B6 Expansion Potential At BDL

cessna53996 · Tue Feb 17, 2015 11:28 pm

BDL has a sizeable operation by B6 standards with a maximum of 11-12 flights a day. Even though they have a decent network out of BDL, where could they expand to? A business route? A Caribbean route? More Florida cities?

Right now B6 runs 2xdly to FLL, MCO, and DCA (up to A320s in May). 1xdly to SJU (2xdly seasonally), TPA, PBI, and RSW (seasonal). I could see FLL and MCO move up to 3xdly, PBI and TPA move up to 2xdly, and RSW go year round. Maybe we could see expansion to ORD (2xdly E190) as a business destination, NAS and/or STT (1x daily A320, maybe seasonal), and SRQ (1x daily E190, maybe seasonal).

Where else could B6 go from their current setup? Thoughts? Comments?

[Edited 2015-02-17 15:44:26]

[Edited 2015-02-17 15:45:52]

adamh8297 · Tue Feb 17, 2015 11:53 pm

Quoting cessna53996 (Thread starter):
STT (1x daily A320, maybe seasonal)

I flew B6 BOS-GCM last year during Easter - LOTS of CT people on my flight.

Still - I think they would send a spare plane (if they have it) to one of the big three CUN, AUA, PUJ before STT or other more expensive Caribbean destination like GCM/PLS.

airliner371 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:23 am

I think you're being a little Hartford-happy. BDL is just like HPN, they will serve Florida and that is it. NAS failed at HPN and it would at BDL.There isn't going to be any huge expansion, and definitely not ORD.

cessna53996 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:43 am

Quoting airliner371 (Reply 2):

They thought enough of BDL to use two slot pairs at DCA on the BDL-DCA route.

tom11 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 2:33 am

Quoting airliner371 (Reply 2):
I think you're being a little Hartford-happy. BDL is just like HPN, they will serve Florida and that is it. NAS failed at HPN and it would at BDL.There isn't going to be any huge expansion, and definitely not ORD.

Not sure you can compare HPN. Many of the people who use BDL are much closer to BDL then to any other major airport, whereas people who use HPN could get to JFK if they wanted to take B6 somewhere they don't service from HPN. It's a HUGE pain to drive to JFK or BOS from the Hartford-area, and far easier to use BDL. I think B6 could make something like CUN or JAX work (both seasonal). There's potential for them to continue to expand.

jetbluefan1 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:31 am

I wouldn't be surprised to see B6 try BDL-JAX (season) at some point, but I don't see many other viable destinations. Perhaps BDL-CUN on weekends during peak season.

The BDL-DCA launch hasn't exactly been gangbusters, so that doesn't bode well for other short-haul flying from BDL IMO.

spinkid · Wed Feb 18, 2015 3:05 pm

Quoting jetbluefan1 (Reply 5):
The BDL-DCA launch hasn't exactly been gangbusters, so that doesn't bode well for other short-haul flying from BDL IMO.

Why is it being upgauged to an A320 in May then?

tom11 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 5:04 pm

Quoting jetbluefan1 (Reply 5):
The BDL-DCA launch hasn't exactly been gangbusters, so that doesn't bode well for other short-haul flying from BDL IMO.

The BDL-DCA route is now seeing very high load factors (>90%) on most flights. So I'd say it's 'taken off'.

jetbluefan1 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 7:52 pm

Quoting spinkid (Reply 6):
Why is it being upgauged to an A320 in May then?

Quoting tom11 (Reply 7):
The BDL-DCA route is now seeing very high load factors (>90%) on most flights. So I'd say it's 'taken off'.

The upgauge most likely has more to do with needing the E190's for other markets, or for aircraft positioning needs. B6 had upgauged BOS-DFW/HOU this past summer, but is trimming capacity significantly year-over-year. So an upgauge does not necessarily indicate the route is performing strongly.

Here are Q2 2014 and Q3 2014 average B6 fare and LF stats for June and July (the latest available):

Q2 - $109 o/w
June LF - 63%
July LF - 66%

Q3 - $103 o/w

Hard to see how B6 is making money on those fares and those loads.

ajsljet45 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 8:17 pm

With AA having dropped BDL-LAX, any chance B6 could make BDL-LAX or BDL-LGB work?

[Edited 2015-02-18 12:47:11]

tom11 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:24 pm

Quoting jetbluefan1 (Reply 8):
Here are Q2 2014 and Q3 2014 average B6 fare and LF stats for June and July (the latest available):

Q2 - $109 o/w
June LF - 63%
July LF - 66%

Is this for BDL - DCA? And keep in mind -- this is right after B6 opened the route. Not a good time to pull numbers from. Get number from like Dec/Jan, and they are much higher.

jetbluefan1 · Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:41 pm

Quoting tom11 (Reply 10):
Is this for BDL - DCA?

Yes. Per table 1A. http://www.dot.gov/policy/aviation-p...ic-airline-consumer-airfare-report

Quoting tom11 (Reply 10):
And keep in mind -- this is right after B6 opened the route. Not a good time to pull numbers from. Get number from like Dec/Jan, and they are much higher.

I agree that this is not representative of whether the route will be successful or not, but it's all we have for now. We won't get Dec/Jan numbers for another few months.

The thing that is most disconcerting to me is that B6 couldn't fill up planes during the busy summer rush at dirt cheap fares between two markets where they are already established.

jaybird · Thu Feb 19, 2015 1:55 am

Bermuda .. it's been a very long time since Hartford had direct Bermuda service .. long overdue .. I think the last was Delta on a BDL-BOS-BDA which was inherited from Northeast. Loved taking those Yellowbirds to Bermuda!

B6 Expansion Potential At BDL

B6 Expansion Potential At BDL

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RE: B6 Expansion Potential At BDL

RE: B6 Expansion Potential At BDL

RE: B6 Expansion Potential At BDL

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RE: B6 Expansion Potential At BDL

RE: B6 Expansion Potential At BDL

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