Xpfg From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 628 posts, RR: 7 Reply 1, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 1565 times:
The route does pretty terrible. I work with it regularly, and the usual passenger loads are easily below 10 outbound from SFO-PMD. I haven't seen much better from PMD itself either. The highest I have ever seen the load was just around 30 during a period of two days in December.
Ml007 From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 36 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 1456 times:
Is there some sort of guaranteed duration of time that UA has to run this route out of PMD? I'm a little worried, as I have a flight booked out of there on April 7. It seems like there is almost no yields at all, and they've been running if for almost a year now... how quickly can UA pull the plug? Or are they locked in for a certain amount of time? Or is the story totally different and the yields are fine?
LAXintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22023 posts, RR: 51 Reply 3, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 1439 times:
Loads have hovered in the 30% LF range the last 6 months.
Guarantee between LAWA and City of Palmdale was for 2.5years as I recall, so flight will be around for a while - and I suspect because of the politics involved such guarantees will easily get further extended if required to maintain the service.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 1401 times:
The route was bound to fail from the start. If I am departing PMD for a point east, why do I want to fly further west to SFO to start the trip. If I am flying into PMD would from the east, why would I want to fly further west to SFO, then back track to PMD. DL bid was to fly PMD to STL which made much more sense.
Another reason PMD services fail is the cost, it is so much cheaper drive to one of the airports "down below". By car LAX is 90 minutes away (45 minutes to the Van Nays flyaway), BUR is an hour away and ONT to again 90 minutes from PMD.
Ml007 From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 36 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 1382 times:
Quoting 474218 (Reply 4): Another reason PMD services fail is the cost, it is so much cheaper drive to one of the airports "down below". By car LAX is 90 minutes away (45 minutes to the Van Nays flyaway), BUR is an hour away and ONT to again 90 minutes from PMD.
See, here is where I must disagree. It was cheaper for me to book through PMD to PDX than it was "down below" in the LA area. In fact, by a whole $1. I've been researching the fares pretty constantly, as I've been interested in the route for some time now, and United had a special of $96 one-way including taxes and fees for my April 7th flight about a week ago (which I bought in January for $125 total). It's now back up to $136 total, but that is exactly on par with Alaska out of any of the LA area airports besides the always cheap but also always a hassle LAX. I don't think the cost has much to do with the failure of the route thus far, IMO.
Laxintl From United States of America, joined May 2000, 22023 posts, RR: 51 Reply 6, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 1364 times:
UA's bid wont out as LA-Bay Area is a significantly larger travel market and would draw more people then even DL's own analysis of a PMD-SLC-Beyond potential.
UA has tweaked the schedule a bit, and has some corporate travel contracts that involved PMD now.
Anyhow over time, the Antelope Valley will continue to grow - so at some point the flight will reach critical mass, and I'm certain due to the politics involved the flight can be supported for years to come if required.
From the desert to the sea, to all of Southern California
474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 10 Reply 7, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 1341 times:
Quoting Ml007 (Reply 5): See, here is where I must disagree.
Is Alaska east of PMD? Note in my example stated destinations east of PMD.
SW733 From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 6072 posts, RR: 10 Reply 8, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 1341 times:
I work in Palmdale a lot, and I have never ever flown into Palmdale. The reason? Because coming from MCI, I have to go MCI-DEN-SFO-PMD, and get into PMD late at night, which I am never able to do. I was really hoping they would start PMD from DEN, and if that were the case, I would fly them into PMD. I think these flights are great for people living in the Antelope Valley, but even a lot of them head to BUR/ONT/LAX for lower fares and more flights. I am not surprised it's doing so poorly.
MOBflyer From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 1209 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (5 years 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 1157 times:
Quoting 474218 (Reply 4): DL bid was to fly PMD to STL which made much more sense.
Except for the fact that there would be virtually no connectivity on this LONG flight? Perhaps you meant SLC?
Quoting Laxintl (Reply 6): LA-Bay Area is a significantly larger travel market
Yep. Try the largest in the country! (It fluctuates between NYC-S. Florida and LOS-Bay Area)
Granted, efficient and meaningful eastern connectivity for an essentially eastern developing station is important, this route SHOULD be able to make it on purely O&D! But it doesn't. Any insight?
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