Gee - think maybe airlines (or at least Amwest) are finding out that hubs are not the future? David R http://home.attbi.com/~damiross http://home.attbi.com/~damiross/books.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Eric Conner (AOL IM: jec9)" <johnericconner@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <AIRLINE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 23:26 Subject: [AIRLINE] The Business Journal: America West sees growth in new routes > > Thought you might find this article I came across very interesting! > http://www.bizjournals.com/account/sign_in?uri=/phoenix/stories/2003/12/01/daily49.html > > > America West sees growth in new routes > Mike Sunnucks > The Business Journal > > America West Airlines plans on growing 10 percent next year, with the > majority of that coming from new point-to-point flights and not via its main > hubs in Phoenix and Las Vegas. > > AmWest executives Thursday said they expect 60 percent of next year's growth > will come from new low- fare point-to-point service while 40 percent will > stem from hub operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor International and Las Vegas > McCarran airports. > > The Tempe-based airline has already begun new nonstop transcontinental > service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Boston's Logan > and New York's JFK airports. In December, JFK to San Francisco service > begins. New Boston to San Francisco nonstop service begins in March. > > America West Chairman and Chief Executive Doug Parker and vice president > Scott Kirby want more point-to-points in and out of California in place next > year. America West applied with government agencies to fly nonstop between > San Francisco and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Approval for that new service > could come as soon as next month, said Kirby. > > Kirby said the airline would also like to begin transcontinental service out > of Washington's Reagan National or Dulles airport and is also taking a look > at such service to other major U.S. markets, as well as Mexican business > hubs such as Monterrey and Mexico City. > > "We think we have lots of opportunities," said Kirby at America West's > annual media day with reporters. > > Airline officials stress the focus on point-to-point (which has cost > advantages) will not take away from AmWest's significant operations at Sky > Harbor and Vegas. > > America West continues to lobby for more flight slot availability at > National and New York's Laguardia airports. Congress has approved more west > coast flights at National and AmWest has applied for those spaces. > > Buoyed by a profitable second and third quarters, increased numbers of > business travelers and a successful transformation into a low-fare airline, > America West will take delivery of several Airbus planes next year, will try > to maximize usage of its existing fleet and plans on acquiring more jets in > 2005. > > Parker said he will look at both Airbus and Boeing planes for that > acquisition. >