Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

Indianapolis to St. Louis gains a fourth (intermittent daily) flight effective March 15.

Indianapolis IN US (IND) 227mi
9:46a 11:54a AA5503✦ ER4 0 1:08
12:56p 3:04p AA5484✦ ER4 X6 0 1:08
Above Eff. MAR15
1:28p 3:51p AA5426✦ J41 6 0 1:23
3:22p 5:30p AA5483✦ ER4 0 1:08
7:08p 9:22p AA5480✦ ER4 X6 0 1:14
7:10p 8:55p AA5358✦ ERD 0 1:45

Site Admin

Joined: 15 Jun 2005
Posts: 2316
Location: Indianapolis, IN

Nice. NW couldn't get any to work. AA adds a 4th

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

One of the flights continues to SRQ which I thought with being direct service would help fill the flight. But I guess that will end this season...still yet to be confirmed.

There are several connections to the SFO and LAX service from STL via the AA flights. If I stared at the schedule long enough, I could probably piece together other possible connections.

Oooh...I wonder if Love Field is available. Remind me to look.

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Don't forget to check on DAL.

So did I read that schedule correctly, that AA is running RJ's on the IND-STL route, except for the one flight using a J41? I recall that they used to all be props going to STL. When did they substitute all the RJ's?

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

RJ's started in May of 2004 I believe.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

You can only book IND - DFW - AUS - DAL to get into Love Field at the moment. The times don't match.

Member

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 142
Location: IND

I only see the junkstream41 on Saturdays (overnights at the remote and used at somepoint on Sundays).

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

How many flights does AA have at IND?

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

and you can now book AA into Love Field with a connection at St. Louis

AA --

STL x 4 ERJ
DFW x 6 M80
ORD x 2 M80
ORD x 4 ERJ
ORD x 1 CRJ
MIA x 2 ERJ

19 daily flights. that's not too shabby. at certain points and times during the year, that is more than AirTran on a daily basis.

the # of M80's to Chicago has decreased a few in the past years by one or two, but I remember when DFW was just 4 M80's a day.

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

How full are the MD's to DFW? I mean thats six a day, is there room for Airtran as well?

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

That's probably the reason AA puts 6 MD's on that route - to have lots of capacity to deter any other airline, like Airtran, from adding DFW service.

Member

Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 333
Location: St. Louis, MO

As I recall, AA went from four daily to five daily and back again intermittently up until a few years ago when ATA began their service. I guess ATA did well for they upped the service to three daily flights at one point and time, and then of course, everything fell apart for them. NWA then came on the route and began with three daily CRJ, which of course doesn't operate anymore. But for a while there, the fares from IND into DFW were pretty amazing.

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

Why did NWA drop it? Couldn't they come in with some competitive prices to challenge AA's service?

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

Like with a lot of fortress hubs, since AA dominated IND-DFW for so long, most of the regular flyers on that route are probably loyal AAdvantage members. If AA matched the NW fares or even came within a hundred bucks or so, the AAdvantage members would probably choose AA's service to maintain their elite status and perks with the airline. Those occasional passengers who didn't have loyalty to AA might have been drawn to the NW service, but then you're comparing a flight on an RJ to a flight on a mainline a/c. So the disadvantages really stacked up for NW.

This IND focus city service on NW works best on routes that are to non-hub cities, IMHO.

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

I know this issue has been discussed on A.net a few times, but anyone here think AA will ever change the livery? Obviously, right now the focus is on maintaining/getting profitability but what about the future. In my opinion, I think the livery still looks pretty good, even though it is about 30 years old (give or take a few years if i am not mistaken). It is one of those that has been able to maintain a "modern" look for a long time. Any other opinions? thoughts?

Site Admin

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 949
Location: Carmel, IN

IIRC, they went to the polished aluminum look to save money on paint. Less spent on repaining the birds, and actually a small amount of savings on weight. I guess paint weighs a fair amount when you coat an entire aircraft in it.

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

True...The "AA" never seems to get old

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

AA's livery is one that has truly stood the test of time...it still looks modern---even though it is many years old

Member

Joined: 15 May 2006
Posts: 728
Location: West Lafayette, IN

If AA were to ever change their livery, I don't know what I would do, lol.

AirTran Reporter

Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 341
Location: Indianapolis

Isn't AA the only airline to not have changed their livery in many years?