RoMax wrote: ↑04 May 2019, 23:30
Does anyone realise the hypocrisy of their statements on the point-2-point vs. hub/network model?
So an airline pursuing a P2P network strategy by definition ONLY carries pax from A to B, never A to B via C?
So then a hub network strategy must mean that ALL pax fly A to B via C, right? Bullshit? Not more as saying that in a P2P focussed strategy you can't have transfer pax.
Of course you have the most extreme form of a P2P model where there is 0 connectivity provided by the airline itself (but even then you still have so-called self-connectivity if the network has sufficient mass, airports like LGW, MXP, etc. even actively support self-connectivity through their own connectivity programs), but the vast majority of the P2P carriers these days provide at least some sort of connectivity.
Eurowings's network doesn't have 'connectivity by design', but due to the size of their network in particular at their biggest cases there are plenty of occasional connectivity opportunities. They've always sold them as such. They also have codeshares with LH/LX/OS/SN since years as well as with AC, NH, SQ and UA in particular for DUS. Yes with limitations because their LCC type of IT systems don't offer the same freedom in codeshares, etc. as legacy systems, but also there steps are being made as more and more LCC's get into the business of interlining/codesharing/connecting. In particular for long haul flights of course also EW needs connectivity.
BRU is the largest single operating base in the Eurowings Group network with about half of EWG's long haul fleet based there. LH has never ever denied the need for connecting traffic on the long haul network, the Africa network stands or falls with connectivity and the North Atlantic routes also play a key role in that.
SN's network lies closer to that of the network carriers in the group, but doesn't have the same level of connectivity, in particular on the short haul part of the network. Eurowings on the other hand is much more P2P focussed, but also offers connectivity to some extent and in particular at DUS and there where they connect with other LHG hubs. Neither of them is a pure hub carrier nor a pure P2P carrier. Both have hybrid networks and will continue like that.
It's just LHG that decides that their corporate communication strategy should make a clear distinction between the two pillars of the airline group and they do that by talking about the network airlines LH/LX/OS and point-2-point Eurowings Group.
With lots of simplistic and emotional reactions as a result, but just like LH/LX/OS don't have 100% transfer pax, neither does EW Group have 100% P2P traffic (and it will never have or wants to have).