Yet another aviation thread.

Quote: Pacomartin

I would say "quite extravagant" is an understatment. Even 30 people in a plane that size would be indulgent.

Oh, I forgot to mention an office :)

Viva Aerobus announced a new route MEX-LAS. It's their first international route from MEX, though they fly several international routes from their hub at MTY, including Vegas already. This also means every major Mexican airline now flies MEX-LAS. I wonder if this route now has too much capacity.

Quote: Nareed

This also means every major Mexican airline now flies MEX-LAS. I wonder if this route now has too much capacity.

I doubt it. When Interjet added it's route there was only a slight drop in Aero Mexico and Volaris. Usually a new airline creates more passengers (and steals only a few ). It looks like Interjet created 3 passengers for every one it stole.



US airlines tend to want to control a route, but Mexican Airlines frequently compete on the same route.

Quote: Pacomartin

US airlines tend to want to control a route, but Mexican Airlines frequently compete on the same route.

No airline is really big enough for that, except for inconsequential routes like MEX-Zacatecas. Aeromexico perhaps comes closest in MEX, where it dominates T2.

I suppose they could wipe out everyone else from a popular route. Say MEX-MTY, by offering three-four flights each hour between 5 to 11 am and 1 to 10 pm at very low fares (which would come up once the competition is wiped out), but I doubt they even want to.

I think in america, too, airlines established the hub and spoke model early, and were able to dominate any given hub. T2 at MEX looks a bit like a US hub, where you have to look long and hard for a livery not the home's airline (like AA at DFW or Delta at Atlanta). But if you glance across the runway, it's a panoply of Interjet, Volarais, Viva and several foreign airlines.

I think only 20% of domestic routes have some competition in the USA.

Las Vegas is the 26th busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic, and the 9th largest in the USA. But, as it is not a hub for a US airline, all foreign flights are by foreign carriers. At least in season, Las Vegas has flights from London on four different airlines but Mexico City is the only airline to be served by so many different carriers year round.


Volaris Mexico City, Guadalajara
Aeroméxico Mexico City, Monterrey
Interjet Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey
VivaAerobus Mexico City (begins December 16, 2017) Seasonal: Monterrey
Copa Airlines Panama City

Air Canada Rouge Calgary, Montréal–Trudeau, Toronto–Pearson, Vancouver
WestJet Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto–Pearson, Vancouver, Winnipeg Seasonal: Kelowna, Regina, Saskatoon, Victoria

Hainan Airlines Beijing–Capital
Korean Air Seoul–Incheon
Qatar Airways Doha (begins June 27, 2018)

British Airways London–Heathrow
Virgin Atlantic London–Gatwick Seasonal: Manchester (UK)
Thomas Cook Airlines Manchester (UK) Seasonal: Glasgow, London–Stansted
Norwegian Air Shuttle Seasonal: London–Gatwick, Copenhagen, Oslo–Gardermoen, Stockholm–Arlanda
Condor Frankfurt, Munich
Edelweiss Air Seasonal: Zürich
Eurowings Seasonal: Cologne/Bonn

Quote: Pacomartin

At least in season, Las Vegas has flights from London on four different airlines but Mexico City is the only airline to be served by so many different carriers year round.

Remember Vegas is a popular destination, it's near, and it's cheap (or can be). And that the Us is very close. So flying there takes any mainline jet and many regional ones.

Also the rule about city pairs was struck down. Previously only two airlines at a time were allowed to fly from MEX to any US city, as I understand things. That's why Interjet flew to LAS from Toluca

My point was that out of the top 10 busiest airports in the USA, Vegas is the only one that does not have a single international flight on a US carrier. Instead they have only 17 international airlines.

Busiest Airports in the USA by Total Passengers (rank by international passengers)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (6)
Los Angeles International Airport (3)
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (5)
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (10)
Denver International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport (1)
San Francisco International Airport (7)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
McCarran International Airport
Miami International Airport (2)

Quote: Pacomartin

My point was that out of the top 10 busiest airports in the USA, Vegas is the only one that does not have a single international flight on a US carrier.

Is that due to the hub and spoke model? I assume all or most international flights depart from hubs.


BTW, a new civil aviation law went into effect this week in Mexico. There's some mandatory compensation for delays and such. But the big one is that airlines have to offer one free checked bag in all flights and all fares or face a fine. Turns out lots of airlines were fined because of this, including Jet Blue. Volaris, meantime, says they will appeal that provision of the law, and the related fines.

Quote: Nareed

Is that due to the hub and spoke model? I assume all or most international flights depart from hubs.

Absolutely.

While there is a little disturbance in the hub and spoke model for domestic routes (chiefly by Southwest airlines) it remains firmly in place on international flights. Vegas airport is poorly suited for widebody operations, as using the one long runway involves not using other runways. It will never be possible for Vegas to be a major hub.



The US airlines are not interested in point to point operations internationally.

Quote: Pacomartin

Absolutely.

nailed it :)

Quote:

Vegas airport is poorly suited for widebody operations, as using the one long runway involves not using other runways. It will never be possible for Vegas to be a major hub.

Ergo the new airport maybe? :)

Seriously, lots of widebodies visit Vegas. BA, Condor, one of the ME3, Hawaiian, AF, and I suspect others. No US wide bodies, I'll buy that (at least not any more; who knows what happened int he 80s and 90s)

Quote:

The US airlines are not interested in point to point operations internationally.

They should be. Clearly they could have sustained one MEX-LAS daily flight. also that's what Jet Blue is doing MEX to Orlando. Of course, I understand why United can claim they fly MEX-LAS, with a connection at SFO, or American does the same with a stop in Phoenix.