MKE22 From United States, joined Nov 2007, 710 posts, RR: 0 Posted (2 months 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 2928 times:
Finally, what many FL people have been looking at for the past few months, the expansion service at MKE kicks off this Saturday, with service to DCA. Other destinations in Round 2 on Tuesday: LGA, SEA, LAX, SFO, and I think LAS adds 1x making it 2x daily?
And Round 3 on May 21st: BOS and SAN
I'm excited for the new SAN service personally, because I may go out west sometime this summer, but anybody have any thoughts or concerns (especially on the 3x daily to LGA)? Next destination if added?
SFOQQAA From United States, joined Aug 2007, 96 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (2 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2756 times:
Would FL try a MKE-DFW route? I realize there is a lot of competition with YX and to an extent AA. But I believe MKE-DFW is a bread and butter route for YX right along with LGA. Seems like they're not afraid to but heads. Although hasn't FL pulled down a bit in DFW?
MKENut From United States, joined Jul 2007, 243 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (2 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2721 times:
Aren't all these new routes seasonal? Come September or October they will contract to what routes they offer now out of MKE. Personally, I think FL is testing the MKE market with seasonal routes first. If United merges with another airline, they might have to give up gate space at ORD... then watch FL drop MKE to expand there.
MKE22 From United States, joined Nov 2007, 710 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (2 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2682 times:
Quoting SFOQQAA (Reply 2): Seems like they're not afraid to but heads. Although hasn't FL pulled down a bit in DFW?
Absolutely. I think they had around 20 daily flights at one point (don't quote me on that) and now offer just 3 destinations, all 3 of which are hubs. At a time, they promised the people of DFW a bustling mini-hub at one point, and never came through.
Quoting MKENut (Reply 3): Aren't all these new routes seasonal?
Yeah most of them besides LGA, but that doesn't mean that much coming out of FL.
Quoting MKENut (Reply 3): If United merges with another airline, they might have to give up gate space at ORD... then watch FL drop MKE to expand there.
Would that really make sense? Even if UA merges, ORD won't go anywhere for them, plus AA is still there, and they have MDW. I don't think it makes much sense IMO.
MKENut From United States, joined Jul 2007, 243 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (2 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2664 times:
Quoting MKE22 (Reply 4): Would that really make sense? Even if UA merges, ORD won't go anywhere for them, plus AA is still there, and they have MDW. I don't think it makes much sense IMO.
The only reason it makes sense to me is that FL mentioned the possibility of ORD in their Q1 2008 conference call.
MKENut From United States, joined Jul 2007, 243 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (2 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2646 times:
Quoting MKE22 (Reply 6): What did they say about ORD anyway?
That ORD is a definite possibility if consolidation happens in the industry and if gates free up. They mentioned other airports too... but I don't remember them. This is not verbatim since I don't feel like listening to the conference call again.
MKE22 From United States, joined Nov 2007, 710 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (2 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2644 times:
Quoting MKENut (Reply 7):
That ORD is a definite possibility if consolidation happens in the industry and if gates free up. They mentioned other airports too... but I don't remember them. This is not verbatim since I don't feel like listening to the conference call again.
Haha, I see. Very interesting indeed. I wonder if they are thinking of going into some more smaller markets.
Msntriathlete From United States, joined Feb 2006, 114 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 months 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 2464 times:
What about MKE-EWR? Are loads that much lower on EWR than LGA to justify YX downgrading it from 717 to CRJ service, or would that leave room for FL to add some capacity on that route?
MKE22 From United States, joined Nov 2007, 710 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (2 months 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 2377 times:
Quoting MKENut (Reply 9): Where did they get another DCA slot from???
I know YX applied for MKE-DCA along with FL and a number of others to other places, but I thought FL only got these slots. Maybe another airline didn't take some said slots or gave some up.
Quoting Msntriathlete (Reply 10): What about MKE-EWR? Are loads that much lower on EWR than LGA to justify YX downgrading it from 717 to CRJ service, or would that leave room for FL to add some capacity on that route?
As of May 22 actually, MKE-EWR is back on 712, according to the MKE page on wikipedia. i wouldn't see why FL wouldn't do this route if they got the slots though. Although FL did try this route out of MDW and I guess it didn't work too well.
MKENut From United States, joined Jul 2007, 243 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (2 months 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 2339 times:
Quoting MKE22 (Reply 11): know YX applied for MKE-DCA along with FL and a number of others to other places, but I thought FL only got these slots. Maybe another airline didn't take some said slots or gave some up.
I thought I heard YX was adding a 5th RT for MKE-DCA in June. I can't find where I read it anymore. I wonder if FL was officially denied by the FAA to move an existing DCA route from RSW to MKE? Has anyone heard?
MKE22 From United States, joined Nov 2007, 710 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (2 months 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 2318 times:
Quoting MKENut (Reply 12): I thought I heard YX was adding a 5th RT for MKE-DCA in June. I can't find where I read it anymore. Sad I wonder if FL was officially denied by the FAA to move an existing DCA route from RSW to MKE? Has anyone heard?
I'm pretty sure they have been. I'm not sure if this has anything to do w/ this but YX RSW-MCI has ended or will be ended.
Bcoz From United States, joined Mar 2007, 205 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (2 months 4 days ago) and read 2265 times:
I just booked round trip MKE-LGA for next Sat and Sun. Going to visit some friends in NYC and go to the Mets game.
Can't beat the $59 fare plus the triple A+ Rewards credits that will hopefully allow me to upgrade to Business Class on my MKE-LAS trip later this summer.
Cubsrule From United States, joined May 2004, 7130 posts, RR: 4 Reply 15, posted (2 months 4 days ago) and read 2225 times:
Quoting MKENut (Reply 7): That ORD is a definite possibility if consolidation happens in the industry and if gates free up.
The last time FL tried a Chicago focus city, AA and UA beat the tar out of them even though they were flying to a different airport. Why in the world would this time be different?
Quoting SFOQQAA (Reply 2): Would FL try a MKE-DFW route?
It seems like a recipe for disaster. AA can barely hang on against YX, and they have a massive hub on one end.
MKE22 From United States, joined Nov 2007, 710 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (2 months 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 2217 times:
Quoting Cubsrule (Reply 15): Quoting SFOQQAA (Reply 2):
Would FL try a MKE-DFW route?
It seems like a recipe for disaster. AA can barely hang on against YX, and they have a massive hub on one end.
I've got a crazy idea. What if FL started MKE-HOU like the way they did MKE-PHX and then WN took them on this route? Or if FL started this route and YX restarted it because they used to fly there. And if another MD opened up, would YX start MKE-SAN ? I like this idea, although unlikely.
Phxtravelboy From United States, joined Nov 2005, 77 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (2 months 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 2110 times:
I was flying on AA on Sunday, April 20 from MKE to ORD so I wandered down to the end of the C concourse to check out the hammerhead addition. FL has their gates set up there, and they had several flag type of banners that rose from their stand on the floor up maybe 8 feet advertising each new city they are starting nonstop service too. It was pretty neat to see. I hope all of these flights do very well so more can be added.
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From United States, joined Nov 2007, 710 posts, 
I wonder if FL was officially denied by the FAA to move an existing DCA route from RSW to MKE? Has anyone heard?