The fragmenting of the UK non-London to NYC market by new services from BHX and NCL cannot have helped either. Don't really understand the objectives of AA and UA in not consolidating and building their MAN services, surely this would be more profitable?
It may play a factor however I suspect AA to JFK held up largely well. PHL has been in steady decline since around or before CLT started last year and looks to be continuing.
To put PHL into context it's not even filling a 752 to capacity so is cargo really good ex MAN with them as since the 762's are gone it an A332 or 752 if capacity was to be adjusted. Think it may be an interesting one to watch over the coming months.
On a brighter note, despite being down on May last year UA achieved a LF of 85% on EWR, and with an average load of 219, VS was 82% on ATL.
Expect UA will be happy they always go up and down between 80-100% loads.
It doesn't help that the aircraft are trash too, people do notice these things! I had some friends recently fly outbound on the A330 to PHL and back via JFK on the 767, they said they couldn't believe the 767 still had overhead TVs...!
They may be in the process of tarting up the 767 business cabins (still the risk of angle flats yet) but the economy cabins will remain dated. And nobody is getting seat back entertainment either, people expect that these days. Oh and you never know if they will switch the route to a 757 either.
I've got a couple of J TATLs on AA coming up and I am going via LHR for the better and more predictable experience. I can't be the only one who values that!
Not really sure it's a factor for the market which MAN serves, it may impact on J however that's not unexpected and AA know that. It will impact but expect not to the big extent people think.
I agree about OTP with AA and while a problem for passenger it will be costing them significant sums of money also.
The fragmenting of the UK non-London to NYC market by new services from BHX and NCL cannot have helped either. Don't really understand the objectives of AA and UA in not consolidating and building their MAN services, surely this would be more profitable?
Will never happen with UA they are an airport and frequency operation and serve many smaller cities than the big carriers. The 752 has possibly benefited them most. AA may at some point can't quiet see it short term. JFK is the type of route that can work regionally over the majority of US cities once conditions are right.