Why should there be a direct non-stop flight between RDU-FRA-RDU if there is not sufficient demand for such a service? United has a hub at IAD (224 miles away from RDU) and there are at least 6x daily United Express flights (CR7) between RDU-IAD-RDU that can feed pax onto-and from at least 5x daily services (United and LH) between IAD-FRA-IAD.
My first question is.. United? Of all airlines? United doesn't even have mainline to RDU.. let alone an international flight.
My statement is that RDU wouldn't be able to support the contemporary equipment utilized for such an internantional flight. There just isn't the numbers to support 763/777/330 service to FRA...
However, should an airline decide to utilize Boeings new 737-700ER aircraft, then RDU-FRA could be feasible and definitely profitable considering the business traffic that would utilize the service..
Womack17 From United States, joined Apr 2004, 410 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 1163 times:
Quoting RAFVC10 (Reply 4): But AA is flying all year an LGW-RDU flight with 777 equipment. If the american airlines uses this aircraft, the loads, supposing, are high.
Why not to prove to start new flights from Raleigh to Germany??
Even though the RDU-LGW service does adequate business, it would not be in existence if it weren't for the corporate subsidies that guarantee that AA will make a profit on the route. I love RDU and am glad the service exists, but the facts are the facts.
Oh how I miss Midway Airlines. A class act right to then end.
Cltguy From United States, joined Sep 2004, 559 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 1084 times:
Quoting SA7700 (Reply 1): United has a hub at IAD (224 miles away from RDU) and there are at least 6x daily United Express flights (CR7) between RDU-IAD-RDU that can feed pax onto-and from at least 5x daily services (United and LH) between IAD-FRA-IAD.
And don't forget that RDU is only 120 miles away from CLT which has service to both FRA and MUC on Star Alliance carriers US and LH.
SA7700 From South Africa, joined Dec 2003, 2001 posts, RR: 5 Reply 7, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1037 times:
Quoting Cltguy (Reply 6): And don't forget that RDU is only 120 miles away from CLT which has service to both FRA and MUC on Star Alliance carriers US and LH.
Thanks for that Cltguy, with your input I thus rest my case.
Widebodysrule From United States, joined Mar 2006, 15 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 968 times:
simple enough that there is hundreds of conx aday in rdu to fra and most either military or lh senators and that in itself is enough for at least 1 flt aday.....right
Ewmahle From United States, joined Mar 2005, 109 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 896 times:
You also have to concider, and this has been stated before about the
RDU-LGW flight, is that AA operates that flight and makes a lot of its profit from it with cargo alone, not always passenger loads.
Bond007 From United States, joined Mar 2005, 4346 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 885 times:
Quoting Womack17 (Reply 5): Even though the RDU-LGW service does adequate business, it would not be in existence if it weren't for the corporate subsidies that guarantee that AA will make a profit on the route. I love RDU and am glad the service exists, but the facts are the facts.
Correct. The AA flight to LGW is not there because there is demand from your 'average' Raleigh area passenger market. It's only there because of one (or more) RDU companies guarantee a certain number of seats with employees that travel to Europe. These pax would connect in CLT, PHL etc., or even drive, if their company didn't have that deal with AA. Certainly AA wouldn't be doing it otherwise.
Jimbo
I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground!
2travel2know From Panama, joined Apr 2005, 2818 posts, RR: 3 Reply 12, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 869 times:
In the subject of International flights to/from RDU, RDU does get quite a number of Latinamerican destinations via ATL, any Latinamerican airline must get a good O/D traffic of passengers connecting @ their hub to/from RDU before even think of flying to RDU.
CM E190 does have the range, but had the U.S. Armed Forces remained in Panama, such a PTY-RDU flight (even thirce weekly) could have been attractive; There are major U.S. Defense sites in North Carolina.
Rookinla From United States, joined Aug 2005, 281 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 862 times:
Quoting 2travel2know (Reply 12): CM E190 does have the range, but had the U.S. Armed Forces remained in Panama, such a PTY-RDU flight (even thirce weekly) could have been attractive; There are major U.S. Defense sites in North Carolina.
Maybe but I think that there are several cities that would be up first even considering the above statement. No doubt that CLT would be a higher priority in North Carolina. CM could probably get some feed from the US hub here to make it worthwhile.
They are in fact an associate member of Skyteam. CLT may or may not be on their short list of future detinations. I was just making an example of the potential traffic for them at CLT versus that of RDU. They will probably look at hooking up with Skyteam hubs and focus cities during their expansion. I wouldn't think that ATL would be high on their priority list because of DL. But CLT could be interesting though...CM couldn't survive there purely on O/D, but they could probably "creatively borrow" decent feed from the US Airways hub. Probably won't happen but it's interesting to think about...
Tornado82 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 805 times:
Quoting Rookinla (Reply 15): CM couldn't survive there purely on O/D, but they could probably "creatively borrow" decent feed from the US Airways hub.
The thing with "borrowing" from the US hub is that US will likely be charging their fares as if the pax were O&D-ing to CLT, which are pretty high. Then till CM adds their fare on top of that, no pax can afford to do that when DL/ATL aren't that much longer of a flight, and there's still more connectivity in Atlanta than Charlotte. Just ask most residents of the Central Time zone who USAirways is.
BoeingFever777 From United States, joined Oct 2004, 2089 posts, RR: 58 Reply 17, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 755 times:
AA has a contract with GlaxoSmithKline to ferry their employees to/from England to their Triangle Park HQ in North Carolina.
ERJ170 From United States, joined Apr 2004, 5447 posts, RR: 13 Reply 18, posted (2 years 7 months 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 745 times:
Hahahaha...
I definitely don't think that RDU will see CM any time soon. If anything south of the borders, I would think we would see AM/MX or perhaps one of their regional airlines.
Interesting fact, though.. that RDU actually does have a somewhat decent (uhmm.. sort of) O&D to Panama. Why? I"m not sure.. but we do.. But I think a flight to somewhere in Mexico would probably be much, MUCH more useful.
Quoting BoeingFever777 (Reply 17): AA has a contract with GlaxoSmithKline to ferry their employees to/from England to their Triangle Park HQ in North Carolina.
So here is my qeustion.. AA is contemplating axing that route. Which airline do you think would be willing to pick up the subsidized route? Perhaps BA could pick it up from the British side? I dont' think any US airline would have the spare 777.. unless DL got one of there's from off order for the route.. any thoughts?
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