DFW vs IAH

[captmidnight]

So why do Houston spotters always make fun of DFW? They always seem to cite our home airport as an example of airport gone bad. I know they get more heavies and int'l passengers, but have ya'll read anything this bad like EWR vs JFK or LAX vs SFO?

[Greg]

I didn't realize there was much strife out there. Every airport has its pluses and minuses. I wouldn't mind taking a trip down to IAH to photograph some different stuff.

[TWABoy65]

Cptn Midnight, we'll get our shot. As I have said so many times before, Houston is living on borrowed time. The price of oil will drop so much that most of those airlines will eventually leave. We have a more affluent market, a better educated and professional workforce and an all around better city to live and visit. It may take awhile but DFW will gain it's rightful place as the world's gateway to Texas and IAH will be nothing more than another STL or PIT, especially once UA takes over CO.

-Mark

[captmidnight]

Hey, you will draw the ire of IAHdude again. I think he joined this forum just to refute your observation one time, right? Anyway, hope that time comes soon enough. And I'm hoping a lot of those int'l 787s AA is getting will fly out from DFW.
I know it's wishful thinking, but where are LAN, Iberia and Qantas?

[tmoney72]

Hey, you will draw the ire of IAHdude again. I think he joined this forum just to refute your observation one time, right? Anyway, hope that time comes soon enough. And I'm hoping a lot of those int'l 787s AA is getting will fly out from DFW.
I know it's wishful thinking, but where are LAN, Iberia and Qantas?

Another IAH'er here to respond. As the 'TWA' guy stated, IAH and Houston is still very much very depedent on the energy sector and though the economy here has deversified a great deal since the 80s, I still think that many of these carriers (especially the Persian Gulf carriers and Arik) will be reliant on the mega-dollar oil exec and his/her company spending $10-15k for that first class seat. That said, I don't believe that there will be an exdous of carriers as 'TWA' suggests, KL, AF, BA, LH, all have a long history with Houston and EK will likely remain as they have seemingly committed to the route, though I believe that they (all the carriers) will reduce capacity by cutting frequencies an/or switching to smaller equipment. The carriers that IAH is in danger of losing in the short term is SQ (I really believe that they will depart IAH in '09', regardless of what the price of a barrel of oil does, though I surely hope not). QR, has postponed IAH 2 times due to glitches with the galley and later the strike at Boeing. While I believe that they will start, however with competition from the powerhouse, EK and a likely continuing slide in crude prices, they might have a tough time making IAH work. Arik, while they are taking delivery of their newly acquired ex-Kingfisher A345s, as above with QR, they might have difficult time here. However, with Arik, Houston is home to the largest Nigerian community in the US, so who knows, that might save the route. With all that said, I hope that none of theses dire predictions come to pass.

Now, the IAH v DFW scrap. DFW's biggest obsticle to new entrants, in particular int'l carriers as I see it, is 'The Eagle'. Frankly, I am surprised that they have allowed KL last as long as they have. Does AA have a DFW-AMS run? To some degree we have the same problem with CO and Latin America. IAH should be swarming with carriers from south-of-the-border, given our geography and that many would love nothing more than to avoid MIA. While it looks as we are getting another Mexican LCC, Interjet, next year, CO has chased away old timers like Aviasca, JM and KX which was a 30 year IAH resident, so it's a crap shoot as to whether Interjet will survive against the 600lb gorillia, Continental on it's turf.

Still It is my belief that IAH will always trump DFW in terms of int'l traffic and carriers for several reasons.

First, Houston is a more diversified city in terms of ethnicities and foreign born residents.

Secondly, Houston is home to more more consulates, outside NYC and LA. I know, grasping at straws perhaps, but a high diplomatic visability can translate into commercial gains.

Thirdly, Houston is a port city.

Four, Houston is headquarters to more Fortune 500 companies than any US city outside NYC.

As for Dallas being more affluent and populated with a better educated workforce, I can not say. I have been visiting Dallas over the last 17 years of living in Texas (including living a year in Irving), frankly, there is little difference betwen Big-D and H-Town, with regards to class breakdown, but thats a personal observation.

Oh, I've attached some pics that I took a couple of weekends ago.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3009/299 ... fefdff.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/297 ... 857634.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/297 ... fcf349.jpg

Thomas

[ZuluLima]

frankly, there is little difference betwen Big-D and H-Town

They really are much more alike than different. I'm not originally from Texas, so I don't have the inherent home-team prejudice. I've always said we're lucky to have both within driving distance. Hopefully I'll be able to get down to H-Town in a week or two for some spotting. Hope the heat haze is under control by then.

[captmidnight]

Thomas, AA does not fly DFW-AMS, at least not yet.
Is this observation also part of being anti-AA??

[tmoney72]

Thomas,
Is this observation also part of being anti-AA??

Well, while I am not a lover of AA, I am not a hater either. That said, I should mention that I come from a Braniff family, so........

Thomas

[Chris725]

Even thought AA is the largest carrier at DFW.....AA is part of the problem at DFW...(in my PERSONAL opinion). The other part of the problem is that DFW seems to allow AA to run the joint. I know that you don't want to cut your own throat but really.....Did DFW really put up any kind of fight to keep Delta? AA is a cut throat company and attempts (and suceeds) to squash anything or one that seems to be a threat. At times it really makes you wonder.........


Again...........(in my PERSONAL opinion)

[tmoney72]

Even thought AA is the largest carrier at DFW.....AA is part of the problem at DFW...(in my PERSONAL opinion). The other part of the problem is that DFW seems to allow AA to run the joint. I know that you don't want to cut your own throat but really.....Did DFW really put up any kind of fight to keep Delta? AA is a cut throat company and attempts (and suceeds) to squash anything or one that seems to be a threat. At times it really makes you wonder.........


Again...........(in my PERSONAL opinion)

Ditto.

Carriers left in AA's dust or swallowed whole....

Legend
Reno Air
Air Cal
Braniff

And yes, the powers that be at DFW and the cities of Dallas and Ft Worth bow to the mighty Eagle. To be fair HAS and the City Hall in H-Town do the same to the 'blue tails'. I am sure they do it in ATL as well.

Thomas