 717s.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[redflyer65]

Yup, those slots were given to the guy with the most numbers on the check. This was a very smart move by GK, DCA is a gold mine on yield, just like LGA or any slot controlled airport.

Completely agree Freight. The yield is going to be nice out of DCA.

Excellent move on GK's part.

 

[johnnyb]

Care to make a little wager on that?

Bubba

I would but it wouldn't be fair.

Southwest will fail for for 3 reasons.

First, as they found in PHL, 60 % of the traffic are connections ( 40 % DCA ) severely limiting the customer base of a point to point airline like Southwest.

Second, Dulles has experienced a one for one pax drop vs National as JetBlue moved service from IAD to DCA so your hubs in BWI DCA will cannabilze each other unless you offer exclusive destinations from each.

Which, three, you cannot due because of the perimeter rule - which will also fence Southwest into markets already served by every other airline already there.

 

[Dan Roman]

The USAir RJs mainly flew to smaller cities, like Lexington or Huntsville. I doubt SWA will add cities like that, they just dropped 17 former AT cities that were served by 717s.


Bye Bye---General Lee

that's actually my point. Those cities dropped were out of ATL I assume? Lot's of mainline competition there. My point was DCA seems to have morphed into mostly RJ flying. I.E. much less competition for SWA to deal with and perhaps more opportunity for them.

 

[Dan Roman]

I would but it wouldn't be fair.

Southwest will fail for for 3 reasons.

First, as they found in PHL, 60 % of the traffic are connections ( 40 % DCA ) severely limiting the customer base of a point to point airline like Southwest.

Second, Dulles has experienced a one for one pax drop vs National as JetBlue moved service from IAD to DCA so your hubs in BWI DCA will cannabilze each other unless you offer exclusive destinations from each.

Which, three, you cannot due because of the perimeter rule - which will also fence Southwest into markets already served by every other airline already there.

You do make a good point here. The Metro (or whatever it's called in Washington) was being extended to IAD when I was there and I imagine is almost done. It seemed like IAD is getting lot's of attention at becoming the airport of choice there.

 

[Smarta$$]

At least they will fly bigger airplanes in there than most others, it's about time. DCA has become an RJ fest, just like LGA.

That is because it is slot controlled. It is how the legacies avoid competition by wasting slots with RJs instead of having them go unused and redistributed to LCCs.

 

[Flopgut]

http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/...se-out-in-Southwest-AirTran-merger/53307050/1

So if you're a legacy airline, and your merger diminishes flights/competition, the DOJ will take your slots. If you're SWA and your merger diminishes flights/competition, it's all good!! In fact, the DOJ will make sure those legacy slots are made available to you.

This BS is getting old. It's time SWA starts forfeiting some stuff.

 

[Smarta$$]

http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/...se-out-in-Southwest-AirTran-merger/53307050/1

So if you're a legacy airline, and your merger diminishes flights/competition, the DOJ will take your slots. If you're SWA and your merger diminishes flights/competition, it's all good!! In fact, the DOJ will make sure those legacy slots are made available to you.

This BS is getting old. It's time SWA starts forfeiting some stuff.

No dog in this for SWA, but I think the important distinction is a maxed out slot-controlled airport. The markets and airport SWA-AT pulled out of are at airports that anyone can start up service at any time.