KCI Flight Schedule Adjustments

[langosta]

sounds like major winter schedule reductions coming

[herrfrank]

^ Lufthansa for years protected its Frankfurt/ Main dominance by aggressively price-undercutting any "other carrier" services to Duesseldorf, which would be the natural, primary airport for the Rhineland. The Cologne airport is close to Bonn and was rarely anything more than a fixed terminal for noncommercial operations. Nowadays, there is a political sentiment to prefer train service except at designated "long-distance" airports - Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt (and Amsterdam across the Rhine).

There was also the strange situation for years where all service to Berlin from the respective zones was exclusively offered by the four occupying powers' flagship carriers (Pan Am, Air France, BA, and Aeroflot). I flew Pan Am from Stuttgart to Berlin as recently as 1988 -- Lufthansa was not allowed to operate this sector, nor FRA to Tegel. This ended in 1990 (with the quadripartite renunciation treaty) and Pan Am sold its Frankfurt minihub to Delta in 1991 (which later closed it). In 1994 you could still fly DL from Frankfurt to where I was working (Moscow) SVO as well as Bucharest, Petersburg, Budapest, Warsaw and some other markets. It opened up some nice options like SFO-FRA-SVO rather than a long layover at JFK and then the always crowded DL-30 to Sheremetyevo.

[langosta]

IcelandAir released a presentation that shows they plan flights of over 6600KM with their A321XLRs.... MCI-DUB is 6500KM for reference.

[Chris Stritzel]

IcelandAir released a presentation that shows they plan flights of over 6600KM with their A321XLRs.... MCI-DUB is 6500KM for reference.

Curious to know if that's with passengers and luggage or without.

[langosta]

Alaskan buying Hawaiian. Hawaiian will continue as it’s own entity for the time being.

[brewcrew1000]

I always thought HA should have been the one to merge with Alaska instead of Virgin Virgin would have probably just went out of business on its own. HA/AS do have a lot of overlapping Hawaii routes so it will be interesting to see what happens to those.

[WoodDraw]

They overlap only on 3% of their routes, but I'm sure regulators will take a strong look at flights between Hawaii and the West Coast.

[langosta]

They overlap only on 3% of their routes, but I'm sure regulators will take a strong look at flights between Hawaii and the West Coast.

It think the merger will force the combined entity off at least some Hawaii routes. Will that capacity be retired or redirected to domestic mainland routes?

[WoodDraw]

It makes oneworld a bit crazy as well? I don't know, I need to read more before I say anything stupid.

[langosta]

Meanwhile, responding to a question about new routes for next year, Tourism Director Rosa Harris told the committee that they had done an aviation assessment to look for new business. She said Kansas and Austin were two possibilities for CAL to pursue, and they have handed over the findings to the board. She said the two routes were supported by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, especially Austin, which is an affluent market.

https://caymannewsservice.com/2023/12/c ... PIgkysdrI0

[SingleMalt12]

And KC is what, a slum? Harsh

[langosta]

And KC is what, a slum? Harsh

This other news source puts it a little kinder.

Kansas City, Missouri, and Austin, Texas, have both been identified as potential future destinations for Cayman Airways flights.

The Department of Tourism suggested the new locations to the airline’s board for consideration after researching potential short haul routes earlier this year.

Department director Rosa Harris revealed the suggested expansion to the Finance Committee on Wednesday, 13 Dec., following a question from member Chris Saunders.

Harris said Austin is a particularly attractive destination, as it is a “very affluent market”, and the Cayman Islands Tourism Association supports the suggestions.

https://www.caymancompass.com/2023/12/1 ... ys-routes/

[TheLastGentleman]

I mean obviously KCMO isn’t filthy rich, but the MCI catchment area is vast and varied

[Cratedigger]

Y’all this isn’t a dig on KC. Austin is just in another world compared to KC and has just been on a tear with all of the corporate and personal relocations. The city was literally the fastest growing city for millionaires in the nation with a millionaire growth rate of 102% from 2012 to 2022.

The city also shows their wealth more than KC which I’m sure plays a part.

[taxi]

Don't mess with Texas.

[brewcrew1000]

Another Dig IMO is that the Cayman Islands are not a place people from KC generally travel to unless its a cruise ship stop. The lack of all inclusive will make the island not very attractive to the common traveler in this area. Cayman Islands is definitely a higher income kind of place.

[GRID]

Another Dig IMO is that the Cayman Islands are not a place people from KC generally travel to unless its a cruise ship stop. The lack of all inclusive will make the island not very attractive to the common traveler in this area. Cayman Islands is definitely a higher income kind of place.

Yeah, seems like most people I know back in metro KC do cruise ships far more often than actual international travel. I personally have zero interest in cruise ships and don't get their appeal, but to each their own.

[dukuboy1]

Y’all this isn’t a dig on KC. Austin is just in another world compared to KC and has just been on a tear with all of the corporate and personal relocations. The city was literally the fastest growing city for millionaires in the nation with a millionaire growth rate of 102% from 2012 to 2022.

The city also shows their wealth more than KC which I’m sure plays a part.

I agree, not an insult or even a "left handed compliment" so to speak. The facts are Austin has more wealth for sure given the boom in Austin and the surrounding areas that Metro serves. MO could go on a tear like that too if they decided to overhaul their tax structures. Companies move to Austin & Nashville mainly because they their states offer really, really sweet tax benefits for businesses and have no state income tax. Those cities have good fun, "hip vibes" despite being in rather conservatives States overall. The cities are the outposts for more moderate to liberal leaning populaces. As is the case in most states, cities lean a bit more liberal, rural more conservative. But point is MO could apply the TX model of taxes and try to be a player to relocate big business to KC & STL. But we know they won't do that as they are too busy trying to one up each other in a game of "I'm more crazy conservative Christian than you"

[dev49]

Another Dig IMO is that the Cayman Islands are not a place people from KC generally travel to unless its a cruise ship stop. The lack of all inclusive will make the island not very attractive to the common traveler in this area. Cayman Islands is definitely a higher income kind of place.

Yeah, seems like most people I know back in metro KC do cruise ships far more often than actual international travel. I personally have zero interest in cruise ships and don't get their appeal, but to each their own.

Not my thing either. But I think the appeal is you get to see different places without packing all you stuff up between each one and doing the travel yourself. As someone with kids that part does appeal to me. It would make things easier. Basically you get an all inclusive resort that moves.

[hartliss]

Spirit adding FLL-MCI direct, only for March and April though https://twitter.com/adrianwaltz/status ... 1613013028

It will be interesting with NK/B6 merger all but dead how that impacts service at MCI. B6 has started to pull back in other markets and have to think the lone JFK flight is on life support.