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Further Airline mergers
| August 15th, 2016 at 6:33:00 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
I don't think they'll get the LR version of the 321neo. But since you bring it up, their route map already includes a flight to from MEX to Lima. Much as I like Interjet, that's way too long a flight on an A320 without even a hot meal. Beyond that, it's way too long on a narrow body with a single narrow aisle and no place to move around. Airbus and Boeing should really quit adding such ridiculous ranges for plane that can't transport people in anything resembling reasonable well-being, never mind comfort. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| August 15th, 2016 at 9:49:18 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
I suppose that the 6500km range for the A321neo and the 7400km for the long range version means that the long range version will probably be restricted to about 6500km. The Boeing 757 advertises a 7222km range. But in any case, the current flights done by IcelandAir with the B757 may be possible to do with the A321neo (some with the Long Range version) San Francisco and LAX are served from Iceland by WOW Airlines, but with a special all economy widebody A330. Dallas and Houston should be within range. |
| August 15th, 2016 at 8:43:36 PM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
Probably correct. The maps show the 10 largest airports in Latin America. Although the five airports in deep South America are technically within 7400 km, no commercial route will push the specifications that hard. Everything else is within the current engine option A320. |
| August 16th, 2016 at 3:05:41 AM permalink | |
| Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | Mexico City is rumored to be beautiful but no one knows for sure because its a city that no one has ever seen due to the smog and no one has ever toured because of the suicidal traffic. Now, Iceland on the other hand would make a great place to fly, spend a few days and then fly on to one's real destination. Its a long trip but two short flights. The trouble is will pricing allow for a business class clientele to take a leisurely trip? |
| August 16th, 2016 at 7:18:20 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
With Volaris Airlines now offering low cost flights from a growing list of US cities it has become relatively inexpensive to fly to Mexico City. The smog is much better than it was decades ago, and you have traffic all over the world. You may want to head down for a few days and see the city.
Icelandair and now Wow have always made detouring through Iceland an inexpensive way to get to Europe. Now with other low cost airlines like Norwegian proliferating, Icelandair specializes in selling inexpensive business class tickets. Both airlines offer free layovers in Iceland as those layovers are extremely important to the tourism industry of the country. |
| August 16th, 2016 at 7:48:39 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
IMO if Interjet wants to push deep into South America, they'll either have to use 5th freedom rights and offer connections, make technical stops (ie refueling stops), or buy a wide body long range jet. Maybe the A330neo would be a good fit for them. If they stick to narrow bodies, they'd have to get Airbus to redesign the A320/1neo to hold even more fuel. At some point this has to become a game of diminishing returns, though, since it costs fuel to carry more fuel. The A330neo might be a good idea for them, especially if they go after the US-South America market offering low prices and economy comfort seating. They'd have to add a real galley and offer real meals, though, which seems anathema to them... Think LAX-MEX-GRU for example, or JFK-MEX-EZE Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| August 16th, 2016 at 8:29:38 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
Right now Aeromexico uses it's 12 year old Boeing 777s to fly to Chile, Argentina and Brazil. They don't fly to Brasilia. There was some talk of getting Aeromexico to transfer more Northern America passengers to South America, but there are a lot of widebody flights directly to South America, particularly on American Airlines via Miami airport. Miami airport is very crowded at around midnight as the widebodies are taking off for South America. Because of the time zones, most flights to Europe take off right after dinner, and certainly before 9 PM. Copa is also expanding at a considerable pace, and they have no plans to purchase widebodies. They currently have 75 B737s and have 87 more on order. Avianca has 74 narrowbodies (including 10 A318s), but they also have 15 widebodies (but they fly to Madrid, Barcelona, and London). Star Alliance seems better able to exploit transfers to South America via Central America. Skyteam is partnered with Aeromexico and Aerolineas Argentina.
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| August 16th, 2016 at 8:36:10 AM permalink | |
| terapined Member since: Aug 6, 2014 Threads: 73 Posts: 11799 |
I fly a lot of people to South America out of the US When clients are looking for cheap fares and are willing to connect, Copa comes up a lot So I've sold quite a bit of Copa. Sometimes we live no particular way but our own - Grateful Dead "Eyes of the World" |
| August 16th, 2016 at 9:04:09 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
Yup. A lot depends on whether Interjet can transfer its current model to a wide body. A regular Interjet seat is a premium economy seat on US carriers (minus the meal and entertainment). Now, suppose they can, and suppose they can also copy Jet Blue's Mint class, more or less. Now suppose they can offer what are premium economy tickets for about the same as regular economy tickets on American or Delta? And the Mint clone for less than business class on the majors? Perhaps Miami or JFK wouldn't draw much business, but LAX and DFW might, as MEX is close to the direct route. Oh, they could make things even better by making TLC the intermediate stop. Turnaround there ought to be lightning fast given the low traffic, if passengers going to South America need not deplane. I can see them adding meals, but not IFE on every seat. That costs too much in capital and operations. Their best bet would be to add good WiFi at a reasonable price. Regardless that now the average traveler can carry a media library on their phone, IFE remains a valued amenity. I know it's a pipe dream, but a nice one. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| August 16th, 2016 at 9:58:23 AM permalink | |
| Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
Those airports have a lot of nonstops to most South American destinations. But you have airports like Denver (6th busiest in the USA by passenger traffic) which is still pretty large, but has very little flights to Latin America (none to South America). Aeroméxico: Seasonal: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey (begins December 17, 2016) Volaris: Chihuahua, Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey (begins December 1, 2016) United :Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo Seasonal: Panama City, San José de Costa Rica As the dollar remains strong, you could fly from Denver to Houston and pay a lot of money to get to South America. Volaris has only two destinations south of Mexico: San Jose, Costa Rica and Guatemala City, Guatemala Also Asians are increasingly interested in getting to Latin America. Since nonstop consist primarily of Mexico City, and Argentina and Chile via New Zealand, most travellers end up going through LAX. Air traffic is expected to double in Latin America in less than a decade. Delta’s intends to acquire up to 49 percent of Aeroméxico. In many ways Aeroméxico's fleet is much more modern than Delta's. Aeroméxico already has 9 Dreamliners, and they intend to acquire a minimum of 6 more (4 of which will replace the B777's which are about 12 years old).
In theory Avianca should have the same inexpensive prices with a change in Bogota, but I am willing to bet your clients don't like the idea of changing planes in Bogota. Typical images of Bogota   |