FL370esq

But....but....the CSeries roadshow guys were recruiting for LAX.

Probably be CVG next week....😁

David Puddy

Would make sense with large corporate customers in the area. How about LGA-London City (LCY) flights? Or what about HPN-LCY? Talk about a business-friendly flights... They are doable in the CS100 - check out this video at LCY:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkOSe7gZLPI

Other potential doable city pairs from business-friendly LGA:

LGA-SNA
LGA-SEA
LGA-SAN
LGA-ONT
LGA-BUR
LGA-OAK
LGA-PDX
LGA-PHX

You never know... With the versatility of the CS100, the route planners are no doubt excited about the possibilities.

gloopy

I doubt we'll see more than one, maybe two of those routes, and probably seasonally. If we do, it'll largely canibalize existing routes out of JFK anyway. Possibly at higher ticket prices, but also probably at higher seat costs to operate.

This is nowhere near the revolutionary "game changer" many are implying. Its just an airplane and the vast majority of what it does will be plugged into the existing route structure. Long and thin routes are great for white papers and theory, but their potential is far less than many imagine.

David Puddy

Perhaps you should change your name to "gloomy."

First, the C-Series provides route planners with options that other aircraft cannot provide including the recent flight between LCY and JFK:

Bombardier Flies C Series Demo from London City to New York | Air Transport News: Aviation International News

British Airways' business-class equipped A318 requires a refueling stop in Shannon on the flight between LCY and JFK. The CS100 can fly it nonstop off a very short runway. Not a game changer?

Second, the business market is very different than the typical consumer market. Big corporate contracts are won and lost based on cost and flexibility. The NYC-LA market, for example, is already saturated with Delta, United, American, JetBlue (the Mint product is very competitive), Virgin America, etc. It is an important but highly-commoditized market with less pricing discretion and profit unless the flying is last-moment business travel (i.e., buy the last seat on the airplane). True, connections out of LAX are very important. However, as far as I can tell, United and AA cannot differentiate their service much between NYC and LA from Delta's current service - all three offer frequent departures and comparable prices. Question: what can Delta offer between NY and LA that United can't also offer? Both fly similar airplanes (cramped 737-800s/900s and older 757s in many cases) and both can offer onward connections to Hawaii and Asia. To be honest, given the state of Delta's Terminals 2 and 3 at LAX, I'd be concerned about pi$$ing off business travelers - both terminals are complete DUMPS with limited seating and space at the moment.

Therefore, to charge a premium, you need routes that have good demand and that most airlines cannot easily offer. In this case, the ability to offer comfortable nonstop flights between NYC and the various satellite airports around LAX could be huge to corporate customers when negotiating contracts - this would be a true differentiator. How many Delta corporate customers want to fly nonstop from JFK to LAX and then take a shuttle to Orange County? It is true that JB flies between JFK and BUR using the A320, but LGA could be a closer airport for some businesses and the A320 likely could not do that trip. You would not be cannibalizing the general NYC-LA market if you offered thinner flights closer to where business travelers want to fly (e.g., between LGA and BUR or LGA and SNA). Instead, you might find people willing to pay a slight premium to avoid the traffic on the 405 out of LAX. Price-sensitive consumers will continue to fly the popular trunk JFK-LAX routes while less price-sensitive business travelers would likely choose flights closer to their destinations. It's all about providing options....

And business travelers insist on comfort on short and long flights. How many business travelers refuse to fly on older CRJs with their cramped seats and small bins? Plenty! This is one of the main reasons why Delta is upgauging from smaller to larger regional jets like the E175 - business travelers want comfortable flights with bigger and accessible bins. From what I have read and seen on videos, it looks like the CS100 will be passenger friendly with 2X3 seating, big windows providing more natural light, big overhead bins and bigger lavatories - this will not be like the typical 737 seating:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MPe-pdtwa8

I have no idea how Delta might use the CS100. It's true you might see the CS100 plugged into normal routes - with 75 airframes ordered, that is very likely which will be great for all types of travelers. SWISS is flying them on shorter flights between Zurich and Paris. But it also gives you the flexibility to fly thinner routes that other airplanes cannot fly profitably. Delta wants to be the airline of choice for major business centers like NYC, LA, SFO, SEA and ATL, and having a tool that can provide more options to corporate customers provides big negotiating leverage. Once the CS100 arrives, only Delta can provide the flexibility offered by the airplane to the lucrative corporate market - and that may be the differentiator needed to win more corporate contracts. Personally, I hope we see the airplane on all types of routes.

forgot to bid

ATL-CAE
ATL-JAN
ATL-BHM
ATL-TYS
ATL-ROA
ATL-TYI
ATL-RIC
ATL-PHF
ATL-MYR
ATL-TLH
ATL-JAN
ATL-MEM
ATL-BTR
ATL-LFT

This is Delta and that's a narrowbody. It will submit.

FL370esq

All awesome locations (well, maybe not OAK so much) but isn't LaGuardia still subject to the 1,500 mile perimeter rule? I know there has been talk to lift it in conjunction with the terminal remodeling but I still think it is in effect.

And I think Forgot To Bid has been privy to the actual DL CSeries route structure. 😁

David Puddy

The CS100 would do great on all of these 717 routes.

Again, SWISS uses them on high-frequency, sub-500 mile routes throughout Europe. That said, the 717 can't operate on CS100-capable routes like BDL-LAX, SEA-FLL or BOS-SAN. Regardless, the route planners have probably already considered the many different possibilities. No doubt plans change too - but at least you have OPTIONS with the CS100. That's the point.

Scoop

I recently heard a couple of things about the C series:

First base in LAX - although some are saying NYC.
Possible virtual base in DFW, I think this is where the maintenance will be performed - so maybe it makes sense.
Possible initial routes LAX-DFW-LGA. Since this route is mostly (all?) RJs I think this makes sense.

As far as all the other rumors until it is out flying we will not know for sure - we all how marketing is sort of schizophrenic, but in a good profitable kind of way.

Scoop

badflaps

Hard to say with fhose guys, I remember flying the 767- 300 Montreal/Boston turns.

TexasIsTooHot

Those will be for the 797!