DCA Slots Awarded to FL

[FutureUScapt]

I know several posters have asked about when we would find out who the DOT awarded the 2 slots to and it looks like FL is the winner. They will use it to add another DCA-ATL flight. This beat out US DCA-PNS and DLs DCA-LIT proposal among others.

Here is the link:DOT Awards DCA Slots

Disappointing, as I think it's no doubt that PNS needs the service more than ATL does, but I guess the DOT likes to keep things "competitive"

 

[700UW]

Guess Doogie needs to buy back some of the slots sold to Republic.

 

[ClueByFour]

Disappointing, as I think it's no doubt that PNS needs the service more than ATL does, but I guess the DOT likes to keep things "competitive"

Did you actually read the decision?

If US wanted to serve PNS that badly, it would reallocate one of it's many slots. It is quite difficult to reconcile "competitive" with the carrier that has the majority of the slots at DCA.

Further, given the load factors on existing ATL-DCA service on both DL and Airtran, ATL has more people that could use the slot.

 

[CynicalResAgent]

Didn't I read somewhere a long time ago that US leases a lot of its slots from NW or did I just dream that up?

 

[whlinder]

While I would have personally preferred YX win (for selfish reasons) I have no problem with this award. Makes complete sense. US (and DL) have no business winning anymore DCA slots unless the other proposals are complete garbage.

 

[FutureUScapt]

Did you actually read the decision?

If US wanted to serve PNS that badly, it would reallocate one of it's many slots. It is quite difficult to reconcile "competitive" with the carrier that has the majority of the slots at DCA.

Further, given the load factors on existing ATL-DCA service on both DL and Airtran, ATL has more people that could use the slot.

Yes, I did. For 2006, FLs load factor on DCA-ATL was 77% while their overall system load factor was 73%; I'm not so sure that warrants another flight on that stat.

By your reasoning, US should not even apply for more DCA slots until another carrier has 100+ flights. Every time US applies for slots, the only refuting argument that other carriers can come up with is that "US already has enough." I agree competition is important, but I think that DOT needs to look more at the impact it will have on those particular communities. Does ATL really need another flight to DCA and just how much will consumers benefit now that FL has a 5th flight - will prices drop? I doubt it. If the DOT wants to the LFCs or limited incumbents to grow at DCA, then have a drawing just for them; otherwise, let's not favor them just because they are one, which is what seems to be the case alot of times.

The only strength I really see for FL is that they are going to use a large (relatively speaking) a/c which would make the most effective use of the slots, even though its unreasonable to think PNS or LIT need a 737 sized a/c.



I'm not aware of any slots that US leases from NW, but we do lease about 100 or so slots from Republic, thanks to an agreement made during BK 2.

 

[luvthe9]

And we think will have a shot at the China route.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

And we think will have a shot at the China route.

Better shot at landing some Brazilian slots. And get some planes ready for Havana service, that will soon be open.

 

[CynicalResAgent]

I thought I read in some all telling Pre BK paper disclosing our assets. I thought I remembered reding that we sublease a lot of slots from NW in DCA and that the LGA terminal was a longterm sublease from CO. This was way back when they were proposing a merger with UA and AA would have taken some assets and the guy from BET was going to take the DCA assets and start an airline using those assets and some 737-200's.

the whole scenario was weird but they listed our assets...

 

[phllax]

I thought I read in some all telling Pre BK paper disclosing our assets. I thought I remembered reding that we sublease a lot of slots from NW in DCA and that the LGA terminal was a longterm sublease from CO.
the whole scenario was weird but they listed our assets...

Nope, not weird at all.

After EA's demise, NW gobbled up a lot of their slots and attmepted a mini-hub at DCA. It didn't last long maybe into 92 the latest, and US sub-leases/d slots from NW.

As for the LGA terminal, US was #2 at EWR after the merger, and had strong service at LGA. CO inherited the then under construction LGA terminal when EA went under. As part of a so called gentlemen's agreement, US gave up on EWR to concentrate on LGA, and CO gave up on LGA to concentrate on EWR. The LGA terminal is subleased to US by CO.

 

[flyingcat]

Guess Doogie needs to buy back some of the slots sold to Republic.

The slots have a first right of refusal clause which means RP cannot sell the slots unless US does not want them back. They also have a fixed price in the contract and cannot be used for anything but US express service. So in effect the slots are in use by US and RP flies where we tell them to.