DL to start ORD-LHR

[robbedagain]

That's real good E   

 

[FWAAA]

Sure US did, when CLT was a Star Alliance hub. It's not anymore. I'm not saying that CLT can't support TATL flying, but it will probably be BA or AA to LHR, AA to FRA, etc... And if CLT-MUC lives on, it won't be on LH, I bet you that

CLT made money when the US pilots were the lowest paid among the legacies and when the FAs were paid substantially less.    We don't yet know whether CLT will make as much money with the new higher AA payrates.   This will no doubt prompt 700 to trot out the airliners.net chart that shows that with the very low payrates,  US had high profit margins on its TATL flying despite its low yields.   
 
About LH flying to CLT:   I think it depends on where the traffic originates.   If the MUC-CLT passengers tend to be German-based executives traveling to NC and SC to visit their factories, then they'll probably want to keep flying LH.   There's zero chance of converting them to AA/Oneworld customers for their worldwide travel, and let's face it - they're loyal to LH the way executives in HKG are loyal to CX.   
 
But what about connections?   New AA will be happy to sell them CRJ and Dash8 connecting flights around NC and SC if necessary.   They were already content to fly small US RJs and Dash8s when necessary, and the absence of frequent flyer miles isn't going to deter worldwide jetsetting executives as long as they can still fly LH across the ocean.   
 
On the other hand, if most of the traffic consists of USA-based midlevel executives of those German companies flying to Germany to visit the home office, then it should be easier to convert them to new AA/Oneworld and if so, the LH flight to MUC would certainly be in danger.   

 

[WorldTraveler]

I prefer FWAAA's style of being able to seg from one discussion to another and do it with facts....

The US carriers have strong sales forces in Europe esp. as a result of the joint ventures and the same is true of Euro carriers here, esp. given that many int'l corporate contracts are done in the name of the JV.

DL has a robust ATL-Germany network driven in part because of the European auto manufacturer's plants in the SE. US can compete in the same market and still have a big enough hub to fill up flights with general leisure traffic. FRA and MUC, OTOH, are large enough hubs that LH can connect enough traffic beyond those gateways to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and beyond.

 

[topDawg]

It'll be interesting to see where (if anywhere) that flying now goes instead...

don't buy into it just yet. Could be a loading error. Delta was "dropping" HNL-NGO then about a month latter it magically went back on sale again.
 
Could be over, but it was only loaded a few weeks ago, I can't see Delta pulling the plug that fast.   

 

[WorldTraveler]

HA decided their aggressive Asian expansion was a bit much after, IIRC, jumping into the market right after DL.

yet another example of how the little airlines are finding it harder to horn into markets that the legacies have developed.