yoshoward12 wrote:Southwest, of course, is primed to defend LAS. I just believe they have to lower fares. I don't think the new B6 (if and when their prices raise) can hold a candle to the connectivity and influence Southwest has there. New routes, making the schedules a little better for the existing routes, and promos should do the job.
There are a few more new nonstop routes out of LAS to domestic destinations not currently served by B6 or NK that could be added by WN out of LAS such as LAS-CVG/GRR.
Both LAS-CVG/GRR are in the top remaining routes (by O&D PDEW's) that haven't been served nonstop from LAS on WN, and both CVG and GRR are closer to LAS than most of the destinations in the contiguous U.S. that have lost daily nonstop service to LAS on WN.
There are markets with lower O&D PDEW's to LAS than that of LAS-GRR that already have daily nonstop service to LAS on WN such as AMA, BLI, BZN, EUG, LBB, MAF, SBA, TUS, and TUL.
Q1 2022 PDEW's out of CVG/GRR to Nevada/California:
PDEW of CVG-LAS in Q1 2022 - 327 passengers/day
PDEW of CVG-LAS/Greater LA/PSP/RNO/SAN/SF Bay Area/SMF in Q1 2022 - 789 passengers/day
PDEW of GRR-LAS in Q1 2022 - 152 passengers/day
PDEW of GRR-LAS/Greater LA/PSP/RNO/SAN/SF Bay Area/SMF in Q1 2022 - 368 passengers/day
There is likely more than enough demand for WN nonstop service to LAS from CVG with the amount of connecting traffic that is there to California from CVG. CVG has also seen cuts to California in the last 2 years, including the loss of DL CVG-SFO nonstop service the loss of F9 CVG-LAX/SAN/SFO nonstop service, the loss of UA CVG-SFO nonstop service, and DL down to only 1 daily nonstop on CVG-LAX.
The eastbound LAS-CVG nonstop flights on DL and F9 are currently red-eye flights, and G4 is currently the only airline to have daytime eastbound nonstop flights to CVG out of LAS.
There are some travelers in Greater Cincinnati, Nevada, and California that prefer a daytime nonstop flight to a red-eye flight (or a connecting flight), and WN would be able to capture demand (including both CVG-LAS O&D demand and CVG-LAS-California connecting demand) that DL or F9 aren't capturing if WN adds CVG-LAS nonstop service.
While GRR doesn't have the amount of demand to Nevada and California that CVG does, G4 is currently the only airline serving LAS and LAX nonstop from GRR (with both GRR-LAX/LAS being served nonstop on a less-than-daily basis). G4 GRR-LAX nonstop service is also currently operated on a seasonal basis. There is probably enough demand for WN nonstop service to LAS from GRR with the amount of demand that GRR has to Nevada and California.
WN adding LAS-CVG/GRR nonstop service would also help facilitate IRROPS recovery as WN would be able to more easily rebook passengers traveling to CVG or GRR from California or Nevada (and vice versa) if LAS-CVG/GRR nonstop service is added by WN.
There would also possibly be some connecting opportunities to Hawaii from CVG and GRR on WN if WN LAS-CVG/GRR nonstop service is added.