KCI Flight Schedule Adjustments

[langosta]

Most of my contacts outside of Kansas City think we will get IcelandAir or Eir Lingus next. Not many think a legacy is in the cards unless MAYBE Delta and JV.

[beautyfromashes]

Most of my contacts outside of Kansas City think we will get IcelandAir or Eir Lingus next. Not many think a legacy is in the cards unless MAYBE Delta and JV.

And what would be the benefit of that from a customer perspective? It adds another transfer option but I doubt those flights would be cheaper than a transfer in New York or Boston or Chicago. Besides those going to Ireland or Iceland as their final destination, I don't see the benefit.

[langosta]

Most of my contacts outside of Kansas City think we will get IcelandAir or Eir Lingus next. Not many think a legacy is in the cards unless MAYBE Delta and JV.

And what would be the benefit of that from a customer perspective? It adds another transfer option but I doubt those flights would be cheaper than a transfer in New York or Boston or Chicago. Besides those going to Ireland or Iceland as their final destination, I don't see the benefit.

You are right, it doesn’t work for everyone. But it does work for most and since the airplanes are half the size and a fraction of the cost to operate, it ends up working out. Air Lingus and IcelandAir are built to connect passengers from the US with Europe at competitive prices and timings.

Dublin connection allows for pre-clearing US customs and you don’t have the PITA JFK or ORD international connection experience. Iirc, can book through/use points from United rn but eventually switching to American.

Iceland is similar with even smaller planes and no pre clearance. Icelandair also competes on price to be the lower cost option where BA or LH are going to come a premium to domestic connecting service. Iirc, can book through/use points from JetBlue and maybe Alaskan .

Edit: Condor and EuroWings (Lufthansa group) are not out of the running either.

[dev49]

Ireland I could get excited about. Iceland not so much.

[TheUrbanRoo]

Yep. I could definitely live with it being Dublin. That's a respectable option. Once we prove that we'll use it (and we will), that'll get us into the rest of Europe sooner rather than later.

[hartliss]

The analysis quoted above is accurate -- Lufthansa is not going to double dip in Missouri. Delta kind of smacked AA by building its SkyClub here. They could do a Paris flight, but what businesses are left with a continental travel linkage? Marion Labs/ Hoechst/ Roussel Uclaf is kaput in KC. Bayer sold its big operation here. Much of the rest of Corporate KC is domestically/ Canada/ Mexico oriented.

London seems likeliest, but AA would almost certainly need to put in a club. BA would need some corporate demand, and I just don't see that in KC now. Some other shoe needs to drop -- a financial services company relocating to KC would do it, or a British subsidiary relocating here.

This, 100%. The reality is that unless we have strong corporate support we will likely be left with a non Tier 1 carrier IMO.

[beautyfromashes]

I wouldn’t give any incentive money for Iceland or Ireland. I’d almost prefer Manchester over Dublin because you’d have mainland rail connection.

[TheUrbanRoo]

I wouldn’t give any incentive money for Iceland or Ireland. I’d almost prefer Manchester over Dublin because you’d have mainland rail connection.

It would be cheaper than connecting out of NY or some US city still. Once you’re in Europe, flights to go to other cities are between like $30-60. It’s dirt cheap to fly within that continent.

[langosta]

I wouldn’t give any incentive money for Iceland or Ireland. I’d almost prefer Manchester over Dublin because you’d have mainland rail connection.

Manchester is not an option

[beautyfromashes]

I wouldn’t give any incentive money for Iceland or Ireland. I’d almost prefer Manchester over Dublin because you’d have mainland rail connection.

It would be cheaper than connecting out of NY or some US city still. Once you’re in Europe, flights to go to other cities are between like $30-60. It’s dirt cheap to fly within that continent.

You can definitely get that price going on to London, which would be nice. Would be more to other destinations, especially if you’re checking luggage. A lot would depend on connection times. I’d be fine. I’ve done Easyjet out of Dublin. Not a great experience. Massive lines, almost no gate agents, huge fees for weight overages so everyone has their suitcases open moving shoes around to even the load, have to check in super early so you’re waiting forever. I’d probably pass, but it’s something. But, like I said, I wouldn’t give incentive for it.

[langosta]

Denver gave $6 million for Are Lingus to add DUB in 2024.

https://www.9news.com/video/news/local/ ... 8606cef5e9

[TheUrbanRoo]

So $6 million or so seems to be the bar...and we've got $5 mil, right? If we got a couple more we'd get it, maybe even without more.

[langosta]

So $6 million or so seems to be the bar...and we've got $5 mil, right? If we got a couple more we'd get it, maybe even without more.

No, Cleveland gave closer to $12 million for that airline. We are closer to CLE than DEN

Denver is a mega hub for Aer Lingus’s US partner United and bigger metro.

[langosta]

Delta seat count (at least for June 2022)

MCI is now the largest (non-hub/non-focus city) station for Delta in the Midwest. We might move up a spot or two this year as DL is planning to add more frequencies.

Saw a tweet on this.. Delta is now using its lie flat Delta One product in Kansas City. 757 turns to/from Atlanta. Delta traditionally uses these on premium traffic routes and narrow (lower demand) routes to Europe/South America.

[hartliss]

Delta seat count (at least for June 2022)

MCI is now the largest (non-hub/non-focus city) station for Delta in the Midwest. We might move up a spot or two this year as DL is planning to add more frequencies.

Saw a tweet on this.. Delta is now using its lie flat Delta One product in Kansas City. 757 turns to/from Atlanta. Delta traditionally uses these on premium traffic routes and narrow (lower demand) routes to Europe/South America.

Good find, hadn't seen that. Curious how long it runs...seems odd IMO.

[langosta]

Delta seat count (at least for June 2022)

MCI is now the largest (non-hub/non-focus city) station for Delta in the Midwest. We might move up a spot or two this year as DL is planning to add more frequencies.

Saw a tweet on this.. Delta is now using its lie flat Delta One product in Kansas City. 757 turns to/from Atlanta. Delta traditionally uses these on premium traffic routes and narrow (lower demand) routes to Europe/South America.

Good find, hadn't seen that. Curious how long it runs...seems odd IMO.

Lie Down Business Class is a major amenity advantage vs. UA, AA, and Southwest. I suspect we got it through a combination of Delta wanting to eventually compete on P2P out of KC, a need to balance hours and cycles on the aircraft, and the continued slower recovery in Transcon Business Travel.

[langosta]

KCI Customs now takes Mobile Passport. Only one other airport with MPC doesn't have a euro flight (of the airports that could physically/legally support one)

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/ ... rt-control

[dev49]

KCI Customs now takes Mobile Passport. Only one other airport with MPC doesn't have a euro flight (of the airports that could physically/legally support one)

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/ ... rt-control

It got added in 2020
https://kcairports.com/newsroom/news-re ... ci-airport

[TheUrbanRoo]

“Alaska Airlines flew 41 nonstop routes from Portland (PDX) in May 2023. Kansas City (MCI) was the fifth-highest performer at 93.0% load factor.”

https://x.com/justinmeyerkc/status/1699 ... RPpXS0iFBA

[langosta]

Global Entry Begins Touchless, Receipt-less Processing at MCI
Release Date Fri, 09/08/2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is pleased to announce that with the opening of the new airport terminal at the Kansas City International Airport (MCI), CBP has upgraded its Global Entry processing technology and eliminated the need for paper receipts for Global Entry members. While ensuring the safety and security of personal information, the upgraded process provides a better streamlined, and touchless experience for Global Entry members traveling internationally while protecting the privacy of all travelers.

https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-medi ... essing-mci