Could A VX DAL-IAH Work?

IAHflyer97 · Mon Jan 12, 2015 1:59 am

So as we all know, Houston-Dallas is a massive market split up between 4 airports (IAH, HOU, DAL and DFW). Now in theory, VX should be able to get good loads if they decide to add IAH from DAL... Right?

But... They would be competing with... 30-ish flights by WN, and a lot more from UA and AA. But could the market sustain yet another carrier?

BiggerJetsPlz · Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:21 am

Probably not or they'd be trying it.

ipodguy7 · Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:23 am

Quoting IAHflyer97 (Thread starter):
good loads

No doubt about the loads. However loads don't matter, yield does. On such a short route, I cant imagine yield would be anything near what DAL-LGA/LAX/SFO/etc are. Dallas-Houston already has so much frequency from the "Texas 3" (WN, AA, UA), This route would be a complete waste of the precious few gates VX has at DAL.

Okie · Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:30 am

Quoting IAHflyer97 (Thread starter):
But... They would be competing with... 30-ish flights by WN, and a lot more from UA and AA. But could the market sustain yet another carrier?

VX does not have enough aircraft right now to do it.

If they did have enough aircraft they would expand to routes with a higher yield which is their plan for DAL.
There is just so much expansion in the future you are going to get with just a 2 gate hub no matter how many aircraft you have.

Okie

ScottB · Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:14 pm

Quoting IAHflyer97 (Thread starter):
Now in theory, VX should be able to get good loads if they decide to add IAH from DAL... Right?

Nope. They'd have to run several daily round-trips in the market to be competitive with WN/AA/UA as well as the option of I-45. They also have virtually zero frequent flyer recognition, and there is no value to a lavish F cabin on a flight which lasts 40 minutes in the air.

With only two gates at DAL, they'd have to drop some frequencies to SFO/LAX/LGA/DCA in order to fit in enough IAH flights to be even remotely competitive. It just doesn't work.

a380787 · Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:22 pm

They could, but it's a waste of those 2 gates at DAL. They don't even have enough gate space to run flights to major centers like ORD LAS MIA/FLL, let alone waste it on hops to Houston.

Sightseer · Mon Jan 12, 2015 7:33 pm

In theory, I guess it's possible VX could maybe make it work. However, in order to be competitive, they'd probably need at least six daily flights, maybe more, given the short distance of the route and the amount of competition. And they won't get six flights unless they either a) get more gates at DAL (unlikely, IMHO) or b) cut other flights at DAL to make room. Personally, given where VX currently stands, I think they have bigger fish to fry than DAL-IAH.

DDR · Tue Jan 13, 2015 1:40 am

Nope, not with WN and AA offering shuttle service. They could never attract enough people at a premium rate. The flight time is just too short for Virgin to have any type of advantage.

FlyingSicilian · Tue Jan 13, 2015 1:43 am

Quoting DDR (Reply 7):
Nope, not with WN and AA offering shuttle service. They could never attract enough people at a premium rate. The flight time is just too short for Virgin to have any type of advantage.

Agreed, UA as well, they run a lot between IAH and both DFW/DAL

Spirit tried and pulled the flight, VX would not have a chance IMO. The three "local" airlines have it in the bag.

toxtethogrady · Tue Jan 20, 2015 2:02 am

At some point VX will have to find its way into Houston - either IAH or HOU. It is just too big and rich a market to be passed up, and VX's product is not like that being offered by the other domestic airlines flying to Houston (possible exception, JetBlue).

But IAH-DAL is too short-haul. I figure VX to put in a few transcontinental runs, with IAH as the midpoint - LAX, LGA, DCA, MIA, SFO.

Chisky16 · Wed Jan 21, 2015 1:27 am

If Spirit couldn't make DFW-IAH work, then VX wouldn't be able to pull DAL-IAH off either.

4engines4lnghll · Wed Jan 21, 2015 4:25 am

I hope to see either DAL-FLL/MIA/PBI open up

CO777DAL · Wed Jan 21, 2015 6:02 am

If VX starts DAL-IAH, that would be one way to sure fire up UA and push them to start additional DAL service early. VX could then face more competition with SFO-DAL, LAX-DAL, ORD-DAL. UA could also do IAD-DAL and EWR-DAL. Now VX would have competition on all cities they fly out of DAL. I'm sure VX has other things to do besides getting into a battle for IAH-DAL and then having more competition at DAL with UA linking their hubs.

Quoting 4engines4lnghll (Reply 11):

I hope to see either DAL-FLL/MIA/PBI open up

Could A VX DAL-IAH Work?

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