Flynavy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 2013 times:
MCO-LAX-NRT, specifically. I was curious about some of the history behind this route. When did it start/end? What caused it to be axed? Could we see it returned in the future?
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31115 posts, RR: 74 Reply 1, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 2007 times:
There really isn't any history to the route. Delta simply decided to give MCO-LAX and LAX-NRT the same flight number. When LAX-NRT ended, it was operating as CVG-LAX-NRT.
Delta flew to Paris and Frankfurt from Orlando in the early 90s. They also once announced plans for a Latin American hub at MCO, with destinations such as Guatemala City, but none of the flights ever operated. In the late 1990s, they were planning to launch Orlando-Caracas and Orlando-Santiago de Chile. Never started either.
DeltaGuy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1965 times:
MCO would have been an excellent Latin America hub...not only because of the large hispanic population in Orlando (*joking*), but because of the size and potential of the airport...not to mention the support it has from Song (had with Delta Express). Ahhh well, chalk it up to another beautiful airport's potential being blown...
Piedmontnut From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 79 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1937 times:
Quoting DeltaGuy (Reply 3): not only because of the large Hispanic population in Orlando
You might be joking, but it is quite true. You have a valid point. MCO is an airport I always hoped that would be served by LAN. That is just for starters.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31115 posts, RR: 74 Reply 5, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1928 times:
Quoting Piedmontnut (Reply 4): MCO is an airport I always hoped that would be served by LAN. That is just for starters.
LAN tried it. Varig tried it. So did Aeropostal. And Mexicana. And TransBrasil. They all failed. The only traffic is low-yielding lesiure traffic. LAN's service lasted less than six months after a miserable performance.
MIAMI, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of LanChile Airlines' ongoing effort to meet the growing demand for direct flights to Orlando, the carrier will begin offering three weekly flights between Orlando and Santiago (via Miami) effective December 26, 1998.
"This strategy is a part of our commitment to offer more convenient service for our leisure and business passengers to Chile and the rest of South America," stated Alex de Gunten, LanChile Airlines' Vice President International North/Central America, Asia and the Caribbean.
Guests will fly aboard LanChile's modern, technologically advanced Boeing 767-300ER's, which offer passengers three classes of service to choose from. Flights will depart Orlando on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:40 p.m. arriving at 8:10 a.m. in Santiago. On Saturdays the flight departs at 6:00 p.m. arriving in Santiago at 7:30 a.m. This provides travelers ample time for scheduling business meetings, leisurely tours of Santiago and the surrounding areas, as well as excellent connections to any one of LanChile's 38 destinations within Chile, as well as Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza, Montevideo, and Asuncion.
Keith Phildius, Senior Director of Marketing for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority commented: "We welcome LanChile's return to Orlando International Airport. Their three weekly flights from Santiago to Orlando and strong presence in the South American market makes them an important business partner to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority and the Central Florida Region."
LanChile Airlines was recently recognized by Travel & Leisure magazine as being the best airline with service between North America and Mexico, Central & South America in their annual "World's Best Awards," as well as by Business Traveler International magazine as having one of the top five wine cellars in the air. These awards come after the carrier's recent corporate image change, which included a new logo, new fleet, new Business and First Class seats, new aircraft interiors, uniforms, menus among other changes.
As part of LanChile Airlines' continued growth strategy, the carrier presently offers the only daily non-stops to Lima and the only direct service to Santiago from both Los Angeles and New York; non-stop service from Miami to Santiago, Bogota, Caracas, Guayaquil, Punta Cana and Montego Bay; and, direct service from Miami to Iquique. In a continuing effort to increase passenger benefits, LanChile Airlines has reciprocal frequent flyer partnerships with American Airlines and Canadian Airlines which allow members of all three airlines' frequent flyer programs to both earn and redeem miles in the program of their choice on all LanChile flights.
LanChile Airlines' long-haul fleet, with an average age of less than three years, is one of the newest and most modern in the industry. Based in Santiago, Chile, the 70-year-old airline, which began flying to the U.S. in 1958, flies to 38 cities in 16 countries, including Buenos Aires, Mendoza, Cordoba, Asuncion, Montevideo, Bogota, La Paz and Guayaquil as well as 15 Chilean destinations.
For further information on LanChile Airlines, call 1-888-657-7666.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31115 posts, RR: 74 Reply 7, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1890 times:
Quoting Piedmontnut (Reply 6):
It's odd really considering the large Latino population living in the area. I guess it's just one of those things that makes you go, hmm???
No, there is not much to question. The yield is terrible on routes to Orlando, so airlines just rather put passengers on a codeshare to Miami, where yield is strong. The large Latin population in Orlando is almost entirely from the Caribbean - Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic - not South America.
Piedmontnut From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 79 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1850 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 7): No, there is not much to question. The yield is terrible on routes to Orlando, so airlines just rather put passengers on a codeshare to Miami, where yield is strong. The large Latin population in Orlando is almost entirely from the Caribbean - Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic - not South America.
I guess the large Peruvian population in my community south of Orlando is the exception rather than the rule then. Perhaps things will change in the near future now that MCO serves more pax than MIA.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31115 posts, RR: 74 Reply 10, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1844 times:
Quoting Piedmontnut (Reply 9): Perhaps things will change in the near future now that MCO serves more pax than MIA.
No, things probably won't change. Just because MCO serves more passengers than MIA (which has absolutley nothing to do with anything and shouldn't come as shocking...the Miami area has three airports, Orlando has one, and Sanford, which lacks scheduled service) doesn't mean the market has changed.
The Peruvian population in Orlando is less than 5,000. Smaller than NYC, Newark, Miami, Jersey City, LA, Chicago, Orange County, and Houston, among others.
Piedmontnut From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 79 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1822 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 10): The Peruvian population in Orlando is less than 5,000. Smaller than NYC, Newark, Miami, Jersey City, LA, Chicago, Orange County, and Houston, among others.
Yes, thank you for those facts. But as I mentioned for the sake of my friends I hope one day they can have permanent service to South America out of MCO. It will cut some amount of time off of their travel to and from their home country(s).
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31115 posts, RR: 74 Reply 14, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1814 times:
Quoting Piedmontnut (Reply 13): Yes, thank you for those facts. But as I mentioned for the sake of my friends I hope one day they can have permanent service to South America out of MCO. It will cut some amount of time off of their travel to and from their home country(s).
It is definitley feasable in the future. I think the best shot would be Avianca to Bogota, because that could offer MCO service to what is probably it's second largest South American market, after Sao Paulo, and act as a good connecting point. However, COPA's Orlando-Panama City service, which will soon be increasing to 6x weekly, offers excellent connections throughout South America.
Piedmontnut From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 79 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1807 times:
Quoting EddieDude (Reply 8): There used to be non-stop service between MCO and MEX, right? I flew BOS-MCO-MEX with DL in 1995 and I think the MCO-MEX portion was also on DL metal.
I think you have to connect in Atlanta now. Can someone confirm?
Piedmontnut From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 79 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1791 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 14): I think the best shot would be Avianca to Bogota
A very good point. The Copa is a good option as well. The TAM service, has it been discontinued? I believe it ran through MIA? Just saw an Air Canada bird heading into MCO from the view out my window.
Very nice talking to you. You are a quite a book of knowledge, thank you.
Piedmontnut From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 79 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 1767 times:
Quoting US330 (Reply 11): Didn't AA try to operate some routes from Orlando to South America in the late 90's?
Doesn't AA still use the A300-600 on the Caribbean route(s) out of MCO? Additionally I believe DL uses a few aircraft out of MCO into the Caribbean excluding Puerto Rico.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31115 posts, RR: 74 Reply 20, posted (8 years 1 month 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 1651 times:
Orlando's only Caribbean service is to Montego Bay and San Juan. Orlando also has service to Bermuda and Nassau, which aren't in the Caribbean, but typically considered Caribbean destinations.
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