Docket OST-2000-7182 1

BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

___________________________________________

Application of 

 US AIRWAYS, INC

under 49 U.S.C. 41718 for pendent lite Docket OST – 2000 - 7182

authority to operate slot exemptions 

(Washington, D.C. Reagan national

Airport – Jackson, Mississippi

______________________________________

Boyd Group International, Inc. Comments Regarding

APPLICATION OF US AIRWAYS, INC. FOR PENDENTE LITE AUTHORITY

TO OPERATE WITHIN-PERIMETER SLOT EXEMPTIONS

(Washington, D.C. Reagan National Airport – Jackson, Mississippi)

Boyd Group International, Inc., an aviation research and consulting firm 

headquartered in Evergreen, Colorado hereby submits its support for the application 

filed by US Airways for pendent lite authority to operate within-perimeter slot 

exemptions to avoid an interruption of nonstop service between Jackson, Mississippi 

and Washington Reagan National Airport.

Boyd Group International is well familiar with the Jackson, Mississippi air service 

market, and the economic importance to the region in assuring that nonstop access to 

Washington Reagan National Airport continues uninterrupted. While this document is 

submitted independently, the firm has worked with Jackson-Evers International Airport 

since 1994, and has specific expertise in the air service market.

The application by US Airways is in the best interests of Mississippi and 

consumers in both the Jackson region and the Washington Metropolitan area.

Boyd Group International would submit the following to the Department.

The market is currently underserved. We are cognizant of the scarcity and 

value of slot authorities at Washington Reagan National Airport. However, analyses 

done by the firm indicate that the current levels of passenger traffic between JacksonEvers and Washington Reagan National are not representative of the true demand. 
Docket OST-2000-7182 2

While the current total O&D traffic between these airports is indicated as 

approximately 26,400 annually, the economics and demographics in the Jackson region 

is estimated to have potential for over 51,000 annual O&D passengers.1

If the Delta service to DCA is allowed to lapse, the only access to the 

Washington Metro area will be via time-consuming connections which will tend to 

discourage traffic demand, and will translate into declining enplanements at JacksonEvers. It is estimated at as much as half of the current traffic now utilizing the Delta 

nonstops could be simply lost with the end of nonstop flights.2

The proposal by US Airways will offer enhanced access to other points 

beyond Washington Reagan National. Delta is a fine airline, but it has a much more 

limited presence in the Washington area, and far less ability to flow traffic beyond DCA

than does US Airways.

 

1

Source: Analyses of the Jackson market based on 2011 data. The current O&D figure is the total as reported to the 

DOT for the 12 months ending 2Q 2011, as analyzed by Aviation DataMinerTM. The single daily nonstop round trip 

currently operated by Delta/Delta Connection captures approximately 73% of the current reported traffic in the JANDCA market.

2 We would concurrently note that this traffic base would materially increase with additional frequencies, a 

potentiality outside the remit of the US Airways application and this document.
Docket OST-2000-7182 3

The route system and market position of Delta Air Lines at DCA prior to the slot 

swap with US Airways were far more limited than those of US Airways, both currently 

and post-swap. In terms of markets, there are essentially only three destinations to 

which Delta could logically offer any connectivity from DCA, plus the LGA shuttle.

The brand identity and depth of the consumer recognition of a carrier at a key 

market such as Washington Reagan National is critical to building ridership in a market 

such as JAN-DCA. The relatively lower brand-identity of Delta at DCA resulted in a 

disproportionate percentage of the JAN-DCA market being originated at JAN. In fact, 

over 74% of all passengers on the nonstop Delta flights to DCA were generated at 

Jackson. It is clear that the lower brand profile of Delta at DCA resulted in traffic that 

was generated in the Washington area using other carrier systems, or, unfamiliar with 

the service offered by Delta, not traveling to Jackson at all.3

The US Airways profile and brand identity at DCA is significantly higher than that 

of Delta, and will almost certainly result in increased traffic on the route.4

 

3

Source: Aviation DataMinerTM analysis of DOT/BTS data. 

4 Map does not fully reflect all of the post-swap markets, such as Bangor, which is being added. Only markets where 

there would be a hypothetical connection routing are shown.
Docket OST-2000-7182 4

This is not to imply that with a single JAN-DCA round trip there would be 

connections to and from all of these points. But the combination of connectivity potential 

at DCA and the additional connectivity potential at the US Airways hubs at Charlotte 

and Philadelphia, it is clear that US Airways’ proposal offers a significant consumer 

advantage compared to the service that Delta intends to cease. There will be 

connectivity at DCA that is compatible with connections at both CLT and PHL. 

Therefore, the US Airways application actually opens additional one-way or round-trip 

connection potential to far more points than the current service. This additional traffic 

will materially strengthen the financial performance of the JAN-DCA route.

The proposal by US Airways offers a qualitative increase in service. It is 

noted that the US Airways application proposes service with Embraer E-170/175 

aircraft. While only slightly larger in terms of seat capacity than the current regional jets 

used by Delta/Delta Connection, the cabin dimensions of the E-170/175 are not only 

comparable to those of mainline airliners such as the Boeing 737, but in some areas are 

actually more comfortable.5

In conclusion, Boyd Group International would submit that the US Airways 

application is enormously beneficial to Mississippi, to the Jackson consumer, and will 

result in increased passenger traffic for both JAN and DCA.

Please refer any questions regarding this document to 

Michael J. Boyd

President

Boyd Group International

78 Beaver Brook Canyon Road

Evergreen, Colorado 80439

(303) 674-2000

www.AviationPlanning.com

mikeb@aviationplanning.com

By: January 5, 2012

 

5 The CRJ-700s operated by Delta are being shifted to dual-class cabins with 64 – 66 seats. The E-170/175 airliners 

proposed by US Airways are 70+ seats (depending on variant). Also, the E-170/175s have carry-on space much 

closer to mainline jets, and – importantly – have economy-class seats that are as much as an inch wider than those

on even Boeing 737s, and much wider than the seats on the narrow-cabin CRJ-700s. These factors are not 

inconsequential to levels of consumer preference, and hence, ridership.