NWADTWE16 wrote:a lot of this thread is in the clouds but ill add a few things...
First off, what occurred in the Auto Industry that lead to the demise of the daily always full DC10 that went DTW-KIX? and why could that not be started again? I do agree we need some more feed but there are atleast 10 airports that could easily be added 2 daily, once for asia and once for Europe to help with all this.
That said I see DTW-HKG returning. DL is very very happy with the A350, they will either confirm the remainder of the order or turn those into 1000xwbs.
One of the DTW-AMS should return to KLM, it only makes sense, especially for passengers to see KLM and then ah, see lots of KLM at Schipol.
WestJet is very exciting and I too see DTW-YYC asap on their metal, DTW-YVR year round with their metal would be nice, but I also see them looking to fill the smaller market holes DL has struggled with, regional ops to YOW/YHZ and perhaps they split up the DTW-YYZ dailies. PD really needs to add 2 daily to YTZ but that's another story.
Last night on my flight were a bunch of people from YEG who had double connected YEG-YYZ-DTW-RSW? so Theres all kinds of untapped north of the border potential.
KE: I definitely see them being second daily, at least 5 weekly, as the current ICN flight is always full and was as a 744 for years now.
DL adds: SJC/SMF primed up and ready to go. Would be nice to see Winter seasonal RNO/ASE/TUS/PSP service, even twice weekly next year. Actually RNO would do good all year IMO. DLH/RHI and ROA are a few examples of routes that can feed but also provide some tourism for local O&D, and they've all been run but aren't any longer.
For Florida SRQ hands down, agree with poster who stated 1 daily year round and a 2nd added between Feb and May 1.
More options Seasonally for the Caribbean such as AUA/SJO & STT, and more summer seasonal like BGR (could support year round), ANC 4 weekly and JAC. I think Detroiters want to travel and if given the options of new places to explore nonstop, they will buy the tickets.
Europe: EI is launching DUB, DL could beat them to it, although I'd rather see EI and then DL add Mediterranean BCN/LIS, something like that. I also feel MUC/FCO are very close to going 9 months, FCO should be year round.
OK that's my thoughts, feel free to politely dicuss
I agree with a lot of what you stated but I conflict with some too.
Internationally, by 2025 I can definitely see DUB (75W) and HKG (350) on the table for various reasons. Healthy seasonal or year round travel and corporate connections. Where I’d like to see DL get creative is by adding BCN, it’s a larger market by about 1500 or so one way, per year. It’s very leisure heavy so using a 76W would be very difficult to make a good profit because there’s virtually no front paying pax. I don’t think the 75W has the range even with restrictions? Still, BCN would be a good market for DTW in the summer. Eventually I do see KE adding a 2nd ICN, maybe split it with MSP so they get a 5x weekly flight and the rest of the frequency goes to DTW. Then you have AM who can potentially do BJX or QRO and GDL on the 190. WS would do YYC and YVR for sure, it would be interesting to see what else they’d do especially with YHZ or if they want to get creative and do YQM and YQB too. Delta’s partners are going to play a key role into not only DTW but many other stations too.
Domestically I see only SJC, SMF, ICT and VPS as only possibilities in the near future. SRQ can go 2x in the winter and daily in the summer but as to why DL doesn’t do it, I don’t know.