AJC muttered....

On Sat, 27 Mar 2004 12:28:41 -0600, Olivers
wrote:

AJC muttered....



The problem for IB is that they have a lot of traffic with destination
MIA so they would still need considerable capacity on that route,
which is why they have stuck with it, but if things get too bad in the
US then they will have no alternative than to seek a hub elsewhere.

Where elsewhere?

Havana remains a few years away, but presents about the only real
alternative. San Juan certainly doesn't.

TMO

I don't quite follow what you mean by HAV being a few years away. IB
are talking about an alternative hub to link their MAD flights with
their 320 feeders to Latin American destinations in the region. They
need somewhere that offers standard international transit facilities,
so presumably SJU being under US control would not be suitable, but if
HAV could cope with the extra passenger numbers then that certainly
would be an option.

A. Without major upgrades to runways, ATC, and ground facilities, HAV
simply couldn't cope. Is Iberia ready to pay for the improvements.

B. A big chunk of Iberia's load are pax with US destinations, for whom
direct connections to US cities would be almost impossible.

C. Don't imagine that a number of airlines boosting their number of
flights into HAV wouldn't be met with retaliation, from the subtle to the
blatant, from US flag airlines and the ebil debbil gubmint.

.....Simply wait a while, and Fidel and much of Fidelismo will be history.

MIA's not a hub because folks are entranced with it, but because it is a
major population center in a region generating vast amounts of traffic in
all directions. Iberia might be able to afford leaving, but the number of
airlines willing to follow?

TMO