Delta Applies For Atl-slu. Will Aa Respond?

[MAH4546]

Delta applied today to start non-stop service between Atlanta and St. Lucia starting on 1 April 2004. Will American Airlines respond and protect thier turf with the return of Miami-St. Lucia service, or leave all SLU flying to San Juan?

CORRECTION: I accidently put SLU instead of UVF. SLU is the regional airport, which is where AEagle flies. UVF is in the interantional airport, where Delta is proposing service.

 

[AAmech]

Is there enough traffic to justify Miami-St. Lucia?

 

[MAH4546]

Is there enough traffic to justify Miami-St. Lucia?

Most definitley. St. Lucia, Antigua, and Grenada can all justify non-stops from Miami. They all used to have non-stops too. Though when AA pulled them, they were the only US carrier at each airport. Now USAirways and soon Delta are serving the airport direct from the mainland offering a competitive advantage.

 

[AAG2000]

Don't forget Air Jamaica, which currently provides one-stop same-plane service from JFK to UVF via BGI.

 

[s80dude]

What was the reason for dropping service in the first place?

 

[MAH4546]

What was the reason for dropping service in the first place?

I am not 100% sure, but I believe the story is that American Airlines threatned UVF officials that if they didn't lower landing fees, they would pull out. They were the only US carrier at the airport at the time (1999), and UVF officials didn't budge on landing fees, so they left.