Airlines have significantly reduced capacity in recent months due to the pandemic. What is surprising is the ways in which airlines are beginning to add capacity back. One might assume that airlines would start adding back routes that were previously discontinued, but that is not what happens – rather companies add for the most part point-to-point routes that they have never operated before.
United is the last airline to add all new routes, so let’s look at these.
United Airlines’ Florida Expansion
United Airlines has announced plans to add a maximum of 28 daily flights this winter to four popular destinations in Florida. As described, these new non-stop flights reflect United’s strategy to aggressively and opportunistically manage the impact of coronavirus by expanding services to destinations where customers want to fly the most.
These routes will operate between November 6, 2020 and January 10, 2021, with service frequencies increasing the most around the holidays. These new flights can already be booked online.
As Ankit Gupta, United VP of Domestic Network Planning, describes these add-ons:
“The addition of these new flights represents United’s largest expansion of point-to-point, non-hub flights and reflects our data-driven approach to adding capacity where customers tell us what they want. We look forward to offering customers in the Midwest and Northeast more opportunities to fly non-stop to Florida this winter. ”
Let us take a look at the details of the new routes:
New Routes to Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
United Airlines will operate until:
- 2x daily flights between Boston and Fort Lauderdale with 737-800s
- 2x daily flights between Cleveland and Fort Lauderdale with 737-800s
- 2x daily flights between New York LaGuardia and Fort Lauderdale with A320s
New routes to Fort Myers (RSW)
United Airlines will operate until:
- 2x daily flights between Boston and Fort Myers with A320s
- 2x daily flights between Cleveland and Fort Myers with 737-800s
- 1x daily flights between Columbus and Fort Myers with Embraer 175s
- 1x daily flights between Indianapolis and Fort Myers with A320s
- 1x daily flights between Milwaukee and Fort Myers with A319s
- 2x daily flights between New York LaGuardia and Fort Myers with 737-800s
- 1x daily flights between Pittsburgh and Fort Myers with Embraer 175s
United Airlines adds seven new routes to Fort Myers
New Routes to Orlando (MCO)
United Airlines will operate until:
- 2x daily flights between Boston and Orlando with 737-800s and A320s
- 2x daily flights between Cleveland and Orlando with 737-800s
- 2x daily flights between New York LaGuardia and Orlando with A320s
New Routes to Tampa (TPA)
United Airlines will operate until:
- 2x daily flights between Boston and Tampa with 737-800s
- 1x daily flights between Cleveland and Tampa with 737-800s
- 1x daily flights between Milwaukee and Tampa with 737-800s
- 2x daily flights between New York LaGuardia and Tampa with A319s
United Airlines adds four new routes to Tampa
Talk about a new era of route planning …
Over the past few months, the airline industry has really transformed in so many ways. Airlines have reversed their approach to route planning, and it’s fascinating to watch.
This certainly seems like the right approach for airlines to take, as they are increasingly focusing on point-to-point routes, rather than building hubs when there is a limited demand.
If you told me last year that United would operate an Indianapolis to Fort Myers flight with a mainline flight, I would not have believed you.
I’m not sure which part of this extension is the most interesting:
Bottom line
The old gamebook for planning flight routes is out the window, as airlines now seem to add service in each and every market where they see demand return, regardless of how it fits into the overall network.
We will have to see how coronavirus evolves on a state-by-state basis, but with international travel restrictions, it is logical that Americans would increasingly try to visit this Florida after Florida.
However, seeing United add service from Boston to Florida, like adding seven flights without a hub to Fort Myers, which I never thought I would see.
But 2020 is full of surprises, so …
What do you make of the United Airlines expansion in Florida?
