Originally Posted by benzoate (Post 2763431)

Mid-america hub? Why?

How much originating traffic comes from a mid-america hub? If we are talking a global airline perhaps but how much travel and connections ACTUALLY come from the middle of the country? Without digging into traffic reports it doesn’t make a ton of financial sense. The census bureau statistics indicate future population growth comes from South America focusing on that direction seems more logical.
If you look at ORD or IAH the land was cheap and terminals were built therefore feeding traffic through there to get else where but not because those cities population centers travelled. Just an opinion.

Originally Posted by keysersose (Post 2763458)

JB/AS does make the most sense. Don’t know which management team or board willingly walking away.

Originally Posted by keysersose (Post 2763458)

I don’t know if you need a mid America hub. If take the current JetBlue and Alaska hubs, and connect each of them to STL, MCI, CVG etc... you can get 95% of the American population to destination with one stop.

Originally Posted by Bluedriver (Post 2763435)

The mid-continent population centers do have tremendous amounts of O&D, both business and leisure. Delta prints money in MSP, and DEN and Chicago are very hotly contested hubs for a reason. In addition to O&D it creates lucrative connection opportunities that just don't exist without one.

Just my opinion of course.

Originally Posted by seekingblue (Post 2763613)

I just wish Alaska had a better scope section.

(I’m sure the Alaska guys feel similarly)

Originally Posted by Bluesteal (Post 2763268)

I know there has been rumors of Ual and JB, but I have heard from a good source that Alaska and Jb may be possibly talking and have been for some time now... It seems to me that Alaska really wants become alot closer in the Big 3's rear view mirror. First Virgin and then a JB merger would make Alaska a 7,000 pilot airline! Discuss....