Impact on Schiphol & KL Network of new MSP-CDG NWKL flight
Oct 24, 2007, 2:37 am
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Impact on Schiphol & KL Network of new MSP-CDG NWKL flight
In the Northwest forum discussion has begun of the newly announced non-stop, NW operated NWKL JV flight MSP-CDG.
Taken together with some of the other thin lines being implemented, if the trend continues, what will be the impact on Schiphol and the KL (blue) network?
It would probably be a good thing if the negotiating position of AFKL improved with Schiphol to force them to implement changes beneficial to AFKL's passengers (e.g. enable better elite boarding, make the easyjet passengers walk far instead of the alliance partners, adopt a more realistic fee structure for Schiphol's most important customer to recognize the anchor role that AFKL plays in making Schiphol a viable enterprise, etc.)
If I have to fly to or through CDG anyway, I will choose AF not NW. But if CDG starts to take on the hub function for NWKL, perhaps Schiphol will open up.
Taken together with some of the other thin lines being implemented, if the trend continues, what will be the impact on Schiphol and the KL (blue) network?
It would probably be a good thing if the negotiating position of AFKL improved with Schiphol to force them to implement changes beneficial to AFKL's passengers (e.g. enable better elite boarding, make the easyjet passengers walk far instead of the alliance partners, adopt a more realistic fee structure for Schiphol's most important customer to recognize the anchor role that AFKL plays in making Schiphol a viable enterprise, etc.)
If I have to fly to or through CDG anyway, I will choose AF not NW. But if CDG starts to take on the hub function for NWKL, perhaps Schiphol will open up.
Oct 24, 2007, 2:43 am
#2
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Don't they revenue share on all routes across the Atlantic? In which case they would probably be either a. not worried by the affects or b. knew about it and see more income coming!
Oct 24, 2007, 2:47 am
#3
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So the flight is also a KL flight that then contributes to the financial result of the AFKL holding.
However, Schiphol has nothing to do with N.A. JV - they make money on the fees they charge for flights and passengers going through Schiphol.
If flights go to CDG they make no money on these.
In addition, if NWKL passengers fly to CDG to connect to their flights in Europe on AF or other airlines, then the NWKL venture does not earn on those flights and the passengers are lost to the Blue KL network running out of Schiphol, which could make some routes flying out of Amsterdam become less viable.
Oct 24, 2007, 2:58 am
#4
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Well, it's just 1 flight and it is being added; it does not replace any AMS flights. Besides, PDX-AMS is also added and there are rumors about a second daily SEA-AMS. We also don't know how long this flight will last (take DTW-BRU as an example). Maybe this flight is not so much intended for people connecting in CDG, but rather for pax connecting in MSP, having CDG as origin or destination. Maybe I'm being optimistic, but I think that for travel to/from EU AMS will still be the favored hub (as far as NW is concerned). This may help with some destinations that are served by AF and not KL, but I don't see it being much more beyond that.
(...and let's not forget that CDG is a toilet that many people hate)
(...and let's not forget that CDG is a toilet that many people hate)
Oct 24, 2007, 11:24 am
#5
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I always thought the KL-NW joint venture covers all flights across the pond, so also the CDG-DTW and now CDG-MSP flights?
Basically AF works with DL and KL with NW so having various combinations from both CDG and AMS provides good alternatives.
Basically AF works with DL and KL with NW so having various combinations from both CDG and AMS provides good alternatives.
Oct 28, 2007, 8:55 pm
#6
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If the flight is KL coded it should make the following routing viable... LCY(or anywhere else really)-AMS-CDG-MSP for those people who really want to have an extra segment.