Spirit is starting a daily FLL-ATL flight starting 2/16/06. I don't see how successful the service will be unless they consistently price the connections to the islands below Delta.
ATL-FLL 7:40a
FLL-ATL 6:40p
Isitsafenow From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4984 posts, RR: 26 Reply 1, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 2910 times:
It does not mention equipment. Who will work the flight(s) at ATL, I wonder?
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Jlp12345 From United States of America, joined May 2005, 45 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 2868 times:
I would have never expected this route. I know that they are just doing for connections to the Caribbean, but there is just so much competition on this route. Will they be able to get enough traffic to fill an A319 daily? What will DL's response be?
Drerx7 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 4906 posts, RR: 9 Reply 4, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 2856 times:
The 319s are the smallest plane in their fleet--they seat less than the MD80s--I just can't see how profitable this will be. All of those island destinations are served nonstop from ATL by multiple carriers.
Drerx7 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 4906 posts, RR: 9 Reply 6, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2829 times:
They would have been better off serving ANYWHERE else. MSY, IAH/HOU, DFW, ORD/MDW could have all benefitted from this service--at 1 daily flight up against DLs full, Skymile carrying 757s/767s all day long. Hope they surprise me.
DAL767400ER From Germany, joined Feb 2005, 5721 posts, RR: 50 Reply 7, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2820 times:
So, how long until DL starts hourly service on ATL-FLL ?
Okay, on a more serious note, does NK really expect to be profitable on this flight? First there is of course Delta with its between 12-14 daily flights, always offering around 3,000 seats per day, with a large presence at both ends, and nonstop service from ATL to most international destinations that NK serves.
And then there's also FL, which also has some 8 daily flights on ATL-FLL, and is already offering low fares on this route. Not to mention that DL can be very aggressive from ATL with regards to new entrants (JB, FlyI). I don't see this working out for NK.
A330323X From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 3039 posts, RR: 47 Reply 9, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2779 times:
I think it's because DL applied for a SCASD grant to start ATL-ACY, and NK now wants to play tit-for-tat with DL. Who said it's only the legacies that play those silly games?
I'm the expert on here on two things, neither of which I care about much anymore.
RL757PVD From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 4537 posts, RR: 13 Reply 11, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2677 times:
I think the other DL hub CVG would have been a grand slam for NK compared to ATL, my guess is with their limited aircraft thay they needed a relatively short stage length, only other flight that may have been better would be like a RDU or BNA.
Experience is what you get when what you thought would work out didn't!
Burnsie28 From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 7411 posts, RR: 9 Reply 13, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2590 times:
Ill give them a few months, Delta and Air Tran will kill them off pretty quickly.
"Some People Just Know How To Fly"- Best slogan ever, RIP NW 1926-2009
Spinkid From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 1001 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 2560 times:
I could see Delta and Air Tran cutting fares on the flights that match the NK times and driving them out pretty quickly. I'm certain they were looking for a short stage length to connect to their Carribbean destinations, but there are alot more options out there that they could have done.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31119 posts, RR: 74 Reply 16, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 2433 times:
Like their new MCO-FLL and TPA-FLL flights, one of the primary purposes for launching this route is to send a plane to Fort Lauderdale overnight. They don't have enough room to RON all these planes in FLL, so they need to send them somewhere. While this may definitley have something to do with trying to annoy Delta (and the ATL-ACY SCASD application), they aren't really aiming at taking a big chunk of the market. Atlanta has a lot of people that like to go to the Caribbean, and Spirit, which is rebulilding itself as a low-fare airline to the Caribbean, wants to offer them connections.
Also, they are in a fleet shortage as they are reneweing their fleet, with MD80s leaving faster than new Airbus are coming. So they have to look at short-haul growth for now. That's why they will be launching Grand Cayman and Turks & Caicos this fall (and lately there has been talk of Freeport as well), and have delayed their plans for FLL-LAS/LAX.
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51 Reply 18, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2255 times:
This could be a way of getting their name out in Atlanta in preparations for ACY service. If DL gets a grant to do a ATL-ACY service, you can guarandamntee that NK will launch competing service.
Flairport From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2225 times:
As mentioned FLL-ATL will have a plane flying...rather than RONing at FLL...you can make a few more $ then keeping the plane on the ground and you can get an extra plane into FLL. Also, USA3000 flew Wednesday only service...well I checked online and it seems that USA3000 is flying almost every day, plus all of the DL planes are full...so there is room!
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51 Reply 20, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2197 times:
USA 3000's ATL-FLL service was a Summer-only service (They did it last Summer as well) and has already ended.
727LOVER From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5723 posts, RR: 20 Reply 21, posted (7 years 9 months 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 2142 times:
OK,
1. Is big bad Delta afraid of little Spirit's once daily flight?
and
2. Why does DL need a SCASD grant for ATL-ACY anyway...they don't have a problem running up to BMI!!!!!
Nkops From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2544 posts, RR: 6 Reply 22, posted (7 years 9 months 2 days 14 hours ago) and read 1905 times:
I really don't like this route and don't expect it to stick around long. ATL would have been one of the last cities I would have guessed we would have tried. I agree CVG would have been good due to a lack of LCC's, but I guess only time will tell
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51 Reply 24, posted (7 years 9 months 2 days 13 hours ago) and read 1877 times:
Quoting Isitsafenow (Reply 1): Who will work the flight(s) at ATL, I wonder?
I'm guessing it will be either Airport Group International, DAL Global Services (with the HP/US merger, they'll be losing their main contract since US has its' own staff @ ATL), Evergreen EAGLE or Swissport. Regardless of who is handling the flight, the gate NK will be using will be one of the City-owned gates at the end of D and I would guess it will be D-5.
25 A330323X: US only has their own customer service people in ATL. The ramp was outsourced in April.
26 Xkorpyoh: You got to note that NK will have the first flight out ATL-FLL, good for business travelers who return the same day on a 640pm. The first flight out o
27 Srbmod: Who'd they outsource it to, and what part of April, as I was still working out there until mid April and US still had their own rampers then.
28 Nkops: Actually, this is in response to FL starting DTW service... has nothing to do with DL and the ATL-ACY route. DL will probably handle the flight, as t
29 Dolphinflyer: What the hell is Spirit smoking? Why are they starting ATL with one daily flight to FLL versus DL's multiple, daily widebody flights AND AirTran's sev
30 AS739X: Who the, what the, huh? Where the hell did they come up with this route? NK actually expects to get some passengers on this flight with DL flying wide
31 A330323X: April 11 I believe was the date US outsourced the ramp in ATL (and about 5 other cities). Don't know who they outsourced it to.
32 CORULEZ05: Well, it is ONLY one flight a day....its not like they are starting full service out of FLL to ATL. Is it rather risky? Absolutely....considering ATL
33 Georgiabill: I donot see this route succeeding! One flight a day makes no sense. As pointed out earlier the aircraft could be better utilized in opening up new mar
34 TLHFLA: I don't see this route working well either. I would say service to DTW might work, but that is soon to be a crowded market with AirTran entering and D
35 Nkops: I don't think NK is looking so much to get the ATL pax as they are their loyal FLL pax going to ATL. I'm not so positive about this route either, but
36 MAH4546: I doubt it. The times are designed for a day-trip to Lauderdale, not Atlanta. What they are going for here is very obvious: connecting Atlanta pax to
37 Nkops: I stand corrected.... you are right.. my bad...
38 N587NK: It could be targeted towards the FLL pax going to ATL, just not a day trip. Would be great if they were going for a few days, a week or something like
39 MAH4546: Though with the majority of MFW --> Atlanta traffic being business traffic, the times do not cater to this. Miamians don't go to Atlanta for a week-l
40 Clickhappy: Spirit: $201.90 AirTran:$276.90 Delta: $296.90 Looks like Spirit is the winner in that battle Until Delta offers a $200/RT with triple miles bonus...
41 N587NK: that's why I say most of the pax will be connecting to the caribbean. Who knows, this was defiantly a shocker. Of all cities, didn't see this one hap
42 Nkops: I agree, wasn't tops on my list.... I would have expected SAV more than ATL for a Georgia run
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